Working with digital maps by leveraging the power of GIS - Report of a course held at IIHS, Bangalore

Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), a national education institution committed to the equitable, sustainable and efficient transformation of Indian settlements, recently held a short-term program ‘Working with Digital Maps – Leveraging the Power of GIS’.  The course was held from January 18^th to 20^th at the IIHS City Campus, Bangalore.

GIS can be used for very specific research such as understanding the shifting boundaries between the urban spread out and decreasing natural preserves. At large, GIS is helpful in efficient comparative studies and providing meaning to abstract data through spatial and statistical analysis.

The course comprised of lectures, lab sessions and practica that equipped the learners with essentials of mapping and offered insights and hands-on exposure to working with various free-and-open-source mapping applications. It helped participants understand nuances of key concepts, enabling them to learn, analyse and apply the techniques of GIS in their respective domains. The participants were also exposed to developing mash-ups based on popular web-based GIS applications like OpenStreetMap, Fusion table, MangoMaps and Tile Mill. The learners received a certificate for the successful completion of the course.

The faculty included Sathish Selvakumar- Head of the Programme for Working Professionals and Research associates with the Geospatial Lab at IIHS, Shashikala V, Priyadarshini J Shetty and Siva Kumar.