Crisis management and disaster response in a military context comprises coordinated efforts to manage emergency situations that threaten national security or state stability. Educational programmes and courses in this field traditionally integrate knowledge of the preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery phases in order to effectively manage crises. However, the practice of crisis management and disaster response has been subject to significant evolution in the aftermath of each major disaster, including those of a large-scale natural origin, as well as those resulting from hybrid threats. The preparation for complex and cascading disasters is conducted through integrated and multi-hazard approaches, while the management of complexity during disasters is achieved through the integration of technology and data. In light of these developments, it is necessary to reassess the crisis management and disaster response teaching curriculum. A key element in the development and reassessment of any curriculum is Bernstein's question about what counts as valid knowledge and what are the most effective ways to transmit this knowledge. To answer this question in the context of a crisis management and disaster response curriculum, it is necessary first to define both the established body of knowledge and emerging knowledge that can also be considered valid.

Although there is a substantial body of knowledge in crisis management and disaster response, originating from the discipline's early days when civil protection and a single-hazard focus were dominant, innovative practices such as using AI and machine learning for predicting natural disasters or blockchain for secure information transfer are often too disparate to be accepted as valid knowledge. However, failure to incorporate these insights derived from practice risks making education obsolete and ineffective.

To determine which elements are currently considered valid knowledge and which are emerging, an analysis and comparison of existing military courses and university-level study subjects on crisis management and disaster response was performed. This involved examining 25 bachelor's and 25 master's study subjects as well as 25 courses delivered by military or military-focused vocational training institutions. The research identified a number of general concepts that are considered to form the core of the body of knowledge on crisis management and disaster response. These include risk assessment, emergency preparedness, early warning and surveillance, disaster response, crisis communication, and civil-military cooperation. Furthermore, university-level study subjects encompass the use of AI and machine learning for disaster prediction, blockchain for secure information transfer, and climate change adaptation strategies, which may be regarded as emerging valid knowledge in the context of crisis management and disaster response education. To facilitate the transfer of these emerging knowledge, active learning methods such as simulations, gamification, project-based learning, experimental learning, and design thinking are employed to develop competencies for integrating GIS, AI, and other technologies for disaster prediction and response. In military courses, the emphasis is placed on concept development and experimentation, as well as comprehensive disaster response strategies, which could be considered as valid emerging knowledge.

Keywords: Disaster management, curriculum development, valid knowledge, higher education.