GeoSpatial Technology: The role of the University

Dr. Oualid (Walid) Ben AliFounder and Director of the GIS center

H.o.D of the MIS DepartmentUniversity of Sharjah

UAE

Introduction• Maps are everywhere.

GeoSpatial Driven economy: Personal experience

• Real time Patrol car allocation: Save time, money, and lives

• Early fog notification system using GeoSpatial technology and mobile technology

• Sustainable development: Save the environment and the planet

• Etc.

GeoSpatial Driven economy

• We save time• We save money• We save lives• We save the whole planet• GeoSpayial in everything• GeoSpatial technology is a REVOLUTION• A competitive advantage before is becoming a

necessity now.

Hurdles on the road

• Lack of awareness• Lack of capacity• Lack of trained staff• Lack of cooperation• Etc.

Current situation

Community

Community entities

Current situation

Community

Community entities

GeoSpatial need

Current situation

Community

University

Community entities

GeoSpatial need

TrainingRecruitmentNothing

What we have done?

• In order to tackle the hurdles :– Lack of awareness– Lack of capacity

What we have done?

• In order to tackle the hurdles :– Lack of awareness– Lack of capacity

The starting point

• The University, or even before

GeoSpatial technology Awareness

• Free lectures about GIS and GeoSpatial technology

• Injection of GIS and GeoSpatial study cases in the courses’ content

Seminar sessions and invited guests in the GIS Field

• Experts talking about GeoSpatial technology

Establishing a GIS Center at the University

• The GIS center of the University of Sharjah• Website and online marketing

Attending GIS events

• Attending GeoSpatial events and making contacts

What we have done?

• In order to tackle the hurdles :– Lack of awareness– Lack of capacity

Free tools and trainings

• Free GIS tools• Free training sessions: Basic concepts about

GeoSpatial technology

The development of a website and a GeoSpatial portal

• A one-shop stop portal about GeoSpatial Technology

Organizing GeoSpatial Job fair and Career day

• Organizing GeoSpatial Job fair and Career day

The role of the University : University-Community relationship

Community

University

Community entities

GeoSpatial need

Organizing a GeoSpatial events

• Organizing GeoSpatial events such as workshops, symposiums, workshops, conferences, etc.

Recruitment and placement

• Arrange the recruitment between the University and the GeoSpatial Community

Contacting the GeoSpatial community

• We are working on the creation of a GeoBook (like facebook) which collect and put in contact hundred of experts in GeoSpatial Technology: Online forums and conferences about GeoSpatial Technology

University-Community relationship

Community

University

Community entities

GeoSpatial need

Another role of the Academia

• The research, in order to tackle the future challenges of the GeoSpatial Technology

Another role of the Academia

Conclusion

• It start from the University, or even before

Thank you

• Contact: – Dr. Oualid (Walid) Ben Ali: Head of the

Management Information Systems (MIS) Department, University of Sharjah

– Founder and Director of the GIS Center of the University of Sharjah

– Email: Oali@sharjah.ac.ae– Email: ali.walid@gmail.com– Website: www.walidali.net