Geo-Informatics is science and technology that prepares and applies information science infrastructure to address spatial problems of the Earth (or any other planet). It is a specialized discipline which is intended to prepare human resources for geo-spatial data collection and its management.
Though Geo-Informatics is a relatively new discipline, it has tremendous applications in global and national contexts. Large number of development works are starting in the country: hydropower, transmission line, transportation planning and construction etc. Precision agriculture, forest monitoring and management, wildlife conservation and disaster management are some of the other prominent applications. Moreover, land management and mapping tasks have been divided among local, provincial and federal governments. Therefore, huge number of Geo-Informatics professionals are required in the country.
To fulfill the demand of managerial level geo-spatial professionals in the country, KU in collaboration with LMTC, GoN started ME/MS in Geo-Informatics program to prepare such specialists in the country.
Master’s in Engineering at School of Engineering, Kathmandu University has four semesters. Each semester will have 15 credits hour courses. While four courses are core/mandatory in the first and second semesters, one courses in the both semesters will be electives provided by the department/school that the students can choose.
HOW DO WE EDUCATE?
In the third semester, the students will assess problem in their subject domain under ‘Problem Assessment Project’ which is a 9 credits hour course. The project component will be of approximately 3-month (full-time) duration, including the time for continuous evaluation of work of student and submission and evaluation final report and result. Student should be in consistent contact with the supervisor throughout the period. Where relevant, interdisciplinary team of students will be encouraged to perform problem assessment, with each student mainly aiming problem solving specific/relevant to the field of study in cooperation with other students. The project component theme could be one of the following
- Industrial/organizational problem assessment (mainly done at industry/organization)
- Community based problem assessment (mainly done at community)
- Literature based problem assessment (mainly done at institution)
- Analytical or experimental or prototype-based problem assessment (mainly done at institution)
- Case study-based problem assessment (mainly done at case specific site)
- Field work-based problem assessment (mainly done at specific site)
- Any other relevant and deemed suitable by department
The thesis in general will be in relation to outcome of the problem assessment project. It proposes solutions to identified problem and validates/invalidates the hypothesis. The thesis would be of 5-month full-time duration, including time for final thesis submission. The 5-month full-time work however will be distributed into 7 months.
Two courses in the third semester are referred as ‘Prescribed Course’. These courses are prescribed by the project/thesis supervisor, endorsed by the department. Courses those are more useful for thesis research. Guided course requiring specific knowledge for project/thesis (guided by supervisor or team of supervisors) can also be done. Modular/seminar-type courses as stated above related to project or thesis work can be one of the prescribed courses. The aim is to have 1 guided course and 1 modular/seminar-type course. The prescribed courses begin in the third semester after completion of ‘Problem Assessment Project’ which goes up to the first two months of the fourth Semester.
CAREER PERSPECTIVE
The graduate of this program will have the capability to work on various sectors including government, non-governmental and private sectors. Basically, the graduates will be able to work in operational and technical functions related to geo-Informatics. The identified potential sectors are as follows:
- Federal and Provincial ministries & departments
- Metropolitan City
- Nepal Army/ Nepal Police/Armed Police Force
- Hydropower/Agriculture/Forestry/Computer Application
- Nepal Electricity Authority
- Private sector in Infrastructure development activities/Consultancy
- NGOs/INGOs
- International job market Universities, Private and public companies
- Entrepreneurship
FUNDING PERSPECTIVE
This is the program is offered by the school of Engineering/ KU in joint collaboration with Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation/ Land Management Training Centre.
| S.N. | Detail | No. | Scholarship |
| 1. | Employees of Nepal Government | 5 | 100% |
| 2. | Open Merit | 5 | – |
Other Funding and Mobility
- UGC Formula Funding
- International Student Mobility
Fee Structure
| Ordinary Fee (Nepalese Students) | NRs. 370,000.00 |
| Sponsored Candidate | 1.5 times the ordinary fee |
| SAARC Countries | 1.5 times the ordinary fee |
| Others | 2 times the ordinary fee |
Fee to be paid at the time of admission for ordinary Nepalese student is NRs. 136,000/- that includes first installment of first semester fee.
Eligibility criteria for Admission
- Candidates who have completed 4 years undergraduate / Bachelor’s degree with minimum 2.0 CGPA or 50% in aggregate marks are eligible to apply.
For ME in Geoinformatics
- Computer, Geomatics, Civil, Environmental or equivalent any engineering subjects.
For MS in Geoinformatics
- BSc in Forestry, Surveying, Geology, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Physical group or equivalent any science subjects.