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The Education and Training of Remote Sensing

Bian Fuling , Liu Liangming , Shi Lite
Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping (WTUSM)
129 Luoyu Road , Wuhan, Hubei Province ,China(430079)
Tel &Fax:(86)-(27)-87646560
E-mail: flbian@wtusm.edu.cn

Abstract
As the rate of science and technology development is going more and more faster , the methods and scopes of the education and training of remote sensing are changing more quickly than before.This paper introduces the Remote Sensing (RS) curriculum system , the education and the training of Remote Sensing , Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI ) in China.

Remote Sensing Curriculum System
With the adjustment of national specialties and the reform of the traditional curriculum system , the remote sensing curriculum has taken the corresponding adjustment as well. Because of the integration and development of photogrammetry and RS, GIS , and GPS , remote sensing curriculum has become a compulsory one of the professional technology. There are many courses related to remote sensing, such as, "Remote Sensing Base and Image Interpretation Theory", "Remote Sensing Geology", "Atmosphere Remote Sensing and Remote Surveying", "Meterological Satellite and Satellite Image Analysis". "the Theories.Methods and Applications on Remote Sensing". A new system of textbooks has been established.Taking the adjusted Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing subject as an example , we have trimmed many out-of-date contents of analogues photogrammetry and added teaching contents of digital photogrammetry, space photogrammetry , remote sensing technology , digital image processing , image information system and other related new and advanced technologies.

Its features include :
  • It closely integrates with other specialties. For example, its integration with surveying has formed the course of photogrammetry and remote sensing. So do other specialties including geography, geology, water conservation, agriculture and forest industry.
  • Due to the development of remote sensing itself, in some other specialties, the theory of remote sensing should be strengthened. So does the depth and width of its application. Therefore, the remote sensing theory and its application courses are still the major courses of many specialties, such as, photogrammetry surveying, information engineering, city planning, cartography, land management and specialties in column 1).
  • Some courses related to remote sensing have formed a series of courses, such as, digital image processing, mode recognition, microwave remote sensing, remote sensing subject cartography, GIS and expert system.
  • It integrates with other high technologies. The most important of all is the theory and method of GIS.GPS and RS integration. The courses of this technology have came into being. Another integration lies in the expert system and network technology.
  • The corresponding teaching materials are published openly.
Activities of China National Center of Remote Sensing Technology Training Department
The Training Department includes Beijing Training Center and Wuhan Training Center , The Beijing Training Center used to be set up in Remote Sensing Graduate School of Beijing University. Now with the adjustment of specialties, the graduate school has been withdrawn. Now it belongs to the City Planning Construction School and the Department of Geology and Geography.

Wuhan Training Center lies in Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping (WTUSM). In the center, there are many famous professors and researchers fostering professionals in the filed of remote sensing, such as, the post doctor, doctor and master. They are also engaged in the national scientific research of remote sensing. Each year it recruits students from Asia and Specific Region and Africa (Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bhutan, Tanzania, Sudan, Iran, Libya and so on). It carries out various science activities as well. At the same time.it is also selected as the base for training the backbones and the leaders.

The Training Center for National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) had been established in WTUSM by National Bureau of Surveying and Mapping (NBSM) a few years ago.Many teachers and scientists engaged in RS have been trained here.

Advanced Seminars in the Field of Remote Sensing
With the ratification of Education Ministry, WTUSM had held a lot of advanced seminars on "The Integrated Application of RS, GIS and GPS" from 1994 to now. The celebrated academicians and doctor mentors both inside and outside China are the teachers to cultivate the academic cadremen and the subject leading men. It is of high level, high standard and high efficiency. In 1999, Nanjing University has held an advanced seminar on "The Development of Remote Sensing and Its Application in Geoscience". All the 12 lecturers are overseas Chinese scholars with foreign citizens who have achieved a great deal in the field of remote sensing.In 1998, there was a remote sensing argument meeting for the youth in Dalian, China. The young arguers are from WTUSM, Beijing University, Remote Sensing Institution of Chinese Science Research Academy, Forestry Science Academy, Beijing Normal College and so on. They had argued on some important oriented issues as the development of remote sensing, the industrialization of remote sensing and the application of remote sensing.On the basis of this meeting, in 1999, there will be a meeting of "Chinese Remote Sensing Argument Meeting for the Youth in 1999" in Hong Kong.

Remote Sensing Education
  • WTUSM is a key university in the field of remote sensing in China. Master’s and Doctor’s degrees can be awarded here. It is a branch of the National Center of Remote Sensing in Wuhan. Thousands upon thousands of undergraduate students, masters, doctors and foreign students in recent years are fostered here.
  • Beijing University
    It has some courses related to remote sensing, such as, “Remote Sensing Base and Image Interpretation Theory”, “Remote Sensing Geology”, “Atmosphere Remote Sensing and Remote Surveying”, “Meterological Satellite and Satellite Image Analysis”,“the Theories, Methods and Applications on Remote Sensing”. At the same time, the master degree and doctor degree can be conferred in some specialties related to remote sensing.
  • North Jiao Tong University
    It has courses of “Remote Sensing Technology” and “Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing”. Master’s degree is conferred in “Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing”.
  • In addition, some Chinese universities and institutes.such as China Geological University, Tong Ji University, Qingdao Ocean University , Beijing Mining University and the Institute of Remote Sensing Application , have set courses on remote sensing technology.Master’s and Doctor’s degrees can be conferred in these Universities or Institutes.
  • The social demand for advanced personnel undertaking RS’s research and application is markedly increasing.According to statistic, there are only 100,000 professionals who are engaging in RS in China , but some specialists forecast that there must have 700,000 ones at least to meet the need of the social demand.As a result , the universities and colleges enlarge the size of recruit students and the students increase 3 ~ 4 times than before , so does the other education , such as TV education, adult education , night school.
Fundamental Teaching Conditions in Remote Sensing
  • New teaching tools in RS
    In recent years , CAI is greatly improved. For some content of Remote Sensing courses , it’s very difficult to exposition in class by orally , but charts , modes , slide and film can be helpful.For its vividness and operability , computer aid tool is welcome to students very much. For this reason , many universities have building several multi-functions classrooms which are equipped with computer , large screen projection instrument , wired television system and recorder , etc.Their application has improved teaching effect in class much more.Many CAI coursewares of high quality on RS have been developed and applied in teaching in China.We have produced many video types , for instance, “the Theory of RS”,“Image Processing of RS”and “the Theory of GIS”.The union of university computer network—Chinese Education and Research Network (CERNET) and INTERNET provides teachers and students more comfortable environment for retrieving data.communication and a distant-ranging international interactive education.
  • Teachers
    The teachers are both the organizers of teaching and the chief partners of discipline construction.As the development of RS is more and more faster , the component and structure of teacher contigents have been adjusted, and the rate of young teachers with higher professional titles is raised , whom play key part in teaching principal RS courses , compiling new textbooks and carrying out scientific research works.We have a teacher contingent with high quality in RS discipline , more than 20% of them are with doctor degrees and 60% with master degrees.
References
  • Shi Youyu, Hao Xiangyang, 1998.áá'98 FIG Commission 2 Seminar, Wuhan P.R.Chinaññ: The Practice of Discipline Construction of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.pp. 32-39.December, 1998
  • Jiang Xin.Ning Jinsheng.1998.áá’98 FIG Commission 2 Seminar, Wuhan P.R.Chinaññ: the Actuality and Expectation of CAI in Our School.pp. 151-157. December, 1998
  • Liu Yanfang.Li Deren.1998.áá’98 FIG Commission 2 Seminar, Wuhan P.R.Chinaññ: Quality Assurance System Based on Optimized Processes.pp. 224-234.December, 1998