Study GIS at Hong Kong Polytechnic
The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is now accepting applications for Master of Science/ Postgraduate Diploma in Geomatics (GIS/ Surveying). It is the longest running postgraduate program in GIS and the only one in Geomatics (Surveying) in Hong Kong. www.lsgi.polyu.edu.hk

Ohio researcher tracks H1N1 virus
An Ohio State University Medical Centre biomedical informatics researcher is tapping the power of the Ohio Supercomputer Centre to monitor the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus. Associate professor Daniel Janies synthesizes large, diverse datasets to understand the spread of infectious diseases over hosts and geography. The resulting maps can be viewed with Google Earth. Janies will project the evolutionary tree of the virus’ mutations and host shifts onto the globe using web application, Supramap. www.osc.edu

EXPRESSMaps delivers detailed maps in 6 hours
Spot Image and Infoterra are launching www.express-maps.com to deliver detailed basemaps covering over three quarters of the Earth’s land surfaces. This service creates 1:50000 basemaps, which can be delivered electronically in just 6 hours. It is mainly aimed at civil protection agencies, military and humanitarian aid teams in crisis management situations. www.infoterra.fr

Indian NSDI publishes Metadata Standards ver 2.0

The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), under Department of Science & Technology of Government of India, has released Metadata Standard 2.0. It is prepared by the working group on ‘Metadata Standards’ chaired by Dr. S K Pathan, from Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, Ahmadabad. The National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS) Metadata Standards defines the schema and design for the NSDI Metadata. It also contains a set of relational tables that standardise the layer metadata, the geographic search metadata, the access metadata etc.

Metadata is the first element of the NSDI, which enables a user to find spatial data that is available in different NSDI Agency servers. It serves two major purposes – both for the spatial data generator and for the spatial data user. For the generator, it provides a framework to document the spatial data and declare its content for users. For the user, it serves many important purposes, including finding the spatial data as per need; browsing spatial data; deciding on whether the spatial data will meet the application need and finding how the spatial data can be accessed.

ISRO, with the involvement of Survey of India, National Informatics Centre, Geological Survey of India, Forest Survey of India, National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation, Central Ground Water Board, Central Water Commission and the private sector, has led the effort of defining a ‘National Metadata Standards’. http://www.nsdiindia.gov.in

Intelligent map system tender by SLA
The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has awarded the tender for the design, development and maintenance of a government-wide intelligent map system to NIIT Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The proposed solution shall be based on ESRI ArcGIS Server 9.3 and Microsoft Dot Net Technology. www.sla.gov.sg

Bhubaneswar to have GIS-based holdings’ assessment
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Orissa, India is putting in place a GIS-based system which will create maps for the individual properties in the Capital. www.orissa.gov.in/ourbmc/

National Geo Data Regulatory Authority Bill
The 8th National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) meet was held at New Delhi during 22-23 Dec 2008. The meeting was organised by Ministry of Science and Technology in association with FICCI. The meeting was inaugurated by Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Mr Kapil Sibal. In his address, Mr Sibal told the gathering the government was preparing a legislation on sharing of geospatial data amongst different agencies – public and private. A bill in this regard, National Geospatial Data Regulatory Authority Bill, is to be introduced in the next session of Parliament and is likely to be cleared by the Cabinet by February 2009. The inaugural session was also addressed by Dr K Kasturirangan, Member of Parliament and Dr T Ramasamy, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology. During the meet, the Indian Geo-portal was also launched.

New GIS software from India
The Space Applications Centre and Scanpoint Geomatics in Ahmedabad have released a new product, IGIS. It has been developed to a requirement from Indian Space research Organisation for a GIS software that could ingest data from its satellites and turn out information products. It contains an integrated image processing engine and a GIS. www.scanpointgeomatics.com

Kathmandu goes digital with online city-guide
Savant Associates has unveiled mapmandu.com, the first online cityguide of Kathmandu. It uses an interactive mapping engine to facilitate localized search of destinations in Kathmandu on a digitalized map. It provides the users with up-to-date online information and other extensive services on various aspects of city life in Kathmandu. http://www.nepalnews.com

India map in 3D satellite imagery
A new project to map all areas in the country using a three-dimensional satellite imagery would be launched soon, Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal said. http://www.hindu.com/