International Associations and the Provision of Outreach Programmes for Education and Training

Abstract

The cartographic profession has changed to one that is supported by contemporary digital production, storage and distribution devices and communication resources. What also changed are the organisations that conduct mapping programmes and ‘build’ repositories of geographical knowledge, digital and material. Long gone are the days of large governmental mapping agencies that had their ‘tried and true’ methods of data capture, processing and dissemination. Today is the workplace of small government agency; contractors (large and small); regional, national and global publishing collaborations; and map producer/user. This, in turn, has led to changes in cartographic education courses, from what could be described as focused courses to more generalist courses. Gone are the days when a graduate could accommodate the in-house practices and procedures on day 1 of a job. Everything has changed, but the underlying need for useful (and usable), accurate and timely geospatial products remains as the essential underpinnings for what we do. In order for students to have access to relevant courses and for industry to keep abreast with developments in technology and contemporary cartography and GI Science thinking it is important for relevant educational courses to be offered. This can be done through face-to-face courses or via on-line delivery. The International Cartographic Association (ICA) is committed to supporting existing educational courses and providing specialist courses where needed. This paper provides an overview of the ICA’s strategies towards the provision of education, internationally. It also gives examples about how educational courses have been presented by the ICA’s international cartography and GI Science community.