Working Group Meeting of ISPRS TC VI/4 on "Internet Resources and Distance Learning"

Working Group Meeting of ISPRS TC VI/4 on "Internet Resources and Distance Learning"

10th February 2001,New Delhi, India

The Working Group Meeting of ISPRS (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)TC VI/4 was held at New Delhi, India on 10th February 2001. The scientific and technical work of the ISPRS is accomplished by seven Technical Commissions. Each Commission is entrusted to an Ordinary Member organisation for the four-year term between Congresses (Congress held after every four year). The present WG VI/4 was formed during the last ISPRS Congress held at Amsterdam, The Netherlands in July 2000. Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSDMS was designated as its Chairman, Carlos G. Pattillo from Adva. Vicuna, Chile, as a Co-Chairman and Ravi Gupta, Editor, GIS@development as the Secretary.

More than 50 academicians, researchers and others took part in the meeting from all over India and even abroad. There were people from IIRS, Anna University, Delhi University, few GIS industry persons has also attended the meeting.

The main aims of the meeting were to identify the existing educational programmes in Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and GIS through distance learning. Also, for finding out strengths and weaknesses of the existing education systems and to work out the mechanism to build upon existing system and plug the loopholes.

Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSDMS & Chairman, ISPRS WG VI/4, presented the welcome speech and Dr. Tania Maria Sausen, Chairperson of ISPRS TC VI, chaired the meeting. The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Karl Harmsen, ITC, The Netherlands. In his address, he focuses on the global strategy for education and training in Remote Sensing and GIS.

Many papers were presented during the meeting on different topics like Overview of the objectives of the meeting, perspectives on e-education in colleges and universities, what's new in Internet and distance education.

There was a presentation on 'Prototype Development for web-based educational programme in India - An IIRS and CSDMS initiatives' by WG VI/4. They have proposed to develop the prototype0 by the end of year 2001. Many International and national agency would participate in the above project.

Finally there was discussion on the proposed working plan of the WG VI/4. Working Group Vi/4 has proposed to launch a web-based Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and GIS education programme. It has also proposed to develop a web site for GIS educators along with a separate web site on GIS education.