1. Background of the program
Sound planning, management and decision making efforts in any development and conservation activities depend on the availability of social, economic, and biophysical data/information. The proper sustainable utilization and management of resources requires plan which should be based on reliable and up-to-date data. Data is required to produce information for planning, executing, and monitoring of resources and activities. Planners, resource managers, and decision/policy makers, researchers, and the public in general use this information. Data, therefore, should be properly managed to address the needs of the different information users, since information is the fourth development determining factor besides knowledge, capital and land.
GIS is an inter-disciplinary program allows the study of natural and manmade phenomenon with an explicit bearing in space. It is an information and communication technology mainly used for analysis of spatial information. It is a useful technology in earth’s natural and artificial data collection & storage in an organized manner in the computer system in a way to be retrieved, updated and analyzed to solve the spatio-temporal problems of humans and nature, for planning, sustainable use and management of geo-environmental resources. With so many different fields of applications, GIS allow fast access to existing data/information, which helps timely decision making, execution of activities, and distribution of resources. Moreover it facilitates sharing of resources (data, software) and experiences between institutions/individuals.
2. Rationale
Geospatial information science builds on the technologies of GIS, remote sensing and digital image processing, photogrammetry, and cartography to provide an integrated approach of measurement, analysis, and management of the descriptions and locations of earth-based data, often termed geospatial data. The curriculum instructs students in geospatial data using many technologies including airborne and satellite sensors, as well as ground based instruments. While the above-mentioned technologies are often thought of as tools to answering geo-environmental resource management questions in a particular field, the sciences associated with these technologies and the interpretation of geospatial data is what this degree will emphasize.
Geospatial information science has many applications in disciplines which depend on spatial/temporal data including geo-environmental resource studies, bio-physical studies, agroeconomic studies, infrastructural and socio-economic studies, civil and environmental engineering, surveying, global positioning systems and geodetic sciences to name a few.
The current information situation in Ethiopia is characterized by weak information system with respect to the availability, coherence, standardization, and accessibility of data. This seriously impairs the capacity of the institutions in particular and the country in general to make informed plan and decisions with regard to development and environmental issues. This weak information situation is resulted because of different factors, among which is the shortage of skilled man power in the field of information management (both spatial and non-spatial information). Such problems can be addressed in quality, quantity, reliability, consistently through launching of GIS.
3. Vision
- To be a center of excellence in Geo – information science by being a leading program in teaching, community service and research in the university as well as in the region.
4. Mission
- To build the intellectual and human resources capacity through teaching Geo-information sciences
- To generate high quality knowledge and advance problem solving in Geospatial information sciences