Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the key challenges, approaches and lessons of the higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the context of COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted to understand the key challenges being faced by the HEIs around the world during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 150 responses were collected from 65 universities, located in 29 countries. Findings The results show that 47% of respondents with defined universities believe their institutions lacked a permanent or dedicated emergency management office, and 41% said their HEIs lacked a general business continuity plan for an emergency. In universities with BCPs, 33% of the plans do not cover biological hazards and pandemic risk management, and 60% of the plans did not include conducting any advanced simulation exercises. More than 70% the responded said their instruction, information sharing and decision-making process were timely and open. The major challenges identified were a lack of adequate preparedness for pandemic and of pandemic-specific advanced simulation exercises. The next major challenges were the change in the mode of teaching to online lectures and working from home. Based on these challenges, a set of short- and long-term recommendations were proposed. Originality/value This was the first survey in academic institutions in post COVID-19 context. The findings will be useful for preparing for biological and other related hazards.

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Recognizing the ever-increasing vulnerability of coastal urban cities in Asia due to climate change impacts and variability and also due to fast-growing urban development, this study focusing on climate disaster resilience is conducted in order to measure the existing level of climate disaster resilience of the targeted areas using a Climate Disaster Resilience Index. The index is developed based on five resilience-based dimensions: natural, physical, social, economic and institutional. The scope of this study is limited to climate-induced disasters, such as cyclone, flood, heat wave, drought and heavy rainfall induced landslide. For each individual city case, resilience information is presented as overall resilience, and separate physical, social, economic and institutional resilience. Higher values of resilience are equivalent to higher preparedness to cope with climate and disasters and inversely. Based on the results, policy points and recommendations are suggested by the authors and provide encouragement of city governments' engagements in specific cist services, institution and capacity building. Not only are outputs from this study useful for city governments, but they also provide valuable knowledge and information to other local and national stakeholders having a similar target: the enhancement of community resilience.

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