It is expected that the work of the centre would inspire and encourage research in areas that enable a shift in disaster discourse beyond the event centric one. Some of the broad areas of focus in teaching and research are:

1. Relationship between disaster and development,
2. Governance and Policy for DRR
3. Vulnerability, marginalisation and social justice,
4. Indigenous knowledge
5. Food security, access to natural resources and conflicts
6. Critical reflection on concepts such as resilience, security, privatization of risk and insurance.