News & Event

The 11th International Conference on Recent Developments in Geographic Information, organized by the Ministry of Education, launched on Monday. The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Salim bin Mustahil Al Mashani, Advisor at the Diwan of Royal Court, and attended by HE Dr. Badr bin Hamoud Al Kharusi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education and Head of the Main Committee, alongside various dignitaries, advisors, and directors-general. A select group of specialists and researchers are participating in the event, which showcases the latest developments and applications in the field of geographic information.

Salim Al-Kharousi, Director of the Humanities Curriculum Development Department at the Directorate-General for Curriculum Development and Head of the conference’s scientific team, stated that the team is responsible for the technical supervision and organization of the conference, as well as the evaluation of posters and research papers, to ensure their quality and the coherence of the scientific sessions.

He explained that the conference featured a total of 71 scientific contributions, comprising 46 oral presentations and 25 research posters, alongside the participation of seven keynote speakers who delivered six keynote lectures.

He added that the conference saw broad participation from 20 institutions, with proceedings distributed across 12 parallel scientific sessions held in four halls. Omani participation totaled 40 contributions, comprising 22 scientific papers and 18 research posters, reflecting the active scientific presence of national personnel.

The conference opening ceremony features several key segments and events, beginning with a speech by the Ministry of Education highlighting the conference's importance and its role in keeping pace with modern developments and fostering the use of geospatial technologies within the educational and academic sectors. This is followed by a visual presentation showcasing modern geospatial technologies in K-12 and higher education, as well as the Ministry's efforts to advance them.

The ceremony also includes a speech by the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) highlighting joint scientific and academic cooperation, the launch of the "Digital Educational Atlas of the Sultanate of Oman", accompanied by a presentation outlining its significance and objectives, and concludes with the opening of the exhibition held alongside the conference.

The first day of the conference included three main sessions, which addressed topics related to the future of land management and modern geographical technologies. The first session discussed “Potential future developments in land management,” while the second session discussed “Urban digital twins for climate-resilient cities,” and the third session discussed “Recent developments in digital cameras, lidar, and satellite sensors.”

The first day included four sub-sessions; the first discussed “Empowering school curricula with spatial technologies: the science of place” through six working papers, while the second dealt with “The importance of modern surveying equipment applications in geography” through 12 working papers.

The third session, titled "Leveraging GIS Technologies to Build Interactive Digital Solutions for Education," examined the topic through nine papers, and the last session of the first day covered the theme "GIS as a Driver for Sustainable Tourism: Alignment with Oman Vision 2040," also featuring nine papers.

The conference aims to foster the international exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of geographic information, transfer and localize cutting-edge technologies within national institutions, and build sustainable research partnerships between universities and research centers. It also seeks to support the Ministry of Education’s initiatives to integrate geographic technologies into curricula and to develop methods for applied learning and spatial analysis, thereby contributing to the preparation of a generation equipped with digital analysis and geographic thinking skills.

The conference also aims to support data-driven decision-making based on geospatial data; enhance the use of geospatial technologies in sustainable development, resource management, and addressing environmental challenges; empower the national workforce and boost the proficiency of specialists through workshops and training programs; stimulate investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship within the geospatial technology sector; and strengthen the Sultanate of Oman’s regional and international standing in this field. Furthermore, it seeks to promote Dhofar Governorate as a global tourism destination and offer an experience that combines knowledge and tourism for international participants.