ABOUT US

The Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC) at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) is multi-disciplinary in nature. It is designed to carry out research that would provide information on risks and vulnerabilities due to environmental and socio-cultural stressors in the former Transkei region of the Eastern Cape.

This centre aims to achieve the following objectives:

• to train students and staff (Human capital development)
•  to improve research output (Knowledge generation)
•  to work with communities, municipalities and government departments (Knowledge dissemination)
•  to contribute towards the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas (SARVA) – Information storage
• to increase collaboration networks with local and  international institutions
• to develop models for the assessment of risk and vulnerability in the Eastern Cape region.

Vision

The Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC) envisages resilient communities where scientific knowledge and research-based decision support tools are applied to efficiently and effectively manage the risks of, and vulnerability to environmental adversities.

Mission

The Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSCs) are designed to empower rural-based universities to contribute to effective production and application of Global Change Knowledge, as well as to the development of capacity for Global Change Research.

The centres are intended to provide risk and vulnerability assessment services to local communities and other potential users of such information, and in so doing, provide knowledge brokering support for effective use of the Risk and Vulnerability Atlas initiated by the Department of Science and Technology.