Aligarh: The Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University organized the ninth Satellite Based Distance Learning Programme on "Basics of Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS" in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organization, Department of Space, Government of India.

Inaugurating the programme, Chief Guest, Group Captain (Retired) Shahrukh Shamshad, Registrar, Aligarh Muslim University said that contact based training, though advantageous and beneficial, is not always possible for many to attend due to time limitations, financial constraints, and more importantly, day-to-day commitments at work places. There are many types of training courses, which can circumvent these constraints, and can be attended from a distance with different types of technologies and tools. The first among them is the distance education (correspondence courses) supported either with or without study centres. The next one is "Internet based courses" replacing the conventional correspondence courses. The advanced type of courses are "e-learning" where the student can avail the content of the course through the internet, stream the lectures using the internet and have interaction with teachers on a specified date and time.

He said that this course will inspire, motivate and equip the learners to use space technologies for studies and research in the fields of Geology, Geography, Wildlife Sciences, Agriculture, Botany and even Social Sciences as these technologies allow you to assess environmental changes and degradation and to formulate mitigation strategies and take corrective recourse.

The Dean, Faculty of Science, Prof. Arunima Lal said that this course is of unique nature where the participants will be attending their undergraduate/postgraduate programmes in their own disciplines as part of acquiring the basic degree, broadening their scope in the new and challenging field of geoinformatics and also benefiting by obtaining IIRS Outreach Certificate Program.

Prof. Lal said that the main focus of this Course is to introduce prospective users of remote sensing and allied technologies with the purpose of propelling them to use these powerful tools to generate information from raw spectral data, integrate information from diverse sources, visualize scenarios, create maps, solve complicated problems, present ideas and develop effective solutions.

Dr. Liaqat A.K. Rao, Chairman, Department of Geology said that the Department of Geology is one of the fifty odd institutions participating in the 9th satellite based Distance Learning Programme aimed at imparting instruction in the basics of space technologies as applicable to the fields of earth system sciences, environmental, ecosystem, agricultural, forestry and wildlife studies.

The course will be run up to 17th October bearing an interactive exercise and a lecture every day. The programme was conducted by Dr. Shahid Farooq and Prof. Mehshar Raza proposed the vote of thanks.

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