Environment Systems is sponsoring a number of post-graduate courses at Aberystwyth University as part of its ongoing commitment to higher-education. In the 2011/12 academic year Environment systems will be sponsoring four 1 year scholarships and an existing 3 year PhD course.

The scholarships are part of the Access to Masters (ATM) and Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships (KESS) programme part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the Welsh Government with Environment Systems acting as the external partner. Each bursary includes tuition fees plus living expenses. They include three places on the MSC course in Remote Sensing and GIS which is designed to provide successful candidates with a range of key skills and expertise to analyse and interpret remote sensing and other spatial datasets. The course focuses on conveying new approaches to data processing, analysis and interpretation as well as the application of innovative technologies, such as unmanned aerial vehicles. The fourth course focuses on developing key skills in human geography for creative GIS and visualisation.

In each case Environment Systems will benefit from postgraduate research projects tailored to meet the interests of the company. Each Masters student will undertake a placement and may extend this into a dissertation project with the company.

The 3 year PhD student is working on a project entitled ‘Satellite-based monitoring of habitat and land use change in Wales.’ This builds on a major project undertaken by Environment Systems, Institute of Geography & Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University and the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW). The student is working with both academic staff from the university and Environment Systems. It provides an excellent opportunity to apply technology-based skills to a real world application, with a strong company interest in developing on the results.

“We have supported the PhD programme at Institute of Geography & Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University for a number of years under similar arrangements”, said Steve Keyworth Commercial Director. “The new Masters courses and the PhD research we are now co-sponsoring are a logical extension of our initial commitment to higher education. There are benefits for all concerned, not least the students themselves who are involved in real projects and leading edge technology and research,” continued Keyworth.