**2. Literature review**

#### **2.1. Geomatics education**

The significance of approach-based engineering education research has been documented by many researchers, including [7]. Several interdisciplinary subdomain research methods have received substantial attention in education research due to their emergence to form multidisciplinary approach. Case and Light and Cousin [8, 9] indicated that attribution of understanding and implementation of tools as procedures of inquiry in engineering research methods is to the way of their application as tools and context interpreted. The framework formed by the instruments and methods is known as "methodology."

The focus in engineering education research methods that focus on the process was the focus of the work of many researchers including [8, 10]. Today, many advanced economic systems are challenged to rely conclusively on and utilize marine resources. Additional importance linked to having effective marine geomatics programs as a priority for many parts of the world. Agrafiotis and Koumoutsos [11] defined the term education as the process of ensuring the development of knowledge, the formulation, and adaptation of the acquired knowledge to the collective memory and its processing, which contributes to making this process ongoing between generations. Many researchers have discussed the need for geomatics education including [2, 12–14]. Regionally, the need for a specialized geomatics education in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region comes from the fact that there is a growing population versus natural resources in the area that are underwater, and there are ongoing efforts for exploitation. Another factor is that the GCC countries are in a peninsula surrounded by water, between three of the major water bodies i.e., the red sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Gulf, which makes safe navigation of increased importance to the region. The fast development of maritime infrastructure and transportation and the large fleet of ships and oil tankers pose a new concern for programs related to marine transportation and safety.

Therefore, the spreading of technology-based programs that provides geomatics solutions has

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The scope of skills and expertise required to form the link between higher education institutions of today, whether in form college or university education. The global demand for geomatics professionals and hydrographers worldwide reinforces the importance of having marine geomatics program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, mainly due to the following:

• some of the geomatics-related works in the region are still in the realm of standard (tradi-

• the rapid development in computation and adoption of digital forms of data processing

• the clear link between socioeconomically developed communities, sustainability of corporations and government agencies, and the realized need for proper economy drivers that

• the continuing advances in environmental protection, sustainable development, and natural resources conservation through the adoption of advanced Geomatics Technologies that

Marine geomatics is an interdisciplinary applied science that is based on the foundation of Geodesy and Land Surveying. The program is designed on the pillar of four core domains: (1) geodesy and positioning, (2) land surveying and estimation, (3) remote sensing and photogrammetry, (4) GIS and cartography, (5) oceanography and marine environment, and (6) marine geology and geophysics. The components from 1 to 4 are standard in any geomatics or land surveying program. However, five and six are unique in this program and many other hydrography/marine geomatics programs worldwide. The strength of marine geomatics program at King Abdulaziz University is directly attributed to the stakeholders' interest in having professionals in this field supported by a strategic partnership with Saudi Aramco, the largest oil company in the world. Our program is designed to hosting top talented students and to provide a high-quality education according to the international standards of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). The international recognition of the pro-

gram by the IHO has contributed to the excellence and strength of the program.

As suggested by Refs. [19, 20], the technology advancement has allowed for developing a new program to cross the interdisciplinary horizon of all sectors of Information Technology. Marine geomatics is one of these interdisciplinary programs that is critically required due to existing gaps in geomatics education in the region and absence of the hydrography-related, skill-based program. This makes the initiative of KAU unique, not only in the Kingdom but also in the region. The fast growing pace of geomatics as interdisciplinary skill-based education in North America has triggered the global need for such education, the relatively rapid

**2.2. Specific needs for the establishment of marine geomatics program**

pace growing in supporting fields [5, 21].

to go along with a detailed analysis of the local and regional situation [6, 18].

tional) practice,

and conversion,

help with wealth data collection and handling,

require highly qualified and highly trained personnel.

The high cost of establishing efficient maritime education infrastructure, as well as the hard nature of offshore training that students and professionals in maritime industry require, adds more challenge to having enough teaching and training facilities. The outcome of that is a less human resource that can share and transfer the knowledge to the future. It is a global situation faced by a very limited number of specialized marine geomatics programs worldwide. There are many unclear boundaries for the connection between marine geomatics as engineering discipline at its link to many marine sciences including marine geology, marine applied physical oceanography and environmental sciences. The lessons learned from developing technology-based education are attributed to the IT infrastructure itself, as well as to adequately addressing the environmental consideration by the international standards, as discussed by Agrafiotis and Koumoutsos [11]. The need for technologically supported education is on the rise as all educational activities today are helping the process of growing economies, and they depend on technology to a far extent.

The growth of geomatics sector in Saudi Arabia is expanding, along with the process of outgrowing the challenges associated with technology adoption and utilization. This increase makes a golden opportunity for local training of professionals in the field hydrography, according to the international standards of competence laid by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). However, despite the observed development in geomatics, it remains limited compared to the western world [15]. Konecny [5] believes that due to the many factors supporting effective adoption of Geomatics Technologies, the need for formal education need is also growing in this advanced technological era. This realization is most pertinent since in an actual sense, development is never achieved nor can it be sustained from outside the developing country [16]. Local professionals play a strategic role in the socioeconomic development of their communities [17]. This provides added value justification for the need of having a state-of-the-art education that combines technology capabilities with local needs. In many developing countries, there is the absence of effective local participation and involvement in strategic planning, formulation, program identification, design, and implementation [16]. Therefore, the spreading of technology-based programs that provides geomatics solutions has to go along with a detailed analysis of the local and regional situation [6, 18].

The focus in engineering education research methods that focus on the process was the focus of the work of many researchers including [8, 10]. Today, many advanced economic systems are challenged to rely conclusively on and utilize marine resources. Additional importance linked to having effective marine geomatics programs as a priority for many parts of the world. Agrafiotis and Koumoutsos [11] defined the term education as the process of ensuring the development of knowledge, the formulation, and adaptation of the acquired knowledge to the collective memory and its processing, which contributes to making this process ongoing between generations. Many researchers have discussed the need for geomatics education including [2, 12–14]. Regionally, the need for a specialized geomatics education in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region comes from the fact that there is a growing population versus natural resources in the area that are underwater, and there are ongoing efforts for exploitation. Another factor is that the GCC countries are in a peninsula surrounded by water, between three of the major water bodies i.e., the red sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Gulf, which makes safe navigation of increased importance to the region. The fast development of maritime infrastructure and transportation and the large fleet of ships and oil tankers

48 Trends in Geomatics - An Earth Science Perspective

pose a new concern for programs related to marine transportation and safety.

economies, and they depend on technology to a far extent.

The high cost of establishing efficient maritime education infrastructure, as well as the hard nature of offshore training that students and professionals in maritime industry require, adds more challenge to having enough teaching and training facilities. The outcome of that is a less human resource that can share and transfer the knowledge to the future. It is a global situation faced by a very limited number of specialized marine geomatics programs worldwide. There are many unclear boundaries for the connection between marine geomatics as engineering discipline at its link to many marine sciences including marine geology, marine applied physical oceanography and environmental sciences. The lessons learned from developing technology-based education are attributed to the IT infrastructure itself, as well as to adequately addressing the environmental consideration by the international standards, as discussed by Agrafiotis and Koumoutsos [11]. The need for technologically supported education is on the rise as all educational activities today are helping the process of growing

The growth of geomatics sector in Saudi Arabia is expanding, along with the process of outgrowing the challenges associated with technology adoption and utilization. This increase makes a golden opportunity for local training of professionals in the field hydrography, according to the international standards of competence laid by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). However, despite the observed development in geomatics, it remains limited compared to the western world [15]. Konecny [5] believes that due to the many factors supporting effective adoption of Geomatics Technologies, the need for formal education need is also growing in this advanced technological era. This realization is most pertinent since in an actual sense, development is never achieved nor can it be sustained from outside the developing country [16]. Local professionals play a strategic role in the socioeconomic development of their communities [17]. This provides added value justification for the need of having a state-of-the-art education that combines technology capabilities with local needs. In many developing countries, there is the absence of effective local participation and involvement in strategic planning, formulation, program identification, design, and implementation [16]. The scope of skills and expertise required to form the link between higher education institutions of today, whether in form college or university education. The global demand for geomatics professionals and hydrographers worldwide reinforces the importance of having marine geomatics program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, mainly due to the following:


Marine geomatics is an interdisciplinary applied science that is based on the foundation of Geodesy and Land Surveying. The program is designed on the pillar of four core domains: (1) geodesy and positioning, (2) land surveying and estimation, (3) remote sensing and photogrammetry, (4) GIS and cartography, (5) oceanography and marine environment, and (6) marine geology and geophysics. The components from 1 to 4 are standard in any geomatics or land surveying program. However, five and six are unique in this program and many other hydrography/marine geomatics programs worldwide. The strength of marine geomatics program at King Abdulaziz University is directly attributed to the stakeholders' interest in having professionals in this field supported by a strategic partnership with Saudi Aramco, the largest oil company in the world. Our program is designed to hosting top talented students and to provide a high-quality education according to the international standards of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). The international recognition of the program by the IHO has contributed to the excellence and strength of the program.

#### **2.2. Specific needs for the establishment of marine geomatics program**

As suggested by Refs. [19, 20], the technology advancement has allowed for developing a new program to cross the interdisciplinary horizon of all sectors of Information Technology. Marine geomatics is one of these interdisciplinary programs that is critically required due to existing gaps in geomatics education in the region and absence of the hydrography-related, skill-based program. This makes the initiative of KAU unique, not only in the Kingdom but also in the region. The fast growing pace of geomatics as interdisciplinary skill-based education in North America has triggered the global need for such education, the relatively rapid pace growing in supporting fields [5, 21].

More specifically, the need for engineering-based multidisciplinary marine geomatics education is increasing day by day. There is an expanding global change in economic dependence in soul natural resources products, such as oil, and the growing concern of utilization diverse financial resources that can deal with an array environmental challenges [22]. All these in addition to the growing technological advancements have maximized the need for skill-based education for professionals, specifically for Saudi Arabia and the GCC region. As indicated by Melezinek [23], skill-based technologically obsessed education became necessary as the application of knowledge became as important as it is a pursuit. This type of education needs to be supported by a contemporary approach to providing advanced professional education. The required efficient and progressive decision-making process has helped with shaping and advancing geomatics education [11]. Today, it is not only the academic community that is concerned with the issues of providing adequate advanced skill-based education, but is also the stakeholders, who are more concerned to have knowledgeable and skilled professionals that can support their communities [24]. The academic education and professional training integration to provide skill-based education have become a need, rather than a complementary resource, more particularly to developing countries with growing economies and depleting resources [25]. It partially addresses the need raised by many researchers including [11] who illustrated the need in keeping up with the rapidly developing technologies through active education systems to provide advanced knowledge and to enhance the contribution to the development of vibrant communities that support stakeholders' objectives and job market trends. This justification is according to the growing need for effective educational systems that are capable of providing advanced training that is keeping with the rapid pace of technology development [12, 14, 26].

where two subject matter experts, from those who participated in the evaluation of the program, have analyzed the strides and failures of the program, based on the standard assessment procedure that has focused on determining and listing the challenges and opportunities that are faced by the program. The levels adopted are as follows: (A) critical evaluation of the strategic plan adopted in the developed program, based on qualitative input from different stakeholders and academic administrators; (B) analysis of the policies and procedures used during implementation of the plan while developing the program; (C) observation, evaluation, and self-evaluation of the program performance and development over the study years; and (D) reflection on the outcomes based on the steps from A to C, where they were assessed based on the contribution of the program to addressing the stakeholders' needs for local professionals according to the international standards. The second stage of the research has focused on analyzing the information obtained from the annual students survey completed as part of the quality monitoring assessment, under the University Vice-President Office for development, where students complete the survey. The methodology also included analysis of socioeconomic indicators for the success of the program at a regional level. Critical analysis of the impediment factors for further improvement of local and regional considerations is

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The hydrographic surveying department aims to provide graduates with basic and advanced knowledge of hydrography, hydrographic data collection, management, and presentation. Also, it provides knowledge of data analysis to determine depths and locations and to create hydrographic/nautical charts, as well as navigational and environmental protection. It has started in 2004 with two full-time faculty members and four collaborating faculties, to reach to eight full-time faculty members, two engineers, and four faculty members under development. The justified need has led KAU to initiate a program that builds the region capability for hydrographic surveying cadre. It also supports the ongoing development and exploitation of maritime resources. Since its inception and for 7 years, the program was under

associated with the establishment of the program.

**Figure 2.** The approach for research.

**4. Case of KAU hydrographic surveying program**
