International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B6. Istanbul 2004 
  
  
4.4 GIS 
People pay more and more attention to GIS application in 
China, and many successful GIS application templates have 
been established and operational. Some applications are 
showed as follows: 
€  GIS provides the necessary technology platform for the 
digitization and integration of the digital mapping and 
publishing. We have established a lot of multi-level basic 
map databases and many kinds of thematic map databases 
based on GIS; 
GIS plays a very important role in Digital River and 
Digital City in China that are as parts of Digital China. In 
Digital River, Digital Yellow River Project is 
representative; in Digital City, there are more than 100 
cities that bring the digital city project into their strategic 
plan at present or in the near future in China. 
A great variety of GIS systems have been developing or 
developed, for instance, city plan and management 
information systems, environment protecting information 
systems, intelligent traffic management systems, oceanic 
information and disaster and 
systems, prediction 
emergency information systems, etc. 
Un 
. EDUCATION, PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES 
5.1 Education 
In Aug. 2000, Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and 
Mapping merged into Wuhan University and Zhengzhou 
College of Surveying and Mapping into Zhengzhou University 
of Information Engineering at the same time. With the 
adjustment of Chinese Universities, Colleges and Schools, the 
education goes into a new stage. 
In the field of photogrammetry, because of the digital 
photogrammetry being the absolute mainstream in China, the 
“aristocratic” education mode that just belongs to a few 
universities or colleges, based on photgrammetry instrument 
with expensive, precision and bulky, has been broken down. At 
present, more than 40 universities and colleges provide 
photogrammetry courses in Surveying Engineering. Because of 
its differences from Aerial Photogrammetry in contents and 
250 
characteristics, Close Range Photogrammetry has been offered 
as a specialty course or selective course in some universities 
and colleges. M. Sc. and doctoral degree 
gree programs are also 
provided in Close Range field. Their research projects are fitted 
closely to the need of society and economy. 
In the field of Remote Sensing, Wuhan University has offered a 
new curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science and 
Engineering degree in the science and technology of remote 
sensing in 4 years since 2002. The curriculum includes courses 
in sensor technology, remote sensing data processing, remote 
sensing data application, photogrammetry, and GIS. At present, 
in order to strengthen the remote sensing education and training, 
Wuhan University, teamed up with more than 10 famous 
universities, apply for a new M. Sc. and Ph. D. Degree named 
after the Science and Technology of Remote Sensing from the 
State Council. At present, there is an integrated education 
system in the field of GIS, including supplementary education, 
Bachelor degree, Master degree, Doctorial degree and Post- 
Doctorial education; the education is oriented to national 
economy and social informatics. The Mapping Science and GIS 
in Wuhan University and the Mapping Science and Geographic 
Information Engineering in  Zhenzhou University of 
Information Engineering are the national key specialties. Other 
education modes are also developed quickly, including web- 
based lectures, vocational school, workshop and seminar, etc. 
More and more people have opportunity to learn more about 
new technologies such as digital photogrammetry, remote 
sensing and GIS. There are more than 250 doctor candidates 
and 650 master students each year in these fields. 
5.2 Publications 
New version textbooks, including the Theory and Application 
of Remote Sensing, the Theory of Microwave Remote Sensing, 
and the Theory of SAR Interferometry, have been used in 
practice. Based on Remote Sensing researches, some new 
books are published, for example, the Earth Observation 
Technology and Continuous Development, SAR Satellites, 
Spatial Exploration Phased Array Radar, Earth Observation and 
Space Observation, Space Remote Sensing Engineering, Earth 
Observation Technology and Digital City, Earth Observation 
and Precision Agriculture, Multi-Angle and Thermal Earth 
Environment Radar, The 
Observation, Monitoring Laser 
Theory and Algorithm of the MODIS Data Processing, Earth