Promotion of Education and Training on Geoinformatics in Asia
Public Domain Software for Education
Hands-on-training (HOT) or computer assisted technical (CAT) with PCs is one of most important factors for education and training on geoinformatics. Particularly developing counties are required to prepare public domain software free of charge or at very cheap price for educational purpose.
Concerning remote sensing including digital image processing, NASDA/RESTEC of Japan has developed a public domain software called "WIN Asean" of Windows version, Which used to be freely distributed the trainees of Regional Remote Sensing Seminar on Tropical Eco-syster Regional Seminar on Space Information since 1995.
Concerning GIS, there are several public domain software, such as GRASS (free) and IDRISI (560 US $), but they are only based on either vector model or raster model. Beijing University, China has developed a public domain software of GIS called "Geo-star" (500U$$), though English version is now under development, that is based on both vector and raster model.
Nevertheless we Asian look forward to making use of "Trainee Friendly GIS Software" for educational purposes.
Free Dataset for Education and Training
Because satellite remote sensing images are so expensive and digitizing map data are so time consuming, dataset for education and training on remote sensing and GIS should be well prepared depending on the purpose of principles and applications.
For remote sensing course, at least the following dataset are to be prepared.
- Digital image data at the same place and the same time, taken by different sensors or satellites for comparison of resolution and spectral bands.
- Digital image data at the same place but at different times for multi-temporal or change analysis. Topomaps are also to be prepared for geometric correction.
- Geo-coded satellite image data together with DEM (digital elevation model) and the corresponding topo-map in raster together with DEM (digital elevation model) and the corresponding topo-map in raster mode for generating 3D bird's eye view.
- Several different satellite images in the application to the following areas
- agricultural land use
- forest mapping
- soil erosion/land degradation analysis
- watershed management
- sedimentation / coastal management
- urban / regional planning
- others
for GIS, a complete set of the following layers are to be prepared.
- political boundaries
- DEM or contour lines
- Roads / railways
- River / drainage
- coast lines
- land use
- population
- forest map
- soil map
- others
Because GIS is an application oriented technique, such dataset should be focused on specific application.
International Education and Training Center
Education refers to a long course (two or three years) with degree (eg. Master or Doctor degree), while training a short course (not more than three months)with only certificate. Both education and training are necessary to promote geoinformatics in Asia.
Though each country has domestic education and training centers, international centers will international standard should be also founded in Asia. Unfortunately there are very few international centers avail in Asia. The author is pleased to introduce the following courses in his relation.
- Remote Sensing Training Course
Once a year since 1977/FY
Two months, about 10 trainees per year
JICA sponsored,
Tokyo, Japan
Implemented by RESTEC of Japan
- Master and Doctor Course
Remote Sensing and GIS
STAR Program (Space Technology Application and Research), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
Twenty months for Master Degree
Three years for Doctor Degree
Bangkok, Thailand
Scholarship available
- Short Course
GIS and/or Remote Sensing
GIS Application Center at AIT
Two or three weeks
- 10PCs, 10ARC/INFO, 10IDISI, 10 digitizers are available for training
Sponsors are welcomed to organize any style course of ready-make, half made or self make
- Diploma Course
Application of Remote Sensing and GIS
Dehra Dun, India
Center for Space Science and Technology Education -Asia and pacific (CSSTE-AP)
Affiliated with UN COPUOS (Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space)
Newly established in 1996
Well Recognized Teaching Staff
Good teachers are of course very important for successful education and training. Keeping permanent teachers is becoming more difficult due to not only economic burden but also rapid changes of requirements. Therefore, exchange of personnel based on short visit (eg. Three months), caravan style seminars or workshops by well known experts or self learning software package would minimize the cost and maximize the efficiency. Recognizing that continuous education service is a key issue, particularly in remote sensing and GIS, or geoinformatics, good teachers are essential to human resources.
Conclusions
The author recognized that education and training on geoinformatics are particularly important in promoting remote sensing and GIS in Asia.
Well organized text books, computer-assisted-teaching software and free dataset should be prepared through cooperation between experts, space agencies, education centers and other related organizations.
International education and training centers with well recognized teachers are also to be more available in Asia.
