What Johanna says about the Master's in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation

Johanna from Sweden

What year did you graduate?

"I graduated in 2018."

What is your current job and where is it located?

"I currently work as National Coordinator of the Swedish Preparedness Sector for Civil Protection, which entails all branches of Swedish rescue services (covering accidents related to for example nuclear, explosives, sea, air and environment), warning systems, shelter and large-scale evacuations. I lead a small team of four people, and together we are coordinating measures in the sector as a whole, ensuring that the development of capabilities is carried out in the direction expressed by the Swedish Government. I am based at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) in Karlstad, Sweden, but travel within the country more or less on a weekly basis."

How did you find your job and how long did it take?
"During my second year with the programme, I had the opportunity to work with UN WFP in Tanzania as well as combine writing my Master's thesis with working for a Swedish company in Ghana. At that time, Sweden had resumed its’ national defence planning, making my move back to Sweden in time for graduation a well-timed decision. Just before graduating, I found a job at the municipal level, managing a project for developing and implementing a municipality-wide preparedness plan for drinking water supply. I then moved on to work as a coordinator for civil defence on a regional level for a little under two years. During that time I also got to experience and play a part in coordinating the regional response to floods as well as the crisis that followed due to COVID-19.

I think my combined experiences and interest in working in a national systems perspective naturally led me to MSB. I started in a general analyst position and then advanced to my role as national coordinator." 

Favourite thing about your job?

"My favourite thing about my job is that I get to apply a systems perspective in everything I do, from international to local level. I get to ensure that “the big picture” in terms of Nato/EU direction and input values are aligned and implemented in a Swedish national context, all the way down to, for example, what equipment Swedish rescue services should have. I am also motivated by the fact that I get to actually make a difference in the protection of the Swedish civilian population in the long term.

Another aspect of my job I really enjoy is having been given the opportunity to build something from scratch and lead it towards a long-term goal. The preparedness sector was completely new when I assumed my role, so nothing was in place and everything was possible. As a team we have had to build everything ourselves, meaning our work is fast-paced, full of constant learning, collaboration and problem-solving together with a broad range of actors. It is a very stimulating and challenging environment which allows me to further develop as a professional."

How are you changing the industry or the world (in a large or small way)?

"I always strive to create value wherever I am. I find that to be my main motivator. Value can be created in many ways – within your local office, your closest team, on a national scale or for civilian populations potentially affected by crises. If you genuinely create and want to add value, whatever your context, my experience is that it will open doors and you will be rewarded for it professionally."

What was especially useful about the programme that you use in your everyday work?

"What I find the programme did very well, is give us students an in-depth understanding of a whole-of-systems approach to risk management. The courses complete each other and force one to consider how societal levels, sectors, and perspectives are interconnected. At the same time, by providing concrete tools and explanatory models, the programme helps to navigate complexity to create sustainable capacity development. The programme also applies realistic methods for learning, for example by using group work and case studies to apply what we learned in lectures and through course literature. For one, it highlighted the importance of culture in collaboration, an insight I have had use of plenty of times and that has helped me adapt my own approach to challenges when needed. Secondly, I find that the programme learning methods correspond well with reality and personally I didn’t experience any dissonance when starting to practice what I learned."

What do you miss most from your time at Lund University/The Faculty of Engineering? What were the highlights of your time at Lund?

"The most rewarding part of my time with the programme was definitely the people (course colleagues and professors) and the experiences we shared. When a small group of people are put together in the same place and time in the world because they share the same interest and ambition to learn about that interest, something unique is created for that group. I don’t know if I will ever get to experience that again, and engaging with my fellow students is actually something I wish I had prioritised even more during that time."

How international was your programme?

"We had representation from at least five continents which, for me personally, added an extra dimension of learning and understanding of the influence and importance of local culture within the field. It was of course challenging at times, but other students sharing experiences and insights from their unique perspective was an invaluable part of my personal learning experience that I am very thankful for today." 

What was the focus of your thesis?
"In my thesis, which I co-wrote with another student, I focused on cross-sector partnerships in disaster risk management, exploring the underlying dynamics of a partnership between traditional disaster risk management actors and the private sector. We conducted a case study with a Swedish company in Ghana."

Why do you think prospective students should choose this programme?

"The combination of the way the course composition really creates a complete understanding of the disaster risk management landscape, the realistic and challenging learning methods which allow for a natural transition into practice, and the unique learning environment in terms of place and people are a few of the main elements that I value the most almost six years in as a professional in the field."

Do you have any advice for prospective students coming to Lund?

"Immerse yourself in the environment you are in, value and engage with professors and course colleagues there and then. That unique time and opportunity will not come back, so have fun, have in-depth conversations, try your thoughts and ideas out and don’t worry too much about what the future holds."