About the EU RECAPHE Project

Institutions of professional higher education (PHE) play an important role in enhancing European competitiveness and innovation capacity, especially on the regional level where PHE institutions act as connectors between SMEs, local organisations and society. In addition, applied research activities have an important role in developing students’ skills including their innovative thinking and entrepreneurship and contribute thus to further economic growth and jobs within the regions.

Due to its practice-oriented approach and specific characters, the applied research and regional activities do not fit the same metric as the traditional universities’ research and innovation activities. RECAPHE meets the need to support further development and enhancement of the PHE institutions staff capacity to engage into applied research activities, link these to teaching, and develop relevant ways for engagement of students in these activities.

The fourth edition of the book, “Humanitarian Logistics, Meeting the challenge of preparing for and responding to disasters and complex emergencies”, edited by Professors Graham Heaslip from ATU and Peter Tatham, Griffith University, Australia was launched by ATU President Dr Orla Flynn at the inaugural Operations and Supply Chain Research (OSCAR) post graduate research training spring symposium, held in ATU Galway city campus recently.

The book is essential reading for anyone who needs to understand how to effectively manage supply networks during a rapidly developing emergency. From the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, to providing relief to victims of natural disasters, to bringing resources to a growing number of migrant crises, there is a vital need to understand how to conduct operations in confused and swiftly changing environments. This text contains chapters from a wide range of academics and practitioners who have worked in these situations and offers cutting edge research into how these complex problems can be solved.

Speaking at the launch, ATU President Dr Orla Flynn praised the editors for their thought-provoking guidance and discussion of the core issues facing practitioners involved in managing the logistics of disaster relief.

Dr Flynn said: “Why a fourth edition of ‘Humanitarian Logistics? The simple answer is that, sadly and perhaps inevitably, since the third edition, humanitarian crises have continued to emerge and challenge the international community in how best to respond. As prime examples, the ongoing Syrian crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and events in Ukraine, cause significant disruptions to humanitarian supply chains, putting those in need in the most vulnerable of positions. The recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria demonstrated the uncertainty surrounding rapid onset events. This leads to the emergence of unexpected demand for products and short lead times for supplies.”

“The new edition contains new chapters on the challenge of obtaining scarce resources in the aftermath of a disaster, sustainability in a Humanitarian Logistics (HL) context, the logistics of the COVID-19 vaccine, the challenges of procurement in HL, a study of the humanitarian service performance system, cash-based HL systems and the interaction of blockchain and HL.”

Lead editor of Humanitarian Logistics, Professor Graham Heaslip