Jessica Jensen, assistant professor of emergency management, participated in a focus group for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Higher Education Program Sept. 13-14 at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Md.

The focus group concerned the development of an accreditation organization for emergency management higher education programs including the controversial issues of whether accreditation should be pursued, under what terms and who should do the accrediting. Jensen reported the group was able to achieve consensus around many key accreditation questions. “I believe all of the focus group members realize that emergency management education is at a critical juncture,” she said. “Accreditation is one of the many issues we must address as a community. With this realization in mind, the group assembled with the intent to achieve consensus, develop recommendations for the higher education community and map a way forward with respect to accreditation of emergency management programs.” 

NDSU was the first institution to offer a doctoral degree in emergency management. “NDSU is known as one of the top two programs in the field,” Jensen said. “Our department is considered a leader in the effort to formalize an academic discipline of emergency management.”

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.