EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GIS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Paul van Helden
Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of Pretoria, South Africa

GIS has reached most large urban areas in South Africa and it is evident that the industry standard technology (hardware and software) is readily available for this purpose. The level of GIS diffusion however varies substantially from place to place. In a number of cases the GIS is operational but in others cases the GIS has come to a complete standstill. The supply side is therefore no problem and the know-how is available to introduce GIS into an organisation. It seems that the problem in SA is not to get a GIS going, but to keep it going effectively and efficiently. Even in those places where the GIS is operational, the use is very limited and can be categorised as automated mapping and facility management, with hardly any GIS analysis taking place. Many problems exist, but basically all boils down to a shortage of sufficiently trained personnel. An educational programme has been developed to alleviate the problem in a developing country. This education programme as well as the unique problems of GIS in a developing country, will be the theme for the proposed paper.

Paul van Helden
Department of Town and Regional Planning
University of Pretoria
Pretoria
South Africa
Tel 012 420 3536
Fax 012 420 3537
Email: phelden@scientia.up.ac.za