GIS Education and Research at E tv s Loránd University, Faculty of Informatics

In past years, geographical information systems have undergone spectacular development. Beside traditional applications some new areas have been opened by the spreading of navigation systems and the publication of geoinformation via Internet. Software products supporting geoinformatics have also undergone tremendous development. The paradigm shift should be followed by the education of professionals. This article presents several educational and research results achieved at ELTE Faculty of Informatics, supported by institutional cooperation. In 2004, one year after the Faculty had been established, the Geoinformatics educational module started as a part of software engineering education at master level. Up to now, more than 400 students have completed the module. In parallel with education, research has started as well. Its topics include the development of University Digital Map Library (EDIT), automatic raster-vector conversion of maps, and the development of an open source GIS framework called AEGIS. Another field of research, the segment-based evaluation of remote sensing images is carried out in cooperation with the Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing. The theoretical results obtained were formerly used only in the thematic mapping of land cover. However, the methods investigated recently appeared in three novel applications. Beyond giving presentations in subject Analysis of Remote Sensing Images within the Geoinformatics educational module, the researchers of F MI provide the possibility to students to complete their professional practice in the Institute.