Building Capacities for Evolving Geospatial Needs in Myanmar, MIMU Symposium

The rapid expansion of geospatial technology has brought the need for new skills to be able to understand and apply the newly available tools – not just for GIS professionals but also for engineers, urban planners, rural development specialists, conservationists and many others. Experience from other countries has shown a rapid growth in the use of of geospatial technologies in government ministries, in the private and development sectors, and in the academic sector as a source of learning and research. The Myanmar Information Management Unit / MIMU has organised this two-day Symposium on May 24-25 with the support of the Government of Canada. It will bring together over 120 participants to discuss the evolving use of geospatial technologies in Myanmar and how training can be best oriented to meet these needs. Participants include academics from the 25 universities across the country offering courses in the use of geospatial technologies, representatives of government departments, the private and development sectors. International experts from leading institutions from the Netherlands and Thailand will also join to share experience and approaches. Key issues which will be explored in the Symposium: Can skilled geospatial workers in Myanmar meet the needs of today’s academic, government, private and development sector? What steps should training institutions and professionals take to ensure capacity for future needs, as the geospatial field continues its evolution.