REMOTE SENSING EDUCATION AT UNDERGRADUATE 
AND POSTGRADUATE LEVELS WITH SPECIAL 
REFERENCE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
T.V. Pavate, 
Chief Project Engineer, 
Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering 
Indian Institute of Technology 
Bombay 400076. India 
Commission No.VI 
INTRODUCTION 
Opportunities for students to specialise in remote sensing are not yet numerous. 
One of the special difficulties in delineating the system arises from the fragmenta- 
tion of remote sensing courses among a diversity of established disciplines. The 
emergence of remote sensing as a multidisciplinary applied field presents many 
challenges to education. This strong client orientation is manifested in the broad 
pattern of introductory course offerings. During the last one and half decades, 
satellite remote sensing has made an impressive impact all over the world regard- 
ing the potential applications in exploiting and management of natural resources 
and engineering. New series of satellites which have been planned for 1990's 
demand that every science and engineering graduate has to have a sound knowledge 
of the technology so as to apply it in one's career connected with remote sensing. 
This emerging area has changed the concept of measurement and evaluation. 
The data is pouring in continuously all over the world. It is repetitive and temporal 
in character. Application of satellite remote sensing requires multidisciplinary 
approach hence it is appropriate that efforts have to go in formulation of educat- 
ional curricula both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in science and engin- 
eering courses. In advanced countries especially in U.S.A. many universities 
have introduced courses at various levels. In developing countries more efforts 
have to be put in this direction. 
REMOTE SENSING, CURRICULA DEVELOPMENT AT UNDERGRADUATE AND 
POSTGRADUATE LEVELS: 
All over the world university education has certain traditional approaches 
consistant with history and overall background of each university and its aims 
and objectives. Many universities have got strict proceedures for enrolling stude- 
nts into their universities. During the last couple of decades, there is tremendous 
development in high technologies including space research and satellite remote 
sensing.  Spinoffs of such emerging technologies have many facets and demand 
entire social structure and population to take part in its development and utility 
towards human welfare. 
As per one of the studies conducted in 1981, there were more than 650 univers- 
ity level courses dealing with remote sensing and image interpretation in U.S.A. 
and Canada, this included about 130 courses taught in engineering departments 
especially in Civil Engineering. 
Chart 1 gives an overview of university education system where in undergrad- 
ate and postgraduate courses are taught. Remote sensing courses have to be 
incorporated in various undergraduate courses keeping in view the multidisciplinary 
character of the remote sensing technology and ultimate integrated approach 
to be followed in operationalisation. 
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