Organization

NDEMU brings together emergency management professionals, strategic thinkers, policymakers, academics, and researchers to create a comprehensive training, professional development, and education continuum. This continuum will support professionals from the beginning of their careers to the most senior executive levels, addressing training and education gaps and elevating the field into a recognized profession. The shift towards the NDEMU involves moving from a technical training focus toward a more traditional university structure to be comprised of three specialized schools supporting different emergency management career paths and specialized communities: the Emergency Management Institute, Building The Next Generation; the School of Disaster Leadership, Advancing Foundations; and the School of National Resilience, Strengthening the Whole Community.

This transformation aligns with the American Council of Education (ACE's) mission to mobilize the higher education community and foster innovative, high-quality practice. Through ACE Learning Evaluations, NDEMU courses connect workplace learning with academic credit, supporting ACE's commitment to recognizing knowledge and skills gained outside traditional classrooms. This partnership advances workforce development for adult learners while strengthening public trust in education's role in protecting communities—demonstrating how higher education directly serves democratic society through enhanced public safety and resilience.