The launch ceremony of the Global University Consortium sponsored by IHDP-IRG Project was held in the Yingdong Academic Hall, Beijing Normal University on September 7^th, 2012. Memorandum of Understanding of Global University Consortium for Integrated Risk Governance was signed by representatives from thirteen global famous universities, including Beijing Normal University, Ana G. Mendez University System, Keio University, Lujan National University, Mekelle University, Shanghai Normal University, University of Chile, University of Colorado, University of Eduardo Mondlane, University of the Free State, Northumbria University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Universidad Simon Bolivar.

The 2^nd IHDP-IRG Project Scientific Committee Meeting and its regional offices meeting was held in Beijing Normal University on 8 - 9 September, 2012. The IHDP-IRG Project co-chair - Prof. Carlo Jaeger, and Prof. Peijun Shi, members of the scientific committee, and four regional offices heads (European Regional Office, African Regional Office, Latin American Regional Office and North American Regional Office) attended this meeting which is organized by the international project office in Beijing.

On 26 - 30 August, IRG Project co-chairs, Scientific Committee members participated in the International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC Davos 2012 in Davos, Switzerland, hosted by Global Risk Forum Davos. The topic of this conference was “Integrative Risk Management in a Changing World - Pathways to a Resilient Society”. There were more than 800 hundred experts and scholars attended this conference.

On 14 to 17 July, 2012, the 37th Annual Natural Hazards Research and Application Workshop was held in Boulder, Colorado, United States.

This year’s workshop was also one of the center activities in North American region of the Integrated Risk Governance (IRG) Project. The State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, cooperated with IRG project and jointly appointed 5 members to participate in this workshop.

Africa regional office of IRG Project formally launched on 8 December 2011. Professor Joachim Herzig (president of Mekelle University), professor Qian Ye and professor Kiros Meles were get together to discuss the implementation plan of risk monitoring and early warning system research under the administration of IRGP Africa regional office, the cooperation plan of academic research and students exchange between Mekelle University and Beijing Normal University.