Geoengineering Education for Management of Geospatial Data in University Context
Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 2
Abstract
In our society, geospatial data are used for multiple purposes, and their use has grown exponentially in recent decades, especially with the emergence of COVID-19. In this sense, universities play a key role in the geospatial domain from two points of view: the formation of students in this field in society, and the transfer and communication of knowledge. Considering the university-age population in Spain, a study was carried out in autonomous communities on the training provided by degrees that educate future spatial data managers (i.e., Bachelor Degree in Engineering in Geomatics and Surveying and Bachelor Degree of Geography) and the disciplines in which geospatial data are treated indirectly. The results show that universities offer two degrees providing direct training and seven degrees providing indirect training in geospatial data management per 100,000 inhabitants of university age. A high correlation of has been found between the number of degrees that provide direct training and the number of geospatial services offered by Spanish universities, and most of these degrees and resources are offered by public universities. Although there are good prospects for the future of the geospatial industry, the number of students pursuing these degrees is decreasing by 5% while the number of students enrolled in all degrees in the country has increased by 4.3%. It seems important to reorient more training towards the current direction of the geodata market and online training.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Extremadura (Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) for research project GR18028.
References
Abd-Elrahman, A., G. Barnes, A. Benjamin, K. Britt, B. Dewitt, H. H. Hochmair, S. Smith, and B. Wilkinson. 2019. “Geomatics education at the University of Florida: A case study of challenges and adaptation.” Surv. Land Inf. Sci. 78 (1): 5–16.
Arab-Mazar, Z., R. Sah, A. A. Rabaan, K. Dhama, and A. J. Rodriguez-Morales. 2020. “Mapping the incidence of the COVID-19 hotspot in Iran: Implications for travellers.” Travel Med. Infect. Dis. 34 (1): 101630. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101630.
Awange, J. L., A. H. M. F. Anwar, E. Forootan, H. Nikraz, K. Khandu, and J. Walker. 2017. “Enhancing civil engineering surveying learning through workshops.” J. Surv. Eng. 143 (3): 05017001. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000211.
Blaschke, T., and H. Merschdorf. 2014. “Geographic information science as a multidisciplinary and multiparadigmatic field.” Cartography Geog. Inf. Sci. 41 (3): 196–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230406.2014.905755.
Bolkas, D., and D. Gouak. 2020. “Understanding the demographics of surveying students in Pennsylvania and making plans to increase the awareness of the surveying profession.” J. Surv. Eng. 146 (2): 05020002. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000311.
Carbonell-Carrera, C. 2017. “Spatial-thinking knowledge acquisition from route-based learning and survey learning: Improvement of spatial orientation skill with geographic information science sources.” J. Surv. Eng. 143 (1): 05016009. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000200.
Coetzee, S., et al. 2017. “The academic SDI—Towards understanding spatial data infrastructures for research and education.” In Advances in cartography and GIScience, edited by M. P. Peterson, 99–113. New York: Springer.
Coutts, B. 2017. “Should we replace the word ‘Geomatics’?” GIM International, November 30, 2017.
De Miguel González, R., and M. L. De Lázaro. 2016. “Educating geographers in Spain: Geography teaching renewal by implementing the European Higher Education Area.” J. Geogr. Higher Educ. 40 (2): 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2016.1139556.
De Wulf, A., T. Nuttens, C. Stal, and G. Deruyter. 2014. “Geomatics bachelor and masters program in Belgium.” In Proc., 14th SGEM GeoConf. on Informatics, Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, 613–620. Vienna, Austria: SGEM World Science Society. https://doi.org/10.5593/SGEM2014/B53/S22.081.
Dowman, I., and K. Labbassib. 2014. “The development of geospatial education and training in North Africa.” In Vol. XL-6 of Proc., Int. Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences 2014—ISPRS Technical Commission VI Symp., edited by J. Gong et al., 1–5. Hannover, Germany: International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-6-1-2014.
Elhassan, I. M. 2018. “Towards a modern surveying engineering curriculum: Case presented is surveying engineering program at King Saud University.” In Proc., XXVI FIG Int. Congress 2018, 1–16. Copenhagen, Denmark: International Federation of Surveyors. http://fig.net/resources/proceedings/fig_proceedings/fig2018/papers/ts05b/TS05B_elhassan_9301.pdf.
Gil-Docampo, M., J. Ortiz-Sanz, T. Rego-Sanmartin, and M. Arza-Garcia. 2019. “A World wide web-based practice that disseminates photogrammetry: Inspiring secondary students to pursue geomatics careers [education].” IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Mag. 7 (1): 86–97. https://doi.org/10.1109/MGRS.2018.2876565.
Gillins, D., M. Olsen, and R. Schultz. 2013. “Educating students for the extensive range of surveying activities.” Surveying Land Inf. Sci. 73 (1): 21–30.
Gong, J., P. Yue, T. Woldai, F. Tsai, A. Vyas, H. Wu, A. Gruen, L. Wang, and I. Musikhin. 2017. “Geoinformatics education and outreach: Looking forward.” Geo-Spatial Inf. Sci. 20 (2): 209–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/10095020.2017.1337319.
Hannah, J., J. Kavanagh, R. Mahoney, and F. Plimmer. 2009. “Surveying: A profession facing a global crisis?” Surv. Rev. 41 (313): 268–278. https://doi.org/10.1179/003962609X451528.
He, L., P. Yue, L. Di, M. Zhang, and L. Hu. 2015. “Adding geospatial data provenance into SDI—A service-oriented approach.” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Appl. Earth Obs. Remote Sens. 8 (2): 926–936. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2014.2340737.
Hermansen, K. E. 2019. Educating the surveyor, 3. Orono, ME: Univ. of Maine.
INSPIRE (Infrastructure for spatial information in Europe). 2020. “Infrastructure for spatial information in Europe.” Accessed September 10, 2020. https://inspire.ec.europa.eu/.
Ipbuker, C. 2010. “The reason of changing the name to “Geomatics”.” In Proc., FIG Congress 2010: Facing the Challenges—Building the Capacity, 1–10. Copenhagen, Denmark: International Federation of Surveyors.
Jeffress, G., and G. Barnes. 2010. “Facing the challenge of the shrinking, aging surveying profession.” In Proc., XXIV FIG Int. Congress 2010: Facing the Challenges—Building the Capacity, 1–16. Copenhagen, Denmark: International Federation of Surveyors. http://www.fig.net/resources/proceedings/fig_proceedings/fig2010/papers/ts07h/ts07h_jeffress_barnes_3860.pdf.
Joshi, R. K., and M. Joshi. 2015. “Challenges in sustainable geomatics engineering education at Tribhuvan University.” In Proc., 7th Int. Forum on Engineering Education (IFEE), 1–12. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: International Forum on Engineering Education.
Kainz, W. 2020. “Cartography and the others: Aspects of a complicated relationship.” Geo-Spatial Inf. Sci. 23 (1): 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/10095020.2020.1718000.
Kamel Boulos, M. N., and E. M. Geraghty. 2020. “Geographical tracking and mapping of coronavirus disease COVID-19/severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic and associated events around the world: How 21st century GIS technologies are supporting the global fight against outbreaks and epidemics.” Int. J. Health Geographics 19 (1): 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-020-00202-8.
Kelly, L. 2013. “Maps, libraries and the “GIS Librarian”: An informal review of international cartographic libraries.” S. Afr. J. Geomatics 2 (2): 163–174.
Konecny, G. 2002. “Recent global changes in geomatics education.” In Vol. XXXIV Part 6 of Proc., ISPRS Technical Commission VI Symp., 1–6. Hannover, Germany: International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. https://www.isprs.org/proceedings/XXXIV/part6/.
Li, D., J. Gong, and P. Yue. 2014. “Geoinformatics education in China.” Geo-Spatial Inf. Sci. 17 (4): 208–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/10095020.2014.985282.
Lü, G., M. Batty, J. Strobl, H. Lin, A. X. Zhu, and M. Chen. 2019. “Reflections and speculations on the progress in geographic information systems (GIS): A geographic perspective.” Int. J. Geogr. Inf. Sci. 33 (2): 346–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2018.1533136.
Marsh, M., R. Golledge, and S. E. Battersby. 2007. “Geospatial concept understanding and recognition in G6–college students: A preliminary argument for minimal GIS.” Ann. Assoc. Am. Geogr. 97 (4): 696–712. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8306.2007.00578.x.
Martínez, P. J., F. J. Aguilar, and M. Ortiz. 2020. “Transitioning from face-to-face to blended and full online learning engineering master’s program.” IEEE Trans. Educ. 63 (1): 2–9. https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2019.2925320.
Mills, J. P., D. Parker, and S. J. Edwards. 2004. “Geomatics.org.uk: A UK response to a global awareness problem.” In Vol. XXXV Part B6 of Proc., XXth ISPRS Congress Technical Commission VI, edited by O. Altan, 1–6. Hannover, Germany: International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. https://www.isprs.org/proceedings/XXXV/congress/comm6/papers/669.pdf.
Núñez, J. L. M., E. T. Caro, and J. R. H. González. 2017. “From higher education to open education: Challenges in the transformation of an online traditional course.” IEEE Trans. Educ. 60 (2): 134–142. https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2016.2607693.
Pashova, L., and T. Bandrova. 2017. “A brief overview of current status of European spatial data infrastructures: Relevant developments and perspectives for Bulgaria.” Geo-Spatial Inf. Sci. 20 (2): 97–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/10095020.2017.1323524.
Peters, S., J. M. Krisp, and L. Meng. 2010. “Education paper: Developments of an international master program in cartography and geoinformatics.” Ekscentar 13 (Jun): 78–81.
Quirós, E., and M. E. Polo. 2018. “Recursos abiertos de información geográfica para investigación y documentación científica.” Rev. Esp. Documentación Científica 41 (3): 16. https://doi.org/10.3989/redc.2018.3.1512.
Sack, C. M. 2018. “The status of web mapping in North American higher education.” Cartographic Perspect. 89 (1): 25–43. https://doi.org/10.14714/CP89.1429.
SEOPAN (Association of Construction and Infrastructure Concession Companies). 2017. Informe SEOPAN ‘Construcción e infraestructuras: Estadísticas 2016 y previsiones para 2017’. Madrid, Spain: Asociación de Empresas Constructoras y Concesionarias de Infraestructuras.
SEOPAN (Association of Construction and Infrastructure Concession Companies). 2019. Informe SEOPAN ‘Construcción e infraestructuras: Estadísticas 2018 y previsiones para 2019’. Madrid, Spain: Asociación de Empresas Constructoras y Concesionarias de Infraestructuras.
SEOPAN (Association of Construction and Infrastructure Concession Companies). 2020. Informe SEOPAN ‘Construcción e infraestructuras: Estadísticas 2019 y previsiones para 2020’. Madrid, Spain: Asociación de Empresas Constructoras y Concesionarias de Infraestructuras.
Sobrinho, J., M. Gomes, M. Mendes, M. Silva, and A. Dourado. 2019. “Enforcement of the use of cartography in geography in high school.” Creative Educ. 10 (6): 1242–1250. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2019.106093.
Tsai, F., and L.-C. Chen. 2014. “Challenges of remote sensing and spatial information education and technology transfer in a fast developing industry.” In Vol. XL-6 of Proc., 2014 ISPRS Technical Commission VI Symp., edited by J. Gong et al., 103–106. Hannover, Germany: International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.
Vandenbroucke, D., and G. Vancauwenberghe. 2016. “Towards a new body of knowledge for geographic information science and technology.” Int. Sci. J.: Micro Macro Mezzo Geoinf. 6 (1): 7–19.
Vyas, A., and G. Koenig. 2014. “Computer aided teaching in photogrammetry remote sensing and geomatics: A status review.” In Vol. XL-6 of Proc., 2014 ISPRS Technical Commission VI Symp., edited by J. Gong et al., 113–118. Hannover, Germany: International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-6-113-2014.
Walfridsson, M., M. Edlund, and S.-G. Mårtensson. 2017. “Land surveying education in Sweden: Addressing global challenges.” In Proc., FIG Working Week: Surveying the World of Tomorrow—From Digitalisation to Augmented Reality. Copenhagen, Denmark: International Federation of Surveyors.
Wegen, W. V. 2016. “Geomatics: Education is key.” GIM International, April 5, 2016.
Wegen, W. V. 2018. “The Future looks bright for the geospatial business.” GIM International, February 8, 2018.
Young, G. O., M. J. Smith, and R. Murphy. 2013. “Contemporary surveying education changing with the times.” Surv. Rev. 44 (326): 223–229. https://doi.org/10.1179/1752270611Y.0000000026.
Zhou, C., et al. 2020. “COVID-19: Challenges to GIS with big data.” Geogr. Sustainability 1 (1): 77–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geosus.2020.03.005.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 2 • May 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 16, 2020
Accepted: Nov 9, 2020
Published online: Jan 18, 2021
Published in print: May 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jun 18, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.