AMaN-himal Workshop in Nepal!

The GIScience Commission of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Interfaculty Department of Geoinformatics - Z_GIS, University of Salzburg, Austria and Tribhuvan University (TU), Kathmandu, Nepal cooperated in organising a regional workshop on 'GIS Applications for Assessing and Managing Natural Hazards in the Himalayas (AMaN-himal)' in Kathmandu, Nepal from 22 to 27 February, 2015.

Dr. Shahnawaz (Z_GIS) and Prof. Krishna Poudel (TU) coordinated this workshop hosted by the Central Department of Education (CED-TU). Designed as an advanced GIS training supported by the Eurasia-Pacific Uninet (EPU), the event brought together 19 teachers, students and practitioners from Nepal, Bhutan, India and Austria.

The opening ceremony adorned by various dignitaries from TU was chaired by the Head of CED-TU, Prof. Shiva Sharan Maharjan. He highlighted the previous academic activities conducted jointly by the GIScience Commission, Z_GIS and TU and expressed appreciation for the continuous support extended by the EPU. The participants attended a series of lectures covering the concepts of natural hazards in the Himalayas and applications of Geospatial Science and Technologies for assessing and managing these in an effective manner. They took intensive practical 'hands-on training' of ArcGIS software for processing and analysing various types of relevant GIS and Remote Sensing data.

The TU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Hira Bahadur Maharjan, conveyed in his message after the closing ceremony that he interacted with the participants who voiced a high level of satisfaction about their learning outcomes within the short period of one week. He expressed thanks to GIScience, Z_GIS and EPU for conducting this Second International Workshop focussing on GIScience faculty development at TU and envisaged to expand academic cooperation with Z_GIS.