Geospatial Youth Forum

Engaging Students, Teachers, Entrepreneurs and Professionals in Shaping the Future 18th October, 2016 Speakers Youth Forum Concept

Young minds are the drivers of change shaping the future of the nations and motivating such minds to move steadily on a progressive path is a responsibility of institutions, enterprises, organizations, governments and the society in general.

'One vision ‐ one identity ‐ one community' is the founding motto for integrating Ten Southeast Asian Countries under the umbrella of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The AEC is envisioned as a highly competitive economic region based on equitable economic development in all the member states and fully integrated into the global economy. The areas of regional cooperation put significant emphasis on human resources development & capacity building, recognition of professional qualifications, integrating industries across the region to promote regional sourcing; and enhancing private sector involvement for the building of the AEC. To summarize, the AEC envisages transformation of ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor, and freer flow of capital.

A fast pace of change is an inherent and embedded nature of technology, which pauses a challenge of meeting its statutory, market and human resource requirements continuously. Governments, industries and higher education institutions need to respond to the new challenges efficiently for supporting effective governance, successful business and competitive education. Like others, geospatial technologies too have been evolving and advancing tremendously over the last decades. In Asia-Pacific region, most governments have made the applications of geospatial technologies mandatory in several areas, which boosted the development and expansion of GI‐sector and generated huge demand of highly skilled GI‐professionals. The situation raises good hopes but also concerns for its sustainable growth and brings up several questions before the player involved in the capacity building processes i.e. 'young minds' as students, entrepreneurs and decision makers.

• Are the 'young minds' of ASEAN well equipped to affectively face the challenges of this sector?
• Is Asia‐Pacific region utilizing the capabilities of the available geospatial 'young minds' to their full potential and satisfied with the current trends expected to contribute to the objectives of the ASEAN?
• Is Asia‐Pacific region experiencing stunted growth in Geospatial sector and a facing a challenge in procuring competent 'young minds' for its expansion and enhancement?
• Are training institutions playing effective role and producing fit‐for‐job 'young minds'?
• Are geospatial academia, industry, organizations and decision makers working together for designing a competitive regional strategy for 'Shaping the Future' within the global challenges and opportunities?

'Youth Forum' aims to bring geospatial organizations and academicians on one common platform to discuss lessons from the past, share examples of best practices and debate the future course of action. The forum involves participation of students, researchers, and teachers from various educational institutions, budding entrepreneurs and prominent professionals from government and private organizations as well as the executives from leading GI industry.

Youth Forum Objectives

• Bring the 'young minds' comprising of students, researchers, teachers, entrepreneurs and professionals together on a common platform for sharing ideas, experiences and good practices.
• Provide opportunity to showcase the excellence of their abilities through research papers, posters, products demonstration, application development, etc.
• Facilitate collaboration opportunities among various stake holders engaged in 'Shaping the Future'.

Youth Forum Sessions (Sneak peek) Presentations from 'Young Minds' (Students, Researchers, Teachers, Entrepreneurs, professionals)

• 12‐20 ‘young minds' from various institutions, enterprises and organizations will give a 15 minutes presentation each of their achievements in masters/doctoral research, application development, entrepreneurship, and good practices (selected on the basis of paper submission).
• Two best presentations will be selected for 'GeoSmart Asia Young Mind Award'.

Panel Discussion "Young Minds Towards Next Big Leap in the Asia‐Pacific Region"

• Five panelists (academia, entrepreneurs, professionals and government officials) will discuss their experiences in the geospatial field, visions for future opportunities and the roles 'young minds' can pave the best course of action leading 'Towards Next Big Leap' in the Asia‐Pacific region.

Open Floor Interaction and counselling among the Panel Member and 'Young Minds'

• This session is devoted to an open floor discussion and counseling among the panelists and Young Minds.

Closing of the Session

• Moderator shall offer concluding remarks with takeaways from the discussions
• Confer the 'GeoSmart Asia Young Mind Award' on the two best presentations.