Course

Organisational Failure, Culture & Resilience

Starts Jul 6, 2026

$1,804 Enrol

Full course description

About this course

This course has been developed through a partnership between Griffith University and Qantas, as part of the Safety Academy by Qantas Group. This collaboration enables a strong connection between theoretical foundations and practical application, offering insights from both academic and industry perspectives.

This course examines how complex organisations drift into failure, how cultural and structural factors shape safety outcomes, and how resilience‑focused approaches can strengthen performance in dynamic, high‑risk environments. It is designed for leaders who want to tackle systemic risks and shape strong, adaptive safety cultures.

This micro-credential is part of a broader suite of courses being developed within the Safety Academy by Qantas Group, aimed at upskilling safety professionals and cultivating effective safety leaders.

This course is the first step in building deep capability in safety leadership.

As Part B of the Safety Principles and Culture offering, it can be taken as a standalone course. Learners who wish to extend their impact can also complete Foundations of Modern Safety Thinking Course to earn a digital badge and gain credit towards the Graduate Certificate in Safety Leadership. The courses do not need to be studied concurrently, giving you flexibility to progress at your own pace.

Commencing
Mon 6th July 2026
Online
6 Weeks
3 Modules
including assessment
1,804
GST Inc

Course Snapshot

What are the course learning outcomes?

This course examines how complex organisations drift into failure, how cultural and structural factors shape safety outcomes, and how resilience‑focused approaches can strengthen performance in dynamic, high‑risk environments. It is designed for leaders who want to tackle systemic risks and shape strong, adaptive safety cultures.

You’ll explore theories such as man‑made disasters, practical drift, Normal Accident Theory, and the characteristics of High Reliability Organisations. These perspectives show how risks incubate silently over time, why tightly coupled systems fail unexpectedly, and what differentiates organisations that maintain exceptional reliability. 

You’ll also unpack organisational culture, examining the Swiss Cheese Model, the evolution of safety culture after major disasters, and debates about power, leadership, and the limits of maturity models. 

Finally, you’ll explore resilience engineering and Safety‑II approaches, focusing on adaptive capacity, learning, and how organisations enable people to succeed under varying conditions. You’ll consider practical frameworks for enhancing resilience beyond compliance‑based systems. 

By the end, you’ll be equipped to diagnose organisational drift, strengthen cultural resilience, and design forward‑looking improvements that support safe, flexible, high‑performing work.

What core topics are offered?

The micro-credential is divided into three (3) comprehensive modules, each exploring critical elements of safety:

  • Drift into Failure and High-reliability Organisations: Discusses risk accumulation and strategies for resilience.
  • Organisational Culture and Safety: Explores leadership’s role and cultural impacts on safety.
  • Integrating Safety Principles and Cultural Resilience: Synthesizes course knowledge to build adaptive safety systems.
Who is this course suited to?

This course is designed for safety professionals working in or aspiring to work within High Reliability Organisations (HROs). It is ideal for leaders, safety practitioners, and professionals seeking to understand the foundations of contemporary safety practice. 

What are the course credentials?

Participants who complete this micro-credential will earn a certificate of completion. Participants who package this course together with  Foundations of Modern Safety Thinking Course (study both courses) will be eligible to receive a digital badge to recognise their achievement, demonstrating to employers and peers the skills and knowledge acquired. Participants that complete both this course and  Foundations of Modern Safety Thinking Course will also earn 10 credit points (CP) that contribute toward the Graduate Certificate in Safety Leadership at Griffith University. 

What does my course schedule look like?

This 6-week online course is structured for flexible, self-paced learning and is hosted on Griffith University's Learning Management System. The course includes:

  • Rich content featuring videos, readings, case studies, and activities.
  • Optional interactive webinars for deeper discussion, potentially featuring Qantas subject matter experts.
  • Assessments that involve workplace analysis and scenario-based tasks to reinforce practical understanding and direct application of course material.
Who are the course facilitators?

Lead academic, Sidney Dekker, is a Professor in the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science. Sidney has founded the Safety Science Innovation Lab in 2012, which introduced ‘Safety Differently’ and ‘Restorative Just Culture’. Both have inspired global movements for change and undergird Griffith University's highly popular Graduate Certificate in Safety Leadership. Please CLICK HERE for Professor Sidney Dekker.