**3. Methodology**

This research is considered as action research, as it summarizes efforts being carried out in the process of developing a new educational program. It introduces a new approach that integrates the environmental socioeconomic considerations with the international requirements for providing advanced skill-based education and training.

It provides direct input to methodologies and mechanisms that are currently embraced globally to improve the process of creating similar programs. The relevance of this approach taken is not limited to the region or country where the development occurred. It can be adopted worldwide with minimal consideration to the socioeconomic factors that might influence successful implementation of such a program. In geomatics, there are many efforts presented by many. The research adopts different levels of analysis and observations, based on the approach proposed by Virkki-Hatakka et al. [27]. **Figure 2** shows a summary of the research approach used in this study. The reason behind this systematic approach was to evaluate challenges and opportunities for marine geomatics programs using local case study.

The research is intended to reach to results and develop conclusions based on critical evaluation of the approach adopted in the development of the academic program. These assessments are important because they provide heuristic evaluation and key observation for the successes and failures of the program. The first stage of the methodology involved SMEs' interviews, Lessons Learned from the Establishments of the First Hydrographic Surveying Program… http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82527 51

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

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].

This research is considered as action research, as it summarizes efforts being carried out in the process of developing a new educational program. It introduces a new approach that integrates the environmental socioeconomic considerations with the international requirements

It provides direct input to methodologies and mechanisms that are currently embraced globally to improve the process of creating similar programs. The relevance of this approach taken is not limited to the region or country where the development occurred. It can be adopted worldwide with minimal consideration to the socioeconomic factors that might influence successful implementation of such a program. In geomatics, there are many efforts presented by many. The research adopts different levels of analysis and observations, based on the approach proposed by Virkki-Hatakka et al. [27]. **Figure 2** shows a summary of the research approach used in this study. The reason behind this systematic approach was to evaluate

challenges and opportunities for marine geomatics programs using local case study.

The research is intended to reach to results and develop conclusions based on critical evaluation of the approach adopted in the development of the academic program. These assessments are important because they provide heuristic evaluation and key observation for the successes and failures of the program. The first stage of the methodology involved SMEs' interviews,

for providing advanced skill-based education and training.

**3. Methodology**

50 Trends in Geomatics - An Earth Science Perspective

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 associated with the establishment of the program.
