Surveying Education An RMIT Update Donald Grant Geospatial
Science RMIT University
Slide 2
Global university of technology and design Strategic
Directions: Global Urban Connected Our programs must fit within
this corporate framework and be: Relevant High quality Financially
viable
Slide 3
Specific nature of RMIT Has both Vocational Education* and
Higher Education segments Therefore, two parts to this presentation
* Vocational Education is the new name for TAFE
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Vocational Education (TAFE) Sector
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RMIT University School of Engineering TAFE Building, Civil,
Surveying and Spatial programs All these programs have a Surveying
content to deliver Diploma of Building and Construction Year 1
& 2 (8 full time and 1 part time groups - 250+ students)
Advanced Diploma of Engineering Design (Civil) Year 1 & 2 (8
full time and 3 part time groups - 300 students) Certificate 3 in
Surveying and Spatial Information Services (2 groups - 40 students)
Diploma of Surveying Year 1 (2 groups - 65 students; continues 2013
high) Advanced Diploma of Spatial Information Services Year 2 (1
group - 42 students; up 75% on 2013) RMIT University2011 ISV
Regional Conference - Sale 5
Slide 6
RMIT University - Surveying pathways (2011 data) RMIT
University2012 School of Engineering TAFE 6 95% VTAC or DIRECT
APPLICATION 5% 5% 90% 5% not completed 5% exit to industry 50% exit
to industry 50% articulate 85% 40% from industry firms 95% 2013: 20
articulated; 16 to surveying, 4 to geospatial sciences
Slide 7
RMIT University School of Engineering TAFE surveying staff
Coordinator of Surveying Courses in Building, Civil, Surveying and
Spatial Thierry Demathieu LS Staff to support programs Peter
Dunbabin DipBuild Stephen Falzon LS William Ntuwah MSurvSc Trent
Rhodes BApSc (Geomatics) Hons 1 Mihir Soneji Beng Plus two more
building technology teachers 7
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8 Surveying and Spatial Information Services Major study areas
CAD Drafting using AutoCAD Land Surveying computations using Excel
and HP scientific calculators Mapping using ArcGIS Global
Positioning Systems (GPS) Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data
management using Liscad SEE Weekly field experience at Yarra Bend
Park Cadastral and Engineering Surveying Building and property set
out Benefits to RMIT students 12 months educational license of
Liscad v10 for home study 36 months educational license of AutoCAD
and Autodesk Civil3D for home study 12 months educational license
of ArcGIS for home study
Slide 9
RMIT University Higher Education and TAFE facilities 9 In the
field Yarra Bend Park field station (Pre 2004 - Studley Park) In
the office Computer labs
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Pathways and Articulation to RMIT University Higher Education
The Certificate III part time gives some credit of the Diploma full
time. Completion of the Diploma of Surveying will give entry to the
Advanced Diploma. The Bachelor of Applied Science (Surveying) at
RMIT University gives credit of up to 1.5 years to Advanced Diploma
students with excellent Graded Point Average (GPA). TAFE students
generally take three years in Higher Education to complete the
Bachelor program. The Bachelor Degree will give the opportunity to
enter a training agreement to become a Licensed Surveyor and start
practicing dealing with land boundaries. 10
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Looking for an assistant? Willing to join in for a day? Ring
Thierry on 9925 8359 11
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Higher Education Sector
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Geospatial Science Staff Profile One of two disciplines in the
School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences 15 Academic staff/ 1
technical officer about 14 research staff
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Connected William Cartwright Immediate Past President ICA,
Chair, Joint Boards of Spatial Societies, UN Panel on Global
Spatial Systems David Silcock Surveyors Registration Board Victoria
Gita Pupedis - Geographic Place Names Committee, Destination
Spatial Simon Jones, Mark Shortis, Chris Bellman ISPRS Congress
Committee 2012 Simon Jones - Co-Chair IGARSS, IEEE International
Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Melbourne 2013 Chris
Bellman VSC, SSSI Vic Regional Committee, Spatial Education
Advisory Committee (SEAC), Surveying Taskforce David Mitchell FIG
Commission 7, VCAT Planning Panels Nick Chrisman President Global
Geospatial Network, organised Global Geospatial Conference 2012,
etc.
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And now Don Grant connections Formerly Surveyor-General of New
Zealand Member of NZ Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board Chair of
Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying & Mapping NZIS
Councillor NZ representative - International Association of Geodesy
Continuing Licensed Cadastral Surveyor (NZ) NZ Representative FIG
Commission 7 (Cadastre & Land Management) Member & Fellow
of NZIS Future intentions (applications pending) Membership of IS
Victoria
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University Environment
Slide 17
Features and Facilities Programs retain a strong emphasis on
practical component Survey camps in Years 2 & 3 2014, 3 rd Year
camp continues at Rubicon, 2 nd Year Camp has moved to Yarra Bend
Dedicated field station at Yarra Bend Park Lease negotiated with
Parks Victoria for 20+ years Multiple computer laboratories Variety
of software systems available
Slide 18
Equipment grants Over the last 4 years Trimble CX Laser Scanner
2 x Trimble VX Robotic Total Stations 11x Leica Flexline Total
Stations Sokkia Gyro Theodolite (total station) 4 x Trimble R8 GNSS
rec.
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Accreditation Surveyors Registration Board of Victoria Reviewed
our program in 2011 Granted accreditation for another 5 years Royal
Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Reviewed our program for
the first time in 2011 Granted accreditation; renewed 2013 Annual
review cycle Connected and Global
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Key Research Areas GNSS/GPS Remote Sensing for Resource
Management Applications of GIS Close Range Photogrammetry
Cartography and Geovisualisation Climate change impact and
adaptation Community response and resilience to disasters Land
Administration Two research centres in the Discipline: Satellite
Positioning for Atmosphere, Climate & Environment (SPACE)
Research Centre Professor Kefei Zhang Centre for Remote Sensing and
GIS Professor Simon Jones
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GNSS/GPS Research
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22-Nov-2010Kefei Zhang (RMIT University)22 SPACE Research
Centre (satellite positioning, navigation and tracking) GPS
atmospheric modeling for precise positioning space weather studies
Weather forecasting, climate change/monitoring, climatic hazards
Environment both space and earth Smart mobility & object
tracking Miniaturised, high precision, GPS monitoring systems
Breakthrough in sport coaching & training Indoor
positioning/tracking Robotic control in difficult environments
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Space and debris tracking
POD, in-space service, debris surveillance & collision warning
SLR, SKA, VLBI SKA GNSS/surveying/geodesy theory and
algorithms
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22-Nov-2010Kefei Zhang (RMIT University)23 From
http://geodaf.mt.asi.it The research investigates space-borne and
ground-based radio occultation techniques, atmospheric sounding
technologies and their fusion. This research is dedicated to
developing superior national capabilities in anticipating,
analysing and investigating critical meteorological threats to
Australia. Positive impacts for weather broadcasting model (NWP)
and climate monitoring have been demonstrated From: http://www.
gfz-potsdam.de Satellite-Based RO for Atmospheric Sounding in the
Australian Region
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Remote Sensing Research
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Components measured within a forest NVC assessment tree canopy
cover / health patch size & connectivity (neighbourhood &
core area) large old trees and canopy health understorey life forms
diversity and cover recruitment of woody species Logs / CWD organic
litter lack of weeds
Laser Scanning United Arab Emirates David Silcock, Colin
Arrowsmith, Lucas Holden + students
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Student Recruitment
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Student Enrolment (2014) Undergraduate Surveying 205 students
Geospatial Science 78 students Postgraduate (coursework) Masters 35
students Research (HDR) Masters 5 students PhD 22 students We also
deliver service teaching to other Schools in the fields of
Surveying, GIS, Remote Sensing, Geography and Environmental
Sustainability
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Commencing Students continued good news Second highest in
recent memory; placements are improving RMIT University
20072008200920102011201220132014 Surveying242628423648.569 48
Geospatial Science 181627232120.538 25 Carto111612
Total535867655769107 73 Surveying and Academia These figures
measure student load (our funding base) 2013 includes 20
articulating from TAFE into Year 2 11 articulated in 2014 Most
first year classes in 2014 have over 70 students
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RMIT University Complicating factor Not enough Rachels 7 female
students (2 surveying) in a first year class of 70 Targeted
scholarships not attracting much attention.
Slide 33
RMIT University Surveying Taskforce From 1 st year
questionnaire (2012): 53% had seen a life without limits website
25% had watched the DVD 10% had seen the Taskforce at career events
50% of commencing students in Surveying had done work experience in
the industry
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Summary RMIT has a strong base for producing technicians and
professionals for the future Student numbers solid (but small by
university standards) Surveying now a very strong brand (most
undervalued discipline in one journalistic report) Trending upwards
on many measures (including student satisfaction) Support from
industry is really appreciated and crucial to the success of our
programs Always opportunities for greater engagement with industry,
particularly in research and project activity RMIT University
Surveying & Academia
