Geoinformatics: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing

Geoinformatics is a rapidly-developing scientific discipline that studies the methods of acquisition of spatial information, spatial data structures and computational techniques to analyze and visualize geographic information. Geoinformatics is based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS).

Geoinformatics is a major part of the basic suite for spatial data management and analysis, and its methods are employed in numerous research and industrial applications. Geoinformatics applications are vital for government ministries, local authorities, financial institutes and a wide spectrum of private enterprises, from huge industrial leaders to the numerous high-tech startups. They are employed for managing infrastructure and communications networks, urban and regional planning, environmental monitoring and management, defense, transportation, water management, tourism and agriculture.

Geoinformatics comprises an essential part of the Department’s curriculum, at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level. The program covers the entire spectrum of Geographic Information Science, from the collection, interpretation and analysis of RS data to the GIS-based management, analysis and visualization of numerous aspects of geographic information.

The curriculum starts with basic courses in RS, GIS and spatial analysis, and proceeds onto advanced courses dealing with hyper-spectral remote sensing and spatial data mining image-processing. This knowledge is exploited in the courses on the physical and urban environment, geographical modeling, spatial statistics and urban and environmental planning. Geoinformatics graduates receive a special certificate of their studies.

Selected studies in the field include:

1. Planning and renewal of urban centers

2. Transportation and accessibility studies

3. Planning and management of water, electricity and communications infrastructures

4. Land-use mapping and cadastral surveying

5. Epidemiological studies

6. Safety studies and road accident risk assessment

7. Local, regional and strategic planning

8. Detailed planning of settlements and residential areas

9. Parking search and parking in the city

10. Monitoring and control of the agricultural crop dynamics and pest recognition

11. Transportation planning and policy packaging

12. Search for mineral deposits

13. Road-quality mapping.