Clark Labs at Clark University and UNIGIS International are pleased to jointly announce their continued partnership to provide students with access to GIS technology.

UNIGIS is the leading worldwide network of universities that offers postgraduate Geographic Information Science and Technology education via open and distance learning. Dedicated to enhancing the competence and skills of GIS professionals, UNIGIS, through its partner institutions from all over the world, offer internationally recognized study programs and qualifications. The UNIGIS network is built on the advanced expertise of specialist faculty at partner universities where each year more than 600 students are enrolled. Universities within the UNIGIS partnership offer the opportunity to graduate with an MSc in GIScience or postgraduate certificates / professional diplomas in GIS.

The network provides students with access to state-of-the-art technology and teaching and learning resources that provide hands-on experience designed to meet the needs of the GIS industry. Theoretical and practical background based on a joint curriculum is also critical for the design and implementation of GIS projects.

UNIGIS began as a collaborative between three Manchester area UK universities, together with the University of Salzburg and the Free University of Amsterdam in 1993. The partnership between UNIGIS and Clark Labs started soon after and included software procurement, research collaborations and educational initiatives.

The inclusion of the IDRISI GIS and Image Processing software has been critical for the UNIGIS program as it provides powerful and easy-to-use visualization and analytical tools for satellite imagery–band combination, image enhancement, radiometric processing and image classification. The pedagogic materials offered by Clark Labs are useful resources for UNIGIS faculty, encouraging students to acquire and consolidate their analytical skills as they learn how to manipulate and read geospatial data.

“To be sure, geospatial problems are never quite as simple as they might seem, but complex problems might have surprisingly simple and effective solutions” stated Josef Strobl, Professor at the University of Salzburg and Chair of UNIGIS International. “The IDRISI Manual and Tutorial reinforce this perspective. The exercises encourage students to ask questions, explore data in new ways, and validate their results or solutions to account for all of the variables.”

Anna Szukalska, UNIGIS International Coordinator, adds “The IDRISI software offers a wide variety of tools to work with geospatial data. Because of its rich and powerful toolset, our students design many projects related to the location of optimal routes, travel costs, and optimal location of elements. These capabilities, along with the number of tutorial exercises built into the software makes IDRISI an unsurpassed resource for students and teachers.”

Presently, UNIGIS MSc and professional certificate/diploma programs are being offered in various formats by universities on all continents, making this the most accessible continuing education distance learning offering worldwide. Details may be found at the UNIGIS website: www.unigis.net.

“Our relationship to UNIGIS is based on a mutual commitment to accessible education,” indicated James Toledano, Executive Director of Clark Labs. “The success of this relationship has certainly furthered our establishment of similar agreements with other academic institutions.”