UNIGIS was invited to contribute to the
GeoSmart Asia 2015 (GSA) conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from September 29th
to October 1st, 2015 and to co-organise the ‘Geospatial Youth Forum‘ bringing academia,
industry, organisations and students onto a common platform for promoting career-oriented
one-on-one interaction. GSA is one of the largest regional conferences
focussed on geospatial themes in S/E Asia and is being organised in different
countries across the region. UNIGIS has been entrusted with a prominent
role of conducting Geospatial Capacity Building sessions at the event since
2005 and this was the 11th such continuous session coordinated by UNIGIS at this international event.
GeoSmart Asia 2015 (GSA) conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from September 29th
to October 1st, 2015 and to co-organise the ‘Geospatial Youth Forum‘ bringing academia,
industry, organisations and students onto a common platform for promoting career-oriented
one-on-one interaction. GSA is one of the largest regional conferences
focussed on geospatial themes in S/E Asia and is being organised in different
countries across the region. UNIGIS has been entrusted with a prominent
role of conducting Geospatial Capacity Building sessions at the event since
2005 and this was the 11th such continuous session coordinated by UNIGIS at this international event.
 |
| The Participants of ‘Geospatial Youth Forum’ |
Dr. Shahnawaz (Director, UNIGIS S/E Asia) gave
framework presentation and moderated the forum involving about 100 participants
from China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand. The first session was designed for a panel discussion involving geospatial
experts, followed by a competitive session of student presentations.
framework presentation and moderated the forum involving about 100 participants
from China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand. The first session was designed for a panel discussion involving geospatial
experts, followed by a competitive session of student presentations.
Four distinguished panelists i.e. Prof. Nitin
K Tripathi (Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand), Prof. Madya Dr. Alias Sood (University Putra Malaysia, Selangor), Dr. Lam Kuok-Choy (National University of Malaysia, Bangi) and Mr. John Whitehead (Sales Director, Asia-Pacific, Trimble, Singapore)
exchanged their experiences and visions about geospatial education, business
and careers in the emerging ASEAN Economic Community.
K Tripathi (Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand), Prof. Madya Dr. Alias Sood (University Putra Malaysia, Selangor), Dr. Lam Kuok-Choy (National University of Malaysia, Bangi) and Mr. John Whitehead (Sales Director, Asia-Pacific, Trimble, Singapore)
exchanged their experiences and visions about geospatial education, business
and careers in the emerging ASEAN Economic Community.
 | |||
| Ms. Nur Hakimah Asnawi |
The last session triggered a critical open-floor
discussion among experts, professionals and students focussed on the status
of geospatial education and geospatial career opportunities in the forthcoming ASEAN Economic Community.
The forum attendees largely expressed that there is a need
of re-structuring geospatial education in the region as well as to introduce alternative
modes of delivery for various target groups. Most of the in-service professional participants
expressed that it is high time to launch short-cycle programmes for professionals
not necessarily leading to academic degree qualifications.
The jury conferred the ‘Best Student Paper’ award on Ms. Nur
Hakimah Asnawi from National University of Malaysia, Bangi who presented her paper on ‘Landuse Landcover Changes in Gombak, Selangor – 1989-2014‘.
Hakimah Asnawi from National University of Malaysia, Bangi who presented her paper on ‘Landuse Landcover Changes in Gombak, Selangor – 1989-2014‘.