In the midst of a map-consumer delivery revolution, the ICA ‘Maps and the Internet Commission’ formed in 1999 continues its work analysing, developing, communicating and educating regarding this new medium. In doing so it makes use of a combination of conferences, symposiums and hands-on workshops. Meetings have served to promote innovative research and the exchange of information associated with the distribution of maps and spatial data via the internet. Commission meetings since 2000 have focused on identifying key issues and defining a framework for research. Initial work culminated in the 2003 publication of Maps and the Internet, released as a... (read more)

2006-08-23 12:00:00

Foresight in Survey Education

GPS Teaching Outreach

It's no secret that GPS systems have changed surveying. To keep pace with industry, international educational systems need to teach students how to use GPS systems and modern survey equipment, such as robotic total-stations. Within the framework of the Educational Partnership Program more than five hundred educational institutions in North and South America and Europe have been supplied with Topcon survey and GPS equipment. Surveyors using GPS equipment can do much more work in less time; using a GPS system means that a survey project that formerly took a crew five days is now completed in just three, with... (read more)

2009-12-04 11:40:27

Geomatics Education in Australia

Developments in Geomatics Education (7)

Surveying/geomatics education programmes for the training of professional surveyors in Australia were introduced in each state in the second half of the twentieth century, replacing an articled pupil system that had operated for more than a century. There are currently about 1,100 equivalent full-time undergraduate geomatics students in the eight four-year geomatics programmes, with approximately two hundred graduating each year. The preferred optimum would be twice that number. Reduced government funding and declining enrolment on geomatics courses have put education institutions under increased pressure to rationalise their programmes, resulting in reduced staff numbers and, in some cases, closures. Formal programmes... (read more)

2007-06-14 12:00:00

Education Resources Renewal

PCI Geomatics (Canada) has renewed the current Eduserv Chest agreement for Geomatica software for three years. Under this agreement educational institutes in the UK and Ireland are able at low cost to rent Geomatica and eCognition software on a site license basis. The eCognition package is available with or without Geomatica. Eduserv Chest negotiates for all forms of commercial electronic resources (software, courseware, abstracts, full text, journals, etc.) available for education and research communities in the UK and Ireland, as well as for various other groups. In most cases, Chest manages the resultant agreements. (read more)

2005-03-17 12:00:00

Geomatics Education in Latvia

Developments in Geomatics Education (2)

The term ‘geomatics’ came into use in the Latvian technical education system during implementation of the international project Geomatic Education in Latvia (GEMLA). The author provides some background and discusses the new Geomatics programme to be launched in academic year 2007/2008. The GEMLA project was implemented by the Department of Geodesy at Riga Technical University in co-operation with Mikkeli Polytechnic (Finland), Karlsruhe University of Technology (Germany) and Nottingham Trent University (UK), resulting in establishment on 24th February 2003 of the Department of Geomatics. Study Programme Over a hundred students are enrolled on the degree course ‘Geodesy and Cartography’. This academic... (read more)

2007-02-23 12:00:00

Geomatics: Education is Key

Our society is facing many complex challenges. Climate change is related to many issues today’s governments are having to deal with. Think of food security, migration, social justice, urban planning and water supply – these are all topics that are under increasing pressure due to the effects of global warming. The growing world population is another important hazard that is pushing policymakers to the edge. The combination of these two major threats demands cost-efficient, innovative and smart solutions. The geomatics industry can deliver many of these solutions but, although there are some parties that are doing great work, the real... (read more)

2016-04-05 12:03:53

Web Mapping for Education

The latest version of the EDINA Digimap service has gone live. The service is a co-operation of Cadcorp and the EDINA National Data Centre. Launched in 2000, the EDINA Digimap service specialises in the delivery of a number of geographical data resources over the Internet to over 150 academic institutions. National digital map data ranging from Ordnance Survey (OS) products to geology, marine and historical maps can be accessed by staff and students free at point of use. Based on Cadcorp's web mapping software GeognoSIS, the service also utilises a number of licences of Map Modeller, Cadcorp's desktop GIS.The new... (read more)

2010-04-13 09:25:27

Geomatics Education in Croatia

Developments in Geomatics Education (1)

During the past year the Faculty of Geodesy at the University of Zagreb has introduced fundamental reform of all its education programmes, undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate doctoral studies, and established a completely new postgraduate specialisation course. The author provides detailed background information and preliminary evaluation. Croatia has a longstanding tradition of higher education in surveying and geodesy. The seminal textbook by Martin Sabolovi´c, Exercitationes Gaeodeticae, was printed in 1775 and the first academic diplomas certifying that one could act as surveyor date back to 1811. At the Royal Forestry Academy, founded in Zagreb in 1898, geodesy was from the start... (read more)