# Education and Training in Applied Remote Sensing in Africa: The ARCSSTE-E Experience
## 1 Introduction
### The Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) Programme  
The PGD programme at ARCSSTE-E is divided into three phases: common modules, core modules, and a project. The objective of the common modules is to encourage participants to have foundational knowledge regarding all of the course options, as well as other relevant topics. The modules covered in this phase are Space Biology; Fundamentals of Remote Sensing and GIS; Introduction to Space Law; and, Research Methodology. After this phase, the participants are divided into their chosen course options, where they focus on their core modules in line with the UN curriculum. In the third phase of the project, the students undertake individual projects. Dividing the programme into phases/modules has been found to be effective, as participants undertake tests and an examination after each module, thereby keeping them mentally engaged. Participants are given short breaks after each phase. Additionally, participants who are interested in a particular module can join the programme when the module is about to commence, and obtain a Certificate of Participation for that module. Participants who complete the entire course obtain a Diploma certificate that is endorsed by ARCSSTE-E and UNOOSA. Since 2001, ARCSSTE-E has annually run the Remote Sensing and Satellite Communications course options. Interest in Satellite Meteorology and Basic Space Science has been very low. GNSS as a core option has been run three times (in 2014, 2018, and 2019), while Space Law is run as a general module for all of the participants. The Centre runs the courses using curricula that were developed by experts assembled by UNOOSA, and that are meant to be revised every 3-5 years. UNOOSA has made the curricula available online [7], thereby making it accessible to other interested institutions. While a course on Satellite Engineering has not formally started, ARCSSTE-E established a Department of Space Engineering, partly to develop in-house capacity in the design and development of small satellites, subsystems, and components. The department also participates in mission design contests and launch opportunities from UNOOSA and international partners. A laboratory for microgravity studies was also established to promote education and research in microgravity in primary and secondary schools [8,9]. Thus far, a total of 474 professionals from 18 African countries have participated in ARCSSTE-E's PGD programme to date. Figure 2 shows the distribution of participants from 2001 to 2018, while Figure 3 shows the countries that have participated in the programme and the number of beneficiaries from each country. There is a high number of participants from Nigeria, because self-funded students from Nigeria do not need to pay for flight fares (hence, their cost of participation is reduced to payment for tuition and accommodation only); self-funded students from outside Nigeria would need to cater for additional flight fares and other contingent expenses. Of the 55 participants in the current academic year (2019), six are non-Nigerians and each received a full sponsorship from the Nigerian government, while the remaining 49, who are Nigerians, are all privately funded. This is a general trend in regional institutions in Africa, where the host countries bear the bulk, and in some cases, all of the financial burden. Figure 4 shows the distribution of participants according to course options. A large percentage of participants choose the Remote Sensing/GIS option due to its wide application in areas, such as land management, natural resource management, disaster management, and environmental management. A total of 291 candidates have received training in Remote Sensing/GIS through the PGD programme. About 20% of these are females. Successful participants have gone on to get jobs in diverse sectors, such as the public sector, private sector, academia, civil society, military, and international organisations. Some of the participants have successfully started their own businesses.