Kształcenie w dziedzinie geoinformacji na kierunku górnictwa i geologii

Development, implementation and management of geoinformation programs or projects are difficult subjects characterised by high level of technical sophistication, interdisciplinarity and multi-subjectivity. With increasing chances of their development a number of threats in the implementation phase have to be taken into account, mainly lack of national experience (good examples) in organising and managing geoinformation projects and low popularity and limited knowledge of their functionality. Within this context, the issues of geoinformation education should be recognized as a fundamental factor in development and popularisation of this knowledge. Education in geoinformation, in all of its forms, from full-time studies to continuous learning should be an important (strategic) element of developing information society, as well as popularisation of geoinformation systems for decision support and automation of engineering design. In the paper, analysis of the present full-time and continuous education models in geoinformatics on the Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology at the Wrocław University of Technology is presented. Current and planned market demand, employment opportunities for graduates, human resources, technical and economical factors, regional determinants as well as strategies of development the University in general and Mining and Geology in particular are included in the analysis. The course structure is presented in the form of course modules with examples of the structure of classes and forms of conducting them; teaching effects are shown on the example of the Masters programme (Geoinformatics specialisation). In the program structure, the newest modules connected with geoinformation project management (including financial analysis of SIP/GIS investments) and Internet engineering have been included. Attention is drawn to different conditions and forms of program realisation in postgraduate studies, mainly to learning modules and extensive statistics on their influence on the environment. Based on 8 years of experiences in full-time and postgraduate education, and particularly on statistical data, comments and conclusions have been formulated on education strategies and programs, including courses, forms of teaching, problems and threats.