vantage point of a number of dirfePdnt disciplines. It cannot be expected, 
of course, that a person receive equal academic training in several disci- 
plines. Many different disciplines, however, could be integrated, at least 
in part, within remote sensing training. 
Another important consideration is the high cost of a well- 
equipped remote sensing laboratory. Although it would be ideal, it 
is impossible for each university faculty to establish its own labora- 
tory. A joint submission from a number of faculties demonstrating 
widespread need for a laboratory will have a better chance of success. 
Furthermore, shared facilities will involve the sharing of new inter- 
pretation techniques and computer programs developed through the 
research of each contributing faculty, t 
A Solution in Practice 
Only the isolation of individual disciplines within academic 
institutions stands in the way of multidisciplinary remote sensing 
training. Some mechanism is required to permit and encourage discip- 
lines to cooperate - a mechanism which will not interfere with the 
independent working of individual university faculties. The aim of 
this program would be not only to provide better remote sensing education 
to students, but also to broaden the knowledge of the teaching staff. 
Such a mechanism has been established in Ontario. The Ontario Centre 
for Remote Sensing initiated the formation of a committee on advanced 
remote sensing education and research, which is presently composed of 
33 professors from 14 universities and 4 colleges, representing such 
faculties as forestry, geology, geography, civil engineering, agriculture, 
surveying and environmental studies. The Steering Committee of this 
organization is composed of four professors and one member of the staff 
of the Ontario Centre for Remote Sensing, who represent the disciplines 
of agriculture and soil science, geography, geomorphology, geology and 
forestry. Some of the functions of the Steering Committee are as 
follows: 
(a) To prepare and maintain an inventory of remote sensing 
activities and facilities in the universities of Ontario, 
in order to effectively identify resources and areas of need. 
(b) To organize workshops, with the cooperation of the Ontario 
Centre for Remote Sensing, for professors responsible for 
remote sensing training. These workshops are designed to 
update and improve the knowledge of teaching staff of remote 
sensing technology and applications. For example, the OCRS 
has scheduled workshops on the use of digital image analysis 
and on operational applications of satellite data related to 
forestry, geology and land use. The professors will receive 
hands-on experience in analysis procedures. 
(c) To help professors design remote sensing curricula (on 
request). 
(d) To design remote sensing teaching aids, in cooperation with 
the Ontario Centre for Remote Sensing. The Steering Committee 
will assist in the selection and description of examples for 
use in university remote sensing laboratory exercises. Each 
example will provide information pertinent to a number of 
disciplines. 
(e) To organize inter-university graduate courses, either short, 
intensive courses,.or full multi-year programs. 
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