The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS) conducts research and development through international collaboration among practitioners, academics, government agencies, and private-sector partners focused on disaster resilience and emergency management. Its R&D activities are typically organized through global congresses, regional chapters, special interest groups, and project-based working groups that address operational gaps in crisis management, risk reduction, preparedness, response coordination, and recovery frameworks. TIEMS emphasizes applied research, cross-border knowledge transfer, standards development, and the integration of emerging technologies into emergency management systems, ensuring that research outputs are practical, interoperable, and aligned with real-world incident command and resilience requirements.

TIEMS members have participated in over 16 RTD projects. Typically, these are 3-4 -year projects funded by a governmental agency such as the European Commission. TIEMS is generally one of a dozen or more organizations, from academia, industry, research, and emergency management organizations, participating in a project to advance the practice of emergency management.

Any TIEMS member can apply for paid participation in these projects. Members are selected based on their interest, availability, and expertise.

Here are some examples of past projects:

The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS) advances research and development through a structured, network-driven model that connects subject-matter experts across continents. Rather than operating as a centralized laboratory, it functions as a professional platform that catalyzes joint initiatives among universities, civil protection authorities, NGOs, technology vendors, and policy institutions. This distributed architecture enables TIEMS to leverage regional expertise while maintaining a global perspective on systemic risk, disaster governance, and resilience engineering.

A key component of TIEMS’ R&D approach is its use of thematic working groups and regional chapters to identify capability gaps and emerging threat vectors. These groups frame research agendas around practical problem statements—such as interoperability in multi-agency response, decision-support systems under uncertainty, public warning architectures, and critical infrastructure protection. Outputs often include white papers, operational guidelines, pilot projects, and collaborative research proposals aligned with international funding mechanisms.

TIEMS also facilitates knowledge validation and dissemination through its congresses, workshops, and training programs. These events serve as peer-review environments where methodologies, simulation models, case studies, and technological innovations are evaluated by practitioners and researchers alike. By integrating lessons learned from real-world incidents with academic analysis, the organization strengthens the evidence base for emergency management doctrine and supports continuous capability maturation.

In addition, TIEMS promotes the integration of advanced technologies—such as geospatial intelligence systems, AI-supported situational awareness tools, and resilient communication platforms—into operational environments. Its R&D philosophy prioritizes scalability, cross-border compatibility, and adherence to international standards, ensuring that innovations are not only technically robust but also implementable within diverse regulatory and cultural contexts.