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June 2000
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Tribhuvan University
GIS has been used in Nepal with varying degree of suc
cess. This trend represents new paradigms in both aca
demic and professional fields. Though GIS is indeed demanded, needed and perceived as an inevitable technology at many levels, there are very limited systematic training and education centres of GIS in the country. In this background, a major initiative was taken at Tribhuvan University (TU) to introduce GIS in its curriculum.
Central Department of Geography, TU, Kathmandu, Nepal started GIS in 1994 with the support of UNEP/GRID and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with the objectives of developing GIS curriculum, research and training.
GIS is taught in TU for master level students. The GIS facility at the Department of Geography, Tribhuvan University also offers training to private people since its establishment in 1994. The potential users/affiliates of TU GIS are biology, geology, meteorology and population studies.
The course intends to provide GIS as appropriate to students who anticipate using GIS within their work situations. Many people, who are being asked to become involved in GIS at their workplaces, have relatively low computing skills. The majority of the students are, however, not likely to be asked to become directly involved in writing new GIS software.
This course introduces Masters’ degree students to GIS, which have useful applications for the planner, and demonstrates how these may be used in the planning and management of environmental, urban, rural and regional development problems. The course includes such topics as database concept, database management and spatial analysis including optimum location models, classification systems, suitability analysis, thematic mapping, project model development, etc.
The course outlines are divided into different modules, and each module consists of several units such as Introduction to GIS, Spatial data structure and Spatial Operations. The students should have a good background in computers with knowledge of windows operating environment and knowledge on map. Each unit requires hands-on exercise where necessary.
The Department has undertaken a number of environment related research/project works. Two projects are on-going, one is on Preparation of Digital Database of Topographical Parameters of some Districts of Western Nepal funded by UNEP/EAPAP and ICIMOD and the other is on Digital Database preparation of four selected districts for Environmental Health Project funded by EHP/USAID.
For details contact:
Pushkar K Pradhan, Associate Professor,
Central Department of Geography, Tribhuvan University,
Kathmandu, Nepal. e-mail: cdg@wlink.com.np
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