- Sponsored courses : NASDA ( National Space Development 
of Japan) sponsored GAC, AIT to conduct three two week 
training courses for 15 trainees each with full support of travel, 
accommodations and per diem. Another 5 trainees will be 
accepted to join the courses with self support fund of 2,000 US 
dollars. 
They were ; Advanced Remote Sensing & GIS for Watershed 
Management (15-30 June, 1998), Microwave Remote Sensing 
and Interpretation (21 Sep. ~ 2 Oct. 1998) and Advanced 
Remote Sensing & GIS for Flood Mitigation (16-27 
November, 1998). 
Another two training courses called Caravan Type Training will 
be conducted with full support of AIT/NASDA outside of AIT. 
A caravan team of several resource persons will visit a local city 
to conduct workshop or tutorials on a specific theme in order to 
maximize the efficiency of number of trainees in the host 
country. 
In 1998, the following two caravan type training courses were 
implemented. 
- Workshop on Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS Utilization 19- 
23, August, 1998, Bandung, Indonesia 
- AIT-Hannover University Joint Workshop on Mapping from 
Space 26-30 October 1998, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. In 1999, 
similar training courses are planned. 
4. Research Program 
The Asian Center for Research on Remote Sensing (ACRoRS) 
aims at the following tasks 
• to provide technical support to researchers in Asia. 
• to provide NOAA AVHRR data and Japanese Satellite 
data at inexpensive price for research purpose. 
• to promote joint research with AARS members, and 
• . to provide consulting service on request 
The ACRoRS started to receive NOAA AVHRR since 15 
October 1997 which covers India, indo-China Peninsula, Tibet, 
Himala, Indonesia, Philippines and so on. 
The cost of NOAA AVHRR in 8 mm tape is 30 US dollars per 
path, 200 US dollars per 8 mm tape (about 47 paths) and 10,000 
US dollars per year. 
Visiting researchers are most welcome to join the type of 
research with full technical support by ACRoRS experts. The 
tuition fee for visiting researcher costs 1,000 Us dollars per 
person per term. Accommodation and food will be about 1,000 
US dollars per month if stayed in AIT campus. 
The ACRoRS implemented several projects in 1998 including 
Preliminary study on applicability of satellite data to Asian 
Highway of whole Thailand with Japanese Satellite data. 
Estimation of water volume of Ton Le Sap Lake, Cambodia 
Application of remote sensing and GIS to road planning and 
maintenance in Nepal, etc. 
. CONCLUSIONS 
(1) STAR Program, AIT has successfully developed the 
curricula with a clearly targeted goal to meet the requirements 
and demands in computer, space and multi-media age. 
(2) STAR Program has established a well balanced scheme 
between educational, training and research program. 
(3) STAR Program has a resolution toward technology and 
research oriented program, with powerful equipments and 
highly capable researchers. 
Figure 1 Three Components of STAR Program, AIT 
Figure 2 Organization of ACRoRS