THE GEO PROJECT: A STRATEGY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Mirna Luiza Cortopassi Lobo
Federal University of Paraná, UFPR – Brazil

ABSTRACT: A geographic Information System (GIS) is a highly complex facility and the range of sciences making use it is very broad. The strategy for the implementation of such a system in the Federal University of Paraná takes into account the characteristics of Public Brazilian Universities, where the funds available are very scarce and knowledge has been departmentalized due to an administrative structure in which the various disciplines have been made independent. Plans have been drawn up for the creation of shared-use laboratories, whereby not only would maintenance costs be more easily controlled, but interdisciplinary would be reestablished as well.

INTRODUCTION

This paper examines the innovations of the Federal University of Paraná in computer systems. The paper is categorized by three basic headings: the characteristics of the university system, the GEO Project, and the conclusions and challenge.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF PARANÁ – UFPR

The Federal University of Paraná is a public institution that was founded nearly 80 years ago in Curitiba, which is the Capital of the State of Paraná in Southern Brazil. The University is organized by a department structure which consists of the President’s Office, two Advisory Boards, six Vice Presidencies, and nine Sectors. The nine sectors include Health Sciences, Technology, Agrarian Sciences, Biological Sciences, Education, Human Sciences, exact Sciences, Juridical Sciences, and Applied Social Science.

The University has 1,916 professors, 1.978 employees, and 17.300 students. This amounts to a ratio of nine students per professor, which is one of the best averages in Brazilian Universities.

As for the physical infrastructure of the university, it is comprised of three campuses with a combined total of 281.528 m². In addition to these campuses, the UFPR has the following decentralized units: the Center of Agrarian Experimental Stations, the Center of Marine Biology, Rio Negro Experimental Farm, São Joao do Triunfo Experimental Farm, and the Archeology and Popular Arts Museum in Paranaguá.

Courses for a Master’s Degree and Doctorate are available in several areas of concentration including the following: exact Sciences, Biological Sciences, Technology, Health Sciences, Agrarian Sciences, Human Sciences, and Education.

THE Organization of Informatics – Related Activities in the UFPR

The management of informatics-related activities in the Federal University of Paraná has been entrusted to the Advisory Board for Institutional Modernization and Informatics, which is directly linked with the President’s Office.

Since 1989, the University has been working on the implementation of an Integrated Information and Communications System consisting of two basic subsystems: the Managerial Informations System (MIS) and the Scientific Information System (SIS).

The MIS is an integrated system that is based on centralized processing and a terminal network of 300 terminals. Today this network encompasses the whole University and allows access to BITNET. The MIS integrates all the administrative systems, and its chief purpose is to expedite routine work and to produce the managerial indicators required for decision making.

The purpose of the SIS is to endow the University with an automated infrastructure for the development of teaching and research activities. Its operating structure was created through the formation of interdisciplinary workteams by bringing together the areas that require the same informatics infrastructure.

Informatics Resources Within the Institution

The Eletronic Data Processing Center (EDPC) of the UFPR has two mainframes: a DEC-10 (Digital) Computer and a A10 (Unisys). The administrative systems are being transferred from the DEC-10 to the Unisys. Altogether, there are approximately 400 microcomputers in verious offices, 43 microcomputers in the microinformatics laboratory for the undergraduate degree in Computer Science, as well as medium size items of equipment. The DEC-10 has been scheduled to be deactivated by 1992 as it has become obsolete. The informatics resources within the institution are far from adequately meeting its needs.

THE GEO PROJECT

The GEO Project is the first work-team organized for the implementation of the Scientific Information System in the UFPR. Its purpose is to introduce the Geographic Information System (GIS) culture into the University as an instrument for the support of teaching and research, thus creating a center for training, research, and development in GIS. The abovementioned team was created through a Resolution signed by the UFPR President on June 7, 1990. The discussion below focuses on concepts, objectives, and scope of the GEO Project.

The GIS Concept and Its Adaptation to the University’s Profile

GIS is a data base management system capable of handling a large amount of information. It can be applied to a computerized system, to the development and retrieval of spatial geographic reference data, and to the corresponding qualitative data or attributes. It is a system specifically designed for the simultaneous treatment of spatial data and descriptive information. The system allows for several work scales that range from those used in remove sensing up to and including enlarged scales of punctual information.

The activities that can be performed by the system go from identification, mapping, and recording of natural resources to the measurement and analysis of the interrelationship between objects or phenomena. Furthermore, the system is applied to a broad range of ecological, technological, and urban problems as well as to those related to natural resources.

The Institution University has an adequate profile for the setting up of a GIS because in addition to interdisciplinary comprehension, it pursues teaching and research as its chief objectives. And the GIS is, without doubt, a basic tool for the development of such activities.

The Federal University of Parana has good conditions to become a specialized center for GIS. These are due to five basic opportunities for GIS education and research: a cartography center: an undergraduate course on Cartographic Engineering and a graduate course on Geodesic Science; an undergraduate course in Forest Engineering and graduate courses; an undergraduate course in Architecture and Planning; and other courses.

Cartographic Center

Curitiba is Brazil’s leading cartographic center. Of the 25 aerial survey companies existing in the country, 8 have their head offices in Curitiba, Such a situation greatly enhances the project’s operational feasibility. It is well known fact that investments in GIS are approximately distributed in a 1:10:100 ratio between the costs for hardware, software and data base, respectively (Egenhoffer & Frank, 1990).

Access to the existing data bases will be through agreements to be signed with the aerial survey companies. These companies have already been approached and have agreed to make their data base available to the OFPR free of cost. Other required information such as infrastructure networks and environment-related data will also be the signed with service companies.

Cartographic Engineering and Geodesic Sciences

The Undergraduate degree in Cartographic Engineering was created in the UFPR in 1977. Since then, 155 cartographic engineers have graduate from the program. The course, which attracts students from other states and even from abroad, is considered the best in the country.

The graduate degree in Geodesic Sciences was created in 1971 with areas of concentration in Photogrammetry and Geodesic. In 1984, the doctorate course was created.

Pioneer agreements have been signed with Germany and Belgium, as the UFPR is the only Brazilian center that is consolidating through a cartographic basis network of gravimetry and terrestrial tides. In the field of Photogrammetry, it has been developing the area of short distance photogrammetry, digital cartography, and analytic phototriangulation.

Forest Engineering

The course for a master’s degree in Forest Engineering was founded in 1972, and in 1984 is was enriched with the creation of the doctorate course that has nationally acclaimed as one of the highest quality in this specific area. The UFPR degree in Forest Engineering has increased its potential by contributing towards the creation of nine other similar programs in Brazil.

The Forest Research Foundation provides services in its own specific area and is an important nucleus for the development of scientific research. Currently, it provides technical support to Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique and keeps a large number of agreements with foreign universities.

In regard to the forest engineering course, the GEO Project aims basically at meeting technological demands in the areas of remote sensing, planning of forest production, and monitoring of natural resources.

Architecture and Planning

Curitiba is a city with about 15 million inhabitants. It is know as a well planned city and a laboratory for new experiences in urban planning. The undergraduate degree in Architecture and Planning is 30 years old, and its professors have actively participated in city planning life.

Other Courses

The UFPR has a highly diversified range of other GIS-related courses, thus allowing for the interfacing of several "layers" of knowledge. The first departments to participate in the project are as follows: Geociences, Geography, Architecture and Urbanism, Hydraulics and Sanitation, Geology, Electricty, Transports, Soils, Informatics, Anthropology, and Forest.

Objectives of the GEO Project

The objectives of the GEO project are outlined in four sections below.

Introduction of GIS Culture into the Federal University of Paraná

In order to create a methodology for the introduction of GIS culture into higher education, independent efforts are being developed by individual courses or departments in Brazilian Universities with a view to equipping and modernizing themselves for the performance of their specific activities. Such an attitude, however, often brings about the duplication of efforts, spaces, maintenance, infrastructure, as well as other considerations.

The GEO Project aims primarily at the implementation of multidisciplinary laboratories for GIS that will maximize the use of equipment and spaces, thus creating an integrated center for GIS studies in the UFPR. Additionally, the project seeks to reinstate interdisciplinarity, which has practically become a dead concept in the university ever since departments were created with the consequent departmentalization of hnowledge.

The work team, which is already active, brings together professors from many of the initially involved departments. The team is comprised of 147 disciplines in 29 courses (undergraduate and graduate) with 42 research projects and user population of approximately 4.500 persons (including professors).

Creation of a Post-Graduate Course in GIS

We are sending an open invitation to universities that wish to participate in our project and intend to create the post-graduation course in GIS at the Federal University of Paraná. GIS culture is not yet consolidated in Brazil. We think that the existing courses and professionals from foreign countries may contribute to the development of GIS culture in our university. It will be very important for us to have access to the documents of existing courses at different universities and to translate them into Portuguese.

Creation of the Database

The creation of a database requires various professional activities. These areas include Environmental Management, Environmental Impact Assessment, urban Occupation, Pollution, Environmental Changes, Different Technological Projects, and Forest Conservation.

Integration with Municipalities, Service Companies, and Private Enterprises

The methodology adopted for the present moment has a pragmatic perspective. The steps involve the creation of the GEO group, GIS Seminars, agreements with vendors, training in ARC/INFO and UNIX, and a Pilot Project/Prototype.

The agreement signed with Brazilian distributors of HEWLETT PACKARD – EDISA INFORMATICA S/A includes the following hardware configuration: One Workstation HP Model 400S; Rigid Disk with 760 Mb; 24 Mb RAM Memory; 50 Mhz Clock; Parallel Output Centronix; Serial Output RS-232; 19" Video Display; Operational System HP-UX; VUE Interface; and HP Paintjet printer. Also, the agreement with GEMPI, Gestão Empresarial e Informática S/Cx, the Brazilian distributor of ESRI, allowed us to work the ARC/INFO Version 5.0.

The Pilot Project has been developed in an area with about 16.000.000 m² in a municipality called Sao Jose dos Pinhais, which is close to Curitiba’s Airport. The results of this prototype have contemplated up to the moment applications in urban planning with access to land records and land use law as well as building parameters. The next steps will involve preservation areas, public works, facilities, and so on.

The next application will be in geography, the analysis of compatibility between geomorphology, climatology, and land use law. Application on soil adjustment water resqurces will come next, Basically, our strategy is generating multidisciplinary interaction as applications get more complex.

Scope of the GEO Project

Hereunder, the courses comprised presently by the GEO Project are listed by the level of study, the number of students, and the disciplines (See table 1).

This is the potential number of the courses involved in the project at this time. limitations on expansion of the programs are imposed, in part, by the existing hardware. The idea of the project is to introduce in each of these disciplines the basic concepts of GIS.

At the present time, there are many research projects. The areas of research are distributed as follows: 16 projects in Forest Engineering; 6 in Agronomy; 6 in Geology; 3 in Geosciences; 7 in Architecture and urbanism; 3 in Transport Engineering, and 4 in Anthropology.

Creation of an Integrated Center of Studies in GIS – ICEGIS

The feasibility of the project will be ensured by by the creation of ICEGIS based on a central Multidisciplinary Laboratory. It is worth stressing that federal universities in Brazil are public entities and do not charge tuition fees.

The chief purpose of the Center will be to act as an interface between the University, private companies, and government agencies through contracts for research, development, and the provision of services. The idea is to endow the UFPR with the required infrastructure, such as will effectively bridge the gap between the University and the business community, and promote the training of human resources in GIS. The configuration of the laboratory has been studies as follows:

Five clusters, each cluster has a server, xstations, an 386 PC’s for data entry, interconnected by an ethernet network.

NAME OF COURSE	NO OF DISCIPLINES	UNDER-GRADUATE	MASTERS	DOCTORATE	NO. OF STUDENTS
Forest Engineering l l Agronomy l Geology l Hydraulic Engineering Anthropology Cartographic Engineering l Geography Architecture and Urbanism Transport Engineering Electrical Engineering	18 10 11 18 18 10 15 2 11 16 5 21 5 4 5	x   x     x x x x x x x	x   x         x	x	598 50 10 390 45 390 18 240 560 320 30 480 196 140 153
Total (15 courses)	169	(150 professors)			3.620

The GEO Project will also progressively incorporate other courses: History, Social Sciences, Social Studies, Nutrition, Social Communication, and Public Health.

Until the end of 1992, the laboratory will have tem seats based on a 750 PURX-HP with 64 Mb Ram Memory and 3.6 disk memory, four xstations, five 386 PC’s, a pen plotter and tablets.

The GEO project will be iserted also into inter-institutional context, with different state and federal institutes in Brazil.

CONCLUSIONS AND CHALLENGES

We want to answer the following question: What is the design of GIS in higher education for a developing country? Three conclusions can be made at this time.

First, interdisciplinarity is the fundamental basis because GIS is the most efficient tool to configure the real world in a multidisciplinary context. We think that GIS is a technology situated beyond the disciplines; however, it is actually transdisciplinary. As the level of complexity of the world continues to rapidly increase with the development of technology, we need special tools to handle it. In most of the sciences, we interact with the world through technology and GIS is this technology.

The design of GIS in higher education must have this approach. If it is created under one disciplinary view, it will be restricted from the very beginning. As a tool for education, the applications are specific, but the design must be broad.

Second, GIS can be used as an integration of different areas of "knowledge." By practicing applications of GIS, we are automatically integrating knowledge.

Third, in developing countries, trends in the GIS concept are large. Developing countries must cope daily with turbulence, with an ever changing reality, with great dichotomies, and with an incredible increasing rate of population in urban areas (most of the time above 5% a year in larger cities).

Against these three conclusions, the central question for us is how can GIS integration be managed? As available funds are very scarce, we must maximize our capacities to use a large range of creativity, to be technologically up to date, and to use the appropriate tools to make the society better. The trend of public universities is to change mentalities, to create new attitudes, and to make dreams come true.

REFERENCES

Burrough, P.A. (1989). principles of geographic information system for land resources assessment. Oxford: Claredon Press.

Dangermond, J. (1988). Trends in GIS and comments. Computers, Environment, and Urban Systems, 12(3), 137-139.

Marble, D. (1990). The North American geoprocessing experience: Lessons and future prospects. Geoprocessamento. São Paulo, Brazil: Escola Politécnica de São Paulo; 88-102.

Engenhofer, M. J., & Frank, A. U. (1990). Prospective views of GIS technologies and application. Geoprocessamento. São Paulo, Brazil: Escola Politécnica de São paulo; 95-102.