Bio
Dr. Hrishikesh Samant is Associate Professor in Geology Department of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, India and Senior Associate Editor (honorary) at Geospatial Media and Communications. He is a member of the Executive Council of OSGeo – India, a fellow of Geological Society of India, Indian Society of Remote Sensing and Geomatics Society of India. He has been a consultant to UNDP. Dr. Samant is a member of the 'National Task Force on Evolving Geospatial Education Strategy – Geospatial Education at School Level'. He is a post-graduate in geo-exploration and done his doctorate in earth sciences from the IIT Bombay.

Abstract
Evolving Industry-Institution Network for Capacity Building
The greatest threats to the future of the geospatial industry are not economic or technological, I believe they are related to the low levels of geospatial awareness in political circles and especially among policy makers who are tasked with providing education and training systems with the capacity and capability to meet the needs of society. One of the most important but challenging elements of the 2012 Geospatial World Forum in Amsterdam will be to establish agreed visions, a clear agenda with objectives around which networking between industry and institutions can be facilitated. Emergent discourses will need to converge if we are to communicate a strong and unified message. Networking involves consistently communicate the shared visions, needs and concerns of the geospatial stakeholders into the political arena but also to define and offer genuine viable options. The Forum needs to avoid the focus on short-term, small scale projects so prevalent in institutions and business. I believe the time has come to scale-up our successful projects with the goal to integrate spatial literacy, spatial thinking and geospatial technologies into schools, colleges, higher education and initial and continuing forms of teacher training. Therefore we will need to wrestle with the most difficult challenges, namely how to work together in the political arena to get geospatial learning as a component vertically integrated into education and training structures. To assist economic revitalization and stimulate growth, forecasters predict growing industrial demands for a workforce with geospatial information skills. Across our societies and cultures, citizens are being empowered by open sources of geo-data, but in the main they do not have the fundamental skills necessary to enable them to benefit from this emancipation. If we are to meet changing needs and stimulate further geospatial industry developments, we have to establish ways to influence policy makers so that they actively respond to this rapidly changing environment. It is significant that many politicians are not even aware the geospatial industry exists, most still think in terms of last century needs and technologies. Therefore an Exchange Forum considering an evolving Industry-Institution Network for Capacity Buildingis a very timely opportunity to address this. The Exchange Forum will, I hope, provide us with opportunities to think strategically, create a dialogue, establish a broad picture of what capacity building needs to take place and confirm thelong-term commitment of key stakeholders to unite, establish an infrastructure whereby regular collaborative action can occur in order to take these challenges forward..

Abstract
Capacity building of future leaders: Geospatial data to empower young people in global issues
In an ever more connected world, where technical barriers crumble upon imagination, citizens demand to be part of the solution. That is a new role for institutions, to give voice and tools to society in solving the world’s problems. Crowd-sourcing, citizen science, human computation, collaborative intelligence are all hot keywords in the research arena, but are the findings mature enough to allow everyone to play a role in the solution? We believe so! Imagine a school where the students actively work on solving a global problem as big as deforestation or climate change. Sounds farfetched? Not anymore. By networking industry and institutions a new approach rose that builds upon the strengths of each one. Let us show you the birth of such a breakthrough. Education institutions teamed up with technology industry leaders to create a life changing experience for students: the possibility to access, interact and protect the old growth forest of Borneo in real time. Nobody can do it alone, so the key word is cooperation. Geodan developed a high performance geo-spatial viewer, satellite providers (Astrium Infoterra, e-GEOS, DMC and ESA) provide near real time imagery, Microsoft Partners in Learning and Taking it Global engaged educators and learners from all over the world and the results are breathtaking. Threaten high-value forest was split into millions of cells, which are allocated to students who monitor it as updated imagery becomes available. Suspicious changes in the forest are reported in the web system and, operating in a crowd-sourcing approach using social media, all participants can confirm or not the findings (collaborative intelligence). Suspected areas are visited by a special team on the ground who involves the local authorities to stop illegal activities. We see a new role for industry and institutions: to empower citizens with real data and an active voice.

Bio
Currently serving as Chief Strategy Officer for Rolta India Limited, Mumbai, a leading public IT company in India specializing in GIS, engineering, and e-solutions, Preetha has been in the geospatial industry for over thirty years. She works closely with the Chairman on the Company’s growth strategy as it charts a bright future in the dynamic, fast growth economy of India, and globally. She is also Founder/Chairman of US-based DeepTarget, Inc, a provider of e-marketing technology to financial institutions across the US. In 2006, Pulusani culminated a career spanning more than 25 years of service, retiring from Intergraph Corporation, where she had begun her career as an entry-level programmer. At that time, she was serving as President of the Security, Government and Infrastructure (SG&I) division, responsible for global revenues in excess of $400 million. Preetha holds an M.S. in Computer Science and Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, and a B.A. in Accounting and Computer Science. She served as an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), from 2001 to 2006. She also served as Director on the Board of Biztech, a technology business incubator, as Director on the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Alumni Board and as Director on the Board of Rolta India Limited. In 2006, she was recognized as the Alabama IT Association’s Top IT Executive of the Year.

Abstract
A Case Study of Industry-Institution Capacity Building in the Emerging Economy of INDIA
India is one of the youngest nations in the world. About one quarter of the world’s youth live in this vast, diverse and complex democracy. In the current dynamic environment of this country, an innovative partnership has been created between the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) of India and the nation’s leading Geospatial Solutions Company. For the first time ever in this country, this unique collaboration seeks to equip high school youngsters in 11th and 12th grade with education and knowledge about geospatial technology and its many, varied functions for building and safe guarding the nation. This talk will examine the magnitude of the commitment and investment by the parties. It will also discuss the ambitious goals of this program that will drive anticipated benefits to society, the future work force and the nation.

Bio
Dr. Hiromichi FUKUI has graduated from Nagoya University in 1980. He holds a Doctor of Science in Earth Sciences from Nagoya University in 1987. He is a professor of Chubu University andDirector of International Digital Earth Applied Science Research Center（called IDEAS) of Chubu Institute for Advanced Studies from April,2011. Before joining Chubu University, he was a professor of Faculty of Policy Management under the Graduate School of Media and Governance, and was Research Director of Global Security Research Institute at Keio University. Prof Fukui joined at Keio University in 1996 after STBRI(Sumitomo Trust Banking Research Institute) of the Think Tank in Japan. His current research interests include regional planning, ecological development, global environment issues and sustainablity sciences with emphasis on spatial information sciences. Also has served on directors of GIS Association, International Society for Digital Earth, and Center for Environment Information Sciences and adjunct professorof Chinese Academy of Sciences. His specializations are in Geo-spatial Informatics and Environmental Sciences.

Abstract
Geospatial Information Sciences after 3.11 crises in Japan and Action Program for Our Common Future
Abstract The tragic predicaments of the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster, and of the resulting Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, are unparalleled in the recorded modern history of Japan. The presentation summarizes what happenedand what we have learnt from the disaster with focus on how Geospatial Information Technology and Sciences can help (what was done correctly and what went wrong), and propose the action program by Industry-Institution Collaboration. GIS is firstly helping the relief of victims and recovery of disaster-stricken areas in a number of key ways such as dynamic emergency mapping of critical information,sharing and mashup related services.Up-to-date field data and information through the social media as citizen’s sensorswas brought into the GIS so that everyone coordinating the relief response was working from the same map-based platform, for example, ALL311, sinsai.info, Emergency Mapping Team activities and so on. On the other hand, transmission of information related to the emission and spread of the radioactive substances and handling of the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant have generated significant insecurity among people. As a result, it has been discussed whether or not sufficient information has been monitored and disclosed to the citizens of Japan and the world. It is clear that for authorities to take an ambiguous stance for uncertainty undermines the safety of the citizens and create problems such as damage caused by harmful rumors of misinformation.Being faced with the present situation, we realize once again the necessity and significance of the Digital Earth or CyberGIS as an information commons of understanding and communicating understanding of the earth for our common future. With this in the background, we have proposed the establishment of the social system for risk management and an International Rescue Base in Japan. It would be a comprehensive facility dedicated to environmental issues and disaster prevention, equipped with information and telecommunication infrastructures like Digital Earth orCyberGIS and with the capacity to supply the necessary staff and equipment at times of disaster. For the sustainable development, we would like to obtain the support of a wide range of associated organizations and establish the facility through Industry-Institution Collaboration.

Bio
Christian Heipke studied Geodetic Sciences and Surveying at the universities of Hannover, Sydney, and Munich. In 1990 he received a Ph.D. degree (Dr.-Ing.) and in 1994 the venia legendi (Dr.-Ing. habil.), both in digital photogrammetry and both from TU Munich. In 1998 he was appointed Head of the Institute of Photogrammetry and GeoInformation, Leibniz Universität Hannover. His professional interests comprise all aspects of digital photogrammetry and remote sensing, image understanding and their connection to geospatial science and computer vision. His two areas of special expertise are automatic sensor orientation and object extraction from images. He has successfully supervised more than 20 PhD theses and has about 270 scientific publications to his name, some 70 of which appeared in peer reviewed international journals.

Abstract
Cooperation between academia and industry in the pursuit of scientific excellence – a German example
IPI is a university institute doing research in photogrammetry and remote sensing with overlap to geospatial sciences and computer vision. It was established in its present form by Gottfried Konecny in 1971, today it counts some 30 scientists in four research areas. The aims of IPI research are to create and communicate new and useful ideas and concepts in our field, which are relevant to society at large, and to support critical and self-critical independent thinking in our staff. IPI is involved in teaching the university courses Geodesy and Geoinformatics and Navigation and Field Robotics. IPI staff has ample experience in industry cooperation, among them in the mapping, the space and the car industry. Over the years we have found a research structure composed of three elements to be useful: (a) Basic/fundamental research, providing a "playing field" to create new ideas and concepts. This area needs to be funded by society, e. g. national or international scientific organisations such as DFG (German Science Foundation) or ESF (European Science Foundation), industry funding in this area is rare. (b) Applied research and development, e.g. the development of prototype systems. Here, we often cooperate with industry or public bodies, e. g. within the EU Research Framework Programmes. Funding partly comes from the government, partly from industry. (c) Pilot projects, e.g. software development and empirical studies. In this case we have a direct link to industry funding the work, often under non-disclosure agreements. According to the experience at IPI all three elements are important for successful research. Ingredients to successful cooperation with industry are regular, often informal meetings at high level, projects with clear rules with respect to funding, intellectual property rights and a publication schedule, staff exchange in the form of guest lectureships and internships for students and staff. In this way, there is ample contact, and industry also has the possibility to position itself as a potential employer of the researchers after graduation, which is a point of mutual benefit, as technology transfer best happens "by minds". Two points to note are that in the cooperation the independence of academia must be respected, and it should not be forgotten that the partners have different roles in society and function according to different mechanisms. As an example, the result of a research effort such as a PhD thesis is normally not a marketable product or service as such, but needs substantial further development before starting to be profitable. Also, the length of industry innovation cycles and that of a PhD thesis are in general incompatible. If both parties take these differences into account from the very start of the cooperation, the mutual advantages by far outweigh the sometimes encountered problems and a fruitful and successful partnership is the result.

Bio
Founderand CEO GeoFort. A fascinatingisland fort is currentlybeingtransformedintoaneducationalattraction, whosetwinthemes are cartographyandnavigation. At GeoFort, the wider public - bothyoungandold, as well as business visitors - are abletodiscoverhowinterestingand relevant the geo-worldcanactuallybe. The fort lies at the centre of the country, close to Leerdam, andfrom 2012 onwards the fort willbe open to the public. For the time being, it’spossibletohold business events here, as well as small-scaleeducationalprojects. Master degree in cartographyand GIS at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.

Abstract
How can education contribute to spatial literacy?
Why is exploring with digital spatial data an added value besides regular geography lectures and using ordinary geography books? The hypothesis is that the added value of using GIS is based on 5 senses: Sense of reality When students userealistic data of their own environment and when they use recent information, students easily become curious to investigate more. They want to zoom in to their house or to their neighbours… Sense of urgency When using realistic data and thematic items, which are in the news, it is easy to get students interested. Geography addresses serious questions, which matter for their future. Sense of experience GIS makes it possible for students to get the experience of having influence on the situation. You feel the power of being in charge when deciding where a new village is going to be built, or how the country can best be protected against future flooding. Sense of fun In general people learn more easily when they are enjoying what they are doing. Using GIS is fun. GIS makes geography almost a game, the way for kids of having fun. Sense of location Using GIS in combination with GPS routes, tracking and tracing games or doing field work gives an extra dimension, location (x,y,z coordinates) becomes an exciting thing to explore.

Rol of GeoFort: a science center
On the principle that “Investing in spatial literacy means saving lives and preventing disasters" it was thought a good idea in the Netherlands to let children be able to explore the world of geo-ICT in an exciting environment. Therefore a 'living lab' is being developed. It is called GeoFort. GeoFort emphasizes the importance of spatial thinking to a broader audience and stimulates younger people to choose a geo study. GeoFort does this by creating a science center where visitors can experiment together with geo companies in the area of cartography, navigation and geo simulations. This means maximizing the sense of experience and urgency at GeoFort. The pupils can press the buttons and decide which dikes should be reinforced. Depending on the scenario's they choose, the Netherlands will partly flood or not. GeoFort makes students aware in a captivating way of the bigger challenges for the Netherlands in the near future plus the surprising role of the XYZ-factor.

Bio
Prof Tom Veldkamp is dean of the ITC faculty, University of Twente. He obtained his MSc in tropical soil science and his PhD in environmental sciences at Wageningen University. After working as a Mathematical Geologist at the Dutch geological survey, he moved back to Wageningen University, after several promotions he became Full Professor, Chair Land Dynamics in 2002. In 2005 he also became head of the business unit, Landscape Centre at Wageningen University and Research Centre. He moved to Twente University end 2009. He research interests are analysing and modelling Land change science and landscape processes.

Bio
Prof. Dr. Deren Li is a scientist in photogrammetry, remote sensing and GIS who holds dual membership in both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He is a member of the Euro-Asia International Academy of Science and he holds an honorary doctorate of ETH and Fellow of ISPRS At present, Dr. Li is Professor at Wuhan University; Vice-President of the Chinese Society of Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography; Vice-president of the Hubei Association for Science and Technology (HAST); and Chair of the Academic Committee of Wuhan University and the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing. Prof. Deren Li served as Comm. III and Comm. VI president of ISPRS in 1988-1992 and 1992-1996, worked for CEOS in 2002-2004 and was the first president of the Asia GIS Association (2003-2006).

Abstract
Geospatial Knowledge Transfer at LIESMARS
This presentation gives a short description about geospatial knowledge transfer at the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Survey, Mapping and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS) of Wuhan University. The mission of Geomatics lies in two aspects: (1) in the meaning of recognition science to automatically realize geospatial data-information-knowledge transfer; (2) and in the meaning of service science to effectively provide right geospatial data-information-knowledge to the right person at the right time and the right place. These are also the aim and task of LIESMARS. Some productions from LIESMARS including Software for Chinese Mapping Satellite ZY3, web GIS software GeoGlobe and OpenRS are the examples for illustration.

Bio
Chris Gibson has been with Trimble since 1998 in a variety of leadership roles including European managing director, Engineering and Construction division vice president worldwide sales, general manager of Global Services division which supports surveyors and mapping professionals from around the world and most recently, general manager of the Survey Division. In April 2009, he was appointed as the vice president responsible for the survey business and an executive committee member. In December 2010, his role was expanded to include a number of geographic regions and divisions, including building construction, cadastral, railway, construction tools, environmental and waste management as well as the Hilti joint venture. This provides Chris a global view and understanding of the surveyors’ roles and business opportunities in these market segments. Prior to Trimble, Gibson worked for Tandem Computers for nine years based in both the UK and the Netherlands in a number of financial management roles. Following the acquisition by Compaq, he was the European Finance Director for the Tandem Business Unit.