The term resilience has been around for some time.  The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary defines it as the ability “….(of a substance) to recoil, spring back, resume its original shape after bending, stretching and compression; and (of a person) to readily recover from shock or depression; buoyant.”

The concept of resilience has recently migrated from the fields of engineering and the environment to address the capacity of individuals, families, communities and institutions to withstand and recover from catastrophic events and experiences.  It is used to describe the ability of society to accommodate the unexpected, to adapt, to judiciously engage with catastrophic events, and in some cases to become stronger as a result of the experience.

The term is being used more frequently by government officials, the emergency services and the media in this country to describe the nation’s innate resilience and its ability to cope in the face of adversity.

Despite its growing use there is no agreed national or international definition of resilience, and there no common understanding on how society can become more resilient and therefore better able to respond to, and recover from disruptive challenges. The purpose of the Institute is to address these issues by conducting advanced research, by providing improved management tools and operational assistance, and by delivering management education and training.