Activities of GIS Application Center at AIT and It's Role in Asia-Pacific Region
Shanker Raj Pathak*, Kiyoshi Honda* and shunji Murai**
*AIT and **University of Tokyo
Abstract
GIS application Center (GAC) started functioning in September 1995. The center is aimed to train the human resources of various organizations on RS/GIS technology and its applications in different sectors and eco-zones by conducting various training programs. The centuries also conducting research project which is demonstrated as an integral part of the training course. The center has already conducted 10 training courses for 83 participants and 1 research project successfully. It is expected that the Center will play an important role in producing the manpower required in the region capable of integrating environment and development by using RS/GIS as tools for sustainable development.
1. Introduction:
Environmental issues have been on the top agenda of most national governments as well as international and regional institutions since the last decade. There are varied and complex issues that are involved in environment, both human and bio-physical. An integrated approach to action is necessary. Action towards sustainable development wich will protect the environment and at the same time achieve economic development which will protect the environment and at availability of timely, relable and usable and usable data not only on environment issues but also socioeconomic variables. An integrated, multi-sectoral analysis of these data becomes imperative. Agenda 21 of UNCED noted the general lack of capacity for collecting and assessing data, and even where data are available, there is lack of finical resources and technology including trained manpower to make these data accessible. The same is the situation in the sia and the pacific regions. In particular, there is lack of advanced technical usage and application of GIS technology in the region.
2. how the center was established ?
The benefits gained from the use of GIS had been recognized by most institutions including the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). Thus, responding to this need, Chair Professor Shunji Murai, Former Coordinator of Computer program, AIT and Mr. Suendra Shrestra, Director of UNEP/EAP-AP, AIT initiated the proposal of Establishment Center (GAC) at UNEP/EAP-AP, AIT initiated the proposal of Establishment of GIS Application Center (GAC) at AIT. An approval for the proposal was obtained on March 1995 with the provision that the Center should act as one of the Centers of the School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD) and operate jointly with it's Space Technology Application & Research (STAR) program. Accordingly, financial proposal for the necessary fund required initially (US $ 150,000.00) TO operate the Center was forwarded to UNEP/EAP-AP and the proposal got approved on June 1995. Finally, the Center started functioning on September 1995.
2. Objectives of the Center:
The Center seek to:
- Assist planners and decision makers of Asia-Pacific region toward sustainable development by developing and increasing their capacity to use and apply GIS technology in the different eco-zones of the region.
- Provide an opportunity for organizations and institutions of countries in the Asia-Pacific region to train their human resources in the fields of RS/GIS.
- Disseminate different sectroal application in different eco-zones by carrying out different research and case studies.
Towards these objectives, the activities of the Center include:
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Develop 'hands on' training packages with relevant case studies aimed at different levels of audiences. Training material would be developed and tailored to the needs and requirements of different sectroal application and eco-zones supported by relevant case studies.
- Conduct training for the trainers in GIS technology. The trainers would be provided access to all the training material for replication of training at the sub-regional and national levels.
- Develop advanced technical and analytical applications support International and Regional institutions in Asia.
- Ensure the quality of the training programs in the Facility by having the curriculum training materials, data and applications that have been developed critically reviewed by qualified and independent experts at regular intervals.
- Provide AIT faculty with research opportunities in the field of GIS and applications through identification of technology and methodology gaps.
- Provide participating bilateral and multilateral donors access and use of the facility for dissemination of the technology as a decision support tool for sustainable development.
- Provide vendors access to research facilities at AIT and a readily available market in Asia for their products through the network of institutions participating in the facility.
- Provide vendors access to research facility at AIT and a readily available market in Asia for their products through the network of institutions participating in the facility.
4. Facilities at the Center
4.1 Laboratory and Equipment:
The first laboratory of the Center has been set up furnishing with 10 units of 486 based PCs configured with A3 sized digitizers and installed on each of them latest PC version of GIS software (ARC/INFO, IDRISI, GIST, GEOCUBE, Arc View Etc.). The laboratory is equipped with 1 calcomp Plotter, I inkjit printer, I overhead projector, I slide projector etc. it has the capacity for 20 people at a time (two people per PC) and being used as the venue for basic training on GIS technology and it's application. Resources from the Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) of STAR program are being shared in time to time whenever there is a need arises while executing the training programs and research work from the center.
Training Materials:
For all kinds of training programs until the end for the year 1996, the training materials prepared by UNEP/-AP are being used. In additions to this, phtocopies of relevant case studies, book, articles from RS/GIS journals, day-to-day handouts, etc. are also being provided to the participants attending the training programs conducted from the Center. The revised training material of UNEP/EAP-AP will be used for all kind of training programs for different level of participants from the beginning of January 1997.
4.3 Training Services (as of 1996):
Training services are mainly on Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and it application in the areas of natural environment such as agriculture, water resources, forestry, soil conservation, watershed management, land development, bio-diversity, etc. Provision of these services can take the following forms:
International : These are programs regularly advertised and conducted at AIT with participation open to qualified applications. Their training expenses are borne by their respective organizations of sponsors (international funding agencies, non-gobernmental oranizations, foundations, etc.) These programs are conducted three times in a year tentatively in April, August, and December with duration varying from 3 to 12 weeks which includes different modules such as Introduction to GIS, GIS for Professional, GIS FOR Executives, Image Processing (IP), Global Positioning System (GPS) with necessary field tips, Photo Interpretation (both satellite image and aerial photo), Integration of RS/GIS, etc. These programs are designed targeting to three levels of officials-technical level (technicians), professional level (middle managers) and executive level (decision makers).
Contractual: These are programs customized to the needs of a particular organization, with development and implementation costs borne by that organization. The program consists of course designed, developed and implemented according to the terms of reference and specifications of the requesting client organization. Program delivery makes use of any of the following or combination of intensive residential seminars/workshops /tutorials, project visits, and on-the -job training. The program may be delivered on Thailand or on-site in client's country. The program will also be in the form of tailor-made by different units of AIT as RS/GIS training may be one of the modules of their entire training program.
Consultant: The technical assistance and consulting services are extended to public and private organizations of the region in such areas as: Application of RS/GIS in different eco-zones, Satellite Image Processing (Visula and Infrared), Aerial Photo and Satellite Image Interpretation, Cartographic database design, Analysis of GIG database design, Analysis of GIS database, Global Positioning System (GPS), Writing of a case-study.
