GeoServices-4-Sustainability

Ensuring social, economic and environmental sustainability is one major aim of all the countries but priorities are not the same world over. The partner countries, China and Thailand, are fast growing economies attracting significant Foreign Direct Investment but facing a number of social and environmental challenges. Growing cities, expanding industry and increasing pollution of air, water and soil are big problems in both the countries which have several adverse effects on the society, environment and sustainable development.Applications of Geospatial technologies and methodologies in socio-economic analysis, natural resource management, economic planning, environmental management, sustainable developmental planning etc. have been well established during the last decades. However, Higher Education Institutions face a challenge of producing ‘ready-to-deliver’ Geospatial graduates.There are 3 main driving forces of Geospatial education i.e.:- Geospatial Application fields / Domains- Geospatial Data- Geospatial Technologies / ToolsThe interplay of the 3 driving forces is multilateral and reciprocal. The dynamics change in a matter of months, weeks and even in days requiring ‘fit-for-job‘ Geospatial workforce. However, HEIs fall behind in responding to the new job-requirements because they can't change curricula every month or year to incorporate new developments. As a result, by the time fresh graduates enter into the job-market, their skills are largely outdated or missing.The project envisages following outcomes:- Curricular structure, syllabi and teaching/learning materials of 20 problem-oriented case-studies based modules for PG level Geospatial study programmes.- 50 faculty members Professionally trained in delivering the modules.- 150 students with enhanced transversal skills through ‘hands-on’ practical experience of working with the applications of these modules.- An e-Learning platform facilitating free and open access to the modules worldwide.