Five-Day GIS Course with Hands-on Training Workshop for Planning Students

Registration Link:
https://forms.gle/ghnkFNN29fB9qxKB6

Why Should Planning Students Learn GIS?

Modern urban and regional planning increasingly depends on spatial information. Planners must work with maps, satellite images, demographic datasets, land records, infrastructure networks, transport routes and environmental information. GIS provides a common platform through which these diverse datasets can be organised, analysed and presentedl.

GIS allows planners to understand not only what is happening in a city or region but also where it is happening and how different spatial factors are connected. For example, GIS can be used to assess access to public transport, identify areas vulnerable to flooding, analyse land-use change, map informal settlements, examine the distribution of public facilities and prepare development proposals.

Learning GIS can therefore help planning students improve the quality of their academic projects, studio exercises, dissertations, field surveys and professional presentations. The proposed course has been structured to introduce essential concepts while giving participants opportunities to practise important GIS operations.

Course Objectives

The five-day course seeks to enable participants to:

Understand the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems and their relevance to planning.
Learn the basic functions of GIS software and spatial data management.
Understand geographic and projected coordinate systems.
Collect and organise geotagged field information.
Georeference scanned maps and satellite images.
Digitise Khasra, cadastral and other planning maps.
Create point, line and polygon features.
Develop and manage attribute databases.
Prepare thematic maps and cartographic layouts.
Perform basic spatial analysis for planning applications.
Integrate GIS into planning studios, fieldwork and site analysis.

The programme combines conceptual instruction with software demonstrations, guided exercises, practical sessions and project-based learning.

Five-Day Training Programme

Day 1: Introduction to GIS, Spatial Data and Mapping

The first day will introduce the fundamental concepts and components of GIS. Participants will learn about the applications of GIS in urban and regional planning and the differences between spatial and non-spatial information.

The session will explain vector and raster data, including point, line and polygon features. Participants will also be introduced to attribute data, GIS interfaces, project creation, layer management, map symbology and coordinate reference systems.

As a practical output, participants will begin creating a GIS project for a selected study area and prepare a basic map using relevant spatial layers.

Day 2: Geotagging, Coordinate Systems and Georeferencing

The second day will focus on latitude, longitude, geographic coordinate systems, projected coordinate systems, datum, projection and Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates.

Participants will learn how GPS-enabled and mobile-based tools can support field surveys. The course will explain how to record observations, collect geotagged photographs and organise location-based field information.

The session will also introduce Ground Control Points, georeferencing, transformation methods, resampling and Root Mean Square Error. Participants will practise importing geotagged information and georeferencing a scanned map or satellite image.

Day 3: Khasra and Cadastral Map Digitisation

The third day will concentrate on Khasra and cadastral maps, which are particularly relevant to land-use planning, property analysis and development projects.

Participants will learn how to interpret parcel boundaries and apply georeferencing and digitisation principles. The practical session will cover the creation of points, lines and polygons, along with attribute fields, unique identification numbers and data-entry procedures.

By the end of the session, participants will work toward digitising a selected cadastral map and creating a parcel-level attribute database.

Day 4: Spatial Analysis and Thematic Mapping

The fourth day will introduce spatial and attribute queries, area and distance calculations, buffer analysis, clipping, intersection, union, dissolve operations and proximity analysis.

Participants will also learn how thematic maps communicate patterns and relationships in planning data. The session will cover classification methods, map labels, legends, scale, north arrow and essential cartographic principles.

The practical output will involve preparing thematic maps and conducting at least one basic spatial analysis, such as buffer analysis or accessibility assessment.

Day 5: GIS Applications in Planning and Final Project

The final day will integrate the skills developed during the preceding sessions. Participants will explore the GIS workflow for planning and design, site analysis and the integration of field-survey information with spatial databases.

Examples may include applications related to land use, transportation, neighbourhood planning, environmental planning, infrastructure and facility mapping. The session will also provide an introductory understanding of satellite imagery and remote sensing in planning.

Participants will apply their learning by developing a small GIS-based planning exercise and presenting its principal outputs.

Training Methodology

The course will follow a practical and learner-oriented methodology comprising:

Conceptual lectures;
GIS software demonstrations;
Guided exercises;
Hands-on practical sessions;
Individual and group-based work; and
Presentation of final outputs with feedback.

This combination will help participants understand both the conceptual foundations and practical applications of GIS. Students are encouraged to participate actively and practise the demonstrated operations during each session.

Expected Learning Outcomes

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Enter the required information carefully.

After completing the course, participants are expected to be able to create and manage a basic GIS project, work with vector and raster information, understand coordinate reference systems and organise geotagged field data.

They will also gain experience in georeferencing maps, digitising planning features, creating attribute databases, conducting basic spatial analysis and preparing thematic maps with appropriate cartographic elements.

These skills can support planning studios, site assessments, field surveys, research projects, dissertations and other academic or professional assignments requiring spatial analysis.