Remote Sensing Education in China and the Uk: Synergy and Opportunities

With the rapid development of remote sensing science and technology, remote sensing specialists are increasingly in demand. This paper compares current practices in remote sensing education in China and the UK, drawing recommendations about teaching bestpractice and identifying opportunities for Chinese-UK collaboration. First, although the setup of remote sensing course programmes differs between China and the UK, it would be beneficial to incorporate merits from each in future educational programmes. As many experts have proposed, the programme name “Geographical Information System” used in China, may be sensibly replaced by “Geographical Information Science” as used in the UK and elsewhere. The Remote Sensing Science and Technology bachelor programme run in China represents an effective way of training specialists, and universities in the UK could consider offering a remote sensing undergraduate programme. Second, practical experience of image processing and remote sensing exercises should be included within any remote sensing teaching programme. It is advantageous to have more practice so students can develop strong skills in remote sensing information processing and its uses in different fields. Third, the ability to organize remote sensing use projects should be developed. It is challenging and difficult to organize and manage the remote sensing use project, and students should be trained in project management through case studies and comprehensive practical projects. Fourth, online education and eLearning could be enhanced and resources shared between different institutions. Fifth, remote sensing modules taught in the UK could be introduced in China though bilingual teaching. Educational collaboration initiatives between China and the UK will be useful in this regard. Finally, regular exchange among universities should be promoted. * Corresponding author. [email protected], [email protected].