Conference Proceedings: Strategy Report of CEOS

ESCAP
Contact: Wu Guoxiang
E-mail: wugu@un.org

Main Activities:
The nature of work at ESCAP is related to EO applications, education/training & promotion and organization of regional cooperation. ESCAP is the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Consultative Committee on RESAP; Secretariat of the regional working groups on remote sensing, GIS and satellite-based positioning, meteorological satellite applications and natural hazards monitoring.

EO Education & Training:
ESCAP's main role in EO education and training is to co-sponsor regional group training activities including training courses, workshops, seminars and to provide fellowships for regional education/training activities carried out by member countries.

ESCAP had organized training courses for decision makers & planners and professionals (on job).

ESCAP supports regional training activities and provides medium and long term fellowships to regional training activities.

Suggestions:
CEOS should provide case studies of operational EO systems that are affordable to most developing countries. WGEdu should also develop cooperation with WGISS for availing the training materials. Educational institutions should study and provide successful cases of small-scale operational EO systems that are affordable to most the developing countries. CEOS should organize the operational application oriented medium training activities.

EUMETSAT
Contact: David Willaims
E-mail: dwillaims@eumetsat.de

Main Activities:
EUMETSAT's main activities are definition, procurement and operation of Europe's meteorological satellites for Europe and other nations. The nature of work at EUMETSAT is related to EO techniques, applications, training and education. The main focus of EO education is the accurate and timeliness of weather forecast.

EO Education & Training:
In the field of EO education and training, it co-ordinates and funds training activities in satellite meteorology in European states, Nairobi and Niamey. EUMETSAT organizes professional level training programme. Total 4 persons are involved in organizing such training and 10 persons are getting trained in satellite meteorology field. Approximately 0.2 % of total budget is allocated for this activity at EUMETSAT.

EUMETSAT has developed many multi-media CD presentations for EO education and training and is making efforts to collate the training materials into distributable form.

EUMETSAT is presently identifying the need of EO training for all the African countries. It is unable to estimate the number of persons that need training in EO for Europe.

EUMETSAT has direct access to Meteosat VIS and NIR images (1979 - present) for meteorological applications. These data can be made available to EO Educational institutions from the data archive subject to data policy.

EUMETSAT is ready to participate in the curriculum development and provide its materials. Based on relevance of course and availability of funding, experts/faculty can be considered.

Suggestions:
CEOS should focus on what exists now in the field of training and cross linkages among agencies to benefit each other, instead of duplicating the efforts. The key area of EO technology and applications is to understand the content and extract the information.

INPE
Contact: Marcio Nogueira Barbosa
E-mail: diretor@sir.inpe.br

Main Activities:
INPE does research and development in space science, remote sensing, meteorology, GIS, satellite development, satellite test, integration, astronomy and astrophysics, combustion and propulsion, orbital mechanics and space science. The nature of work of at INPE is EO technology, applications, research, training & education.

EO Education & Training:
INPE is developing doctoral and master programs in remote sensing, meteorology, astrophysics, space technology and engineering, applied computing and space geophysics areas. It organizes short courses, seminars and workshops in remote sensing and meteorology to decision makers, journalists, teachers and school students etc. Its level of training is general public awareness, school level, academic level, professional level (teachers), space school for teenagers, refresher courses for professionals, long term courses designed for Latin American professionals. The annual budget allocated for EO education and training at INPE is ~0.1% and around 100 persons are involved for this work.

INPE supports financially for the doctoral and masters training programs and have partnership with CAPES, CNPq, FAPESP and UNU for doctoral and masters and specialised programs for fellowships.

INPE estimates that the need for training in Brazil is 500 persons and in South America is 300 annually.

INPE has developed EO multi-media CDs, web-education material, reading material, posters etc. and is ready to share its materials.

INPE has access to NOAA, LANDSAT, SPOT, CBERS, ERS & RADARSAT data and could consider appropriate mechanism for provision to educational institutions.

INPE identifies the sensor and satellite development designed for tropical regions as thrust areas for future research/training.

INPE researchers are interested in serving as visiting faculty based on financial support.

Suggestions:
CEOS should facilitate coordination of education and training programmes and the development of educational materials in developing countries to educators and create critical mass in remote sensing and GIS. The education programmes should be focused to educators, high schools and university courses oriented to natural resources.