Education and training in remote sensing with the GDTA

Obstacles often remain in the way of a fuller utilization of Remote Sensing application technologies. One such obstacle is a lack of an adequate flow of trained specialists and this is the obstacle which the Groupement pour le Développement de la Télédétection Aérospatiale (GDTA) is intent on lowering, by applying the bulk of its activities.

GDTA was established 20 years ago by the French Space and Geographic agencies (CNES and IGN) and joined by the mineral resources and ocean exploration agencies (BRGM and IFREMER).

Several types of training activities are concurrently developed:
- Comprehensive and short-term regular courses at GDTA's facilities in Toulouse;
- Special courses and seminars, whether in-house or on-site;
- Cooperation programmes with foreign and national education or training institutions;
- Production and distribution of training materials.

Training subjects cover physical and technological bases of remote sensing, image data processing, end application areas, integration of data into information systems (GIS, models...).

An annual long-term diploma course (CETEL) is run in close cooperation with Toulouse III and Paris VI Universities and the French National School for Geographical Sciences.
Short-term courses are also available in English and can be given in Spanish on request.

From 1979 to 1994, GDTA trained almost 2400 trainees from 119 countries belonging mainly to Europe (44%), Africa (24%), Latin America (15%) and Far-Eastern Asia (6%). In terms of application areas, cartography, geology and agriculture/forestry/environment are equally strong, and represent each nearly 20 % of all trainees. Urban and rural planning as well as oceanography are also represented.

A quick overview of 1994 illustrates the scope and breadth of GDTA's longer term action: the 1994 class of CETEL diploma course comprises 26 trainees representing 15 countries; the 22 shorter-term courses and seminars have reached an audience of 590 trainees in Toulouse and in the following countries: Argentina, Chile, Ghana, Mexico, Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam.

Training booklets and tutorials on CD-Rom are regularly produced, and can be procured in either French, English, or Spanish.

GDTA currently cooperates with DAIS/MOSP in Argentina, with Pontificia Universidad in Chile, with INEGI in Mexico, with Alcala de Henares University in Spain, with RCSSMRS, DRSRS and KMD in Kenya, with RECTAS in Nigeria (in cooperation with ITC in The Netherlands), with DMS in Zimbabwe, with AIT in Thailand and Vietnam and with the French Ministry for Education (for distribution of entry-level image processing software).

Course programme and schedule can be obtained on request.