期刊名称：ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
印刷版ISSN：2194-9042
电子版ISSN：2194-9050
出版年度：2006
卷号：XXXVI Part 6
页码：289-294
出版社：Copernicus Publications
摘要：In geospatial information (GI) production and management, advances in space and information technologies have impacted positively on critical capacity globally through availability of geospatial information technology (GIT) tools. To be fully utilized however, the acquisition of GIT must be fully complemented by readily available skilled manpower and an enabling infrastructure. Unfortunately, in Africa at the moment, majority of all professionals, technologists and technicians in various organizations involved in geospatial information activities were trained in the obsolete methods of map production whereas, the introduction of GIT demands a critical mass of well-trained staff at all levels in a reasonable time frame. This has led to the widening of the digital divide between the developed countries on one hand and the less developed countries on the other. Given that many organizations in African countries are unable to afford the costs to send their staff abroad for training programmes except through external funding support from donor countries and agencies, and considering the number of persons to be trained before achieving capacity utilization, it is necessary to provide alternative solutions through educational networking of institutions in developed and African countries. This paper examines the factors driving GI capacity requirements in Africa and the role of educational networking in improving the situation. It further discusses the roles and expectations of the partners in such a network
关键词：Capacity building; Educational network; Geo-informatics; Technology transfer; Geospatial data infrastructure
