Introduction to Geospatial Technologies for Monitoring SDGs – Early Warnings for All
Course dates: July 22-26, 2024
Venue: Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
Application: [Apply here] Late applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
Workshop information
Geospatial technologies and remote sensing are valuable resources for monitoring the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their corresponding targets and indicators. They enable unbiased observation and analysis across borders, administrative boundaries, and nations. Furthermore, geospatial information and technologies are particularly critical for strengthening urban and rural resilience, where economic, agricultural, and various social sectors intersect.
However, there is still a gap between the tremendous potential of these technologies and the world of environmental decision- and policy-makers. Not only can the immense realm of geospatial technologies seem daunting, but it is also challenging to keep up with the ever-evolving applications of geospatial technologies.
This year’s workshop emphasizes building community resilience to disasters and climate change, aligned with the UN's "Early Warnings for All" initiative.
This workshop aims to address this gap by providing in-service education and professional training for decision-makers and practitioners to assist them in making better-informed data-driven decisions. Furthermore, the workshop looks towards the future, engaging youth and our future leaders in the current practices of evidence-based decision-making.
The target group for this workshop includes professionals from national agencies and international organizations, relevant NGO representatives, and academia, including both students and faculty. Among academia, priority will be given to graduate students in public policy and environmental management from the OSUN and CIVICA partner institutions.
This year's workshop explores the use of geospatial technologies for building and improving the resilience of communities to disasters and climate change. Keynote speakers will deliver theoretical presentations and share their best-use practices of geospatial technologies, which will be followed by practical sessions on their application.
The workshop is organized by the Central European University (CEU) and the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). The workshop is co-funded by the Open Society University Network (OSUN), and OSUN students and faculty are especially encouraged to apply and gain financial support as well as ECTS credits.
Target group
- environmental and public policy practitioners;
- graduate students and junior researchers from the OSUN and CIVICA networks.
Pre-requisites
- Proven professional and/or academic focus on resilience-related topics (disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, environmental studies, etc.) or geospatial technologies (GIS, remote sensing);
- Intermediate computer user skills.
Language requirements
The language of instruction is English; thus all applicants have to demonstrate a strong command of spoken and written English to be able to participate actively in discussions at seminars and workshops.
Workshop Directors
Viktor Lagutov, ISEPEI Project, Central European University (CEU)
Lorant Czaran, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Kanat Sultanaliev, Tian Shan Policy Center, American University of Central Asia (AUCA)
Workshop Faculty
Ashraf Abushady, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Lee Mallon, Freelance Consultant and Principal AI Engineer
Masahiko Nagai, Yamaguchi University
Jumpei Takami, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
(more speakers to be announced at a later stage)
Where to apply?
For information on the workshop and application procedures, please visit:
Should you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us at: isepei@ceu.edu
Additional Information
The workshop is co-funded by the Open Society University Network (OSUN).
In cooperation with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). This course is a part of the “Bridging ICTs and Environment” workshop series run by the ISEPEI project.
About ISEPEI
The Introduction to Geospatial Technologies for Monitoring SDGs – Early Warnings for All workshop continues the series of joint UN-CEU training events under the ISEPEI Project "Bridging ICTs and the Environment." The ISEPEI Project aims to address the gap between the geospatial industry and practitioners by providing in-service education and professional training for environmental decision-makers and practitioners who can greatly benefit from this data revolution to better shape management strategies and make more informed, data-driven decisions.
The "Bridging ICTs and the Environment" workshop series provides an opportunity for non-specialists to get updated on the latest advances in geospatial technologies and to see how these technologies can be applied in monitoring various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Satellite Imagery, Geographic Information Systems, mobile applications, and other technologies can help achieve and monitor the targets and indicators for numerous SDGs. Focusing on various SDGs, the series has been successfully conducted at CEU in cooperation with various UN agencies (UNEP, UNDP, UNOOSA, UNFPA, UNECE, UN FAO, etc.) and global key stakeholders in digital technologies (EU JRC, Airbus, Esri, Google, MAXAR, etc.) since 2014.
For more information about ISEPEI courses visit http://isepei.org/workshops.