Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution (DRI) was established by Hyogo Prefecture in April 2002 with funding by the central government of Japan. Its mission is to help build a resilient society that ensures the safety and security of communities and gains their cooperation in disaster risk reduction, by inheriting the experiences and lessons of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and other disasters that followed in Japan and overseas, shaping a disaster management mindset, improving the disaster preparedness of communities and helping to develop disaster prevention policies. The institution has chiefly 6 functions.

1) Museum Exhibits: It exhibits the experiences and lessons from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. 2) Action Research on Disaster Reduction: It conducts action research that contributes to the formulation and implementation of disaster risk reduction policies and management actions by the central and local governments, communities, and business enterprises. 3) Collection Archive: It works in association with local citizens and communities to continuously collect and analyze information on the Earthquake and disaster reduction. 4) Assistance in Disaster Response: In case of large-scale disasters, DRI dispatches experts to provide appropriate information and advice to headquarters managers. 5) Training of Disaster Management Practitioners: It conducts training of local government practitioners who play central roles in disaster management. 6) Exchange and Networking: It functions as a crossroad of governmental experts, researchers, citizens and business enterprises with experiences and interests in disaster reduction and disaster mitigation.

The Graduate School of Disaster Resilience and Governance at the University of Hyogo was established as an independent graduate school in April 2017. Its mission is to reduce disaster risks by leveraging the experiences and lessons from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. This is both a responsibility and a mission assigned to a university and graduate school located in a disaster-affected area.

At this graduate school, the lessons and knowledge accumulated since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake by diverse entities such as governments, businesses, schools, NGOs, communities, and volunteers are academically systematized. By integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) and recovery as interconnected processes and combining existing disciplines crossa responsibility and a mission assigned to a university and graduate school ー, the school conducts education and research on disaster resilience and recovery policies.

 Through this approach, the graduate school aims to nurture professionals who can lead disaster resilience and recovery efforts, including conducting research, formulating and implementing policies, practicing crisis management, promoting disaster education in communities and schools, and coordinating among various stakeholders. Additionally, it seeks to build networks and promote collaboration among these stakeholders, thereby contributing to developing a disaster-resilient society.