FMRS organized SUFOGIS Summer School in the framework of SUFOGIS project “Geoinformation systems and remote sensing for sustainable forest management and ecology” during 5 – 14 July in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Volgatech was represented by the staff of Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and undergraduates of the program “International cooperation in forestry and nature management”. The event was also attended by representatives of Bashkir State Agrarian University (Ufa), Space Research Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences and Chinese universities – Fujian Normal University (Fuzhou) and Zhengjiang University (Hangzhou), which also participate in the project.
As part of the Summer school SUFOGIS-SUFEX, leading experts in the field of geo-information technologies and forestry fr om the Aristotle University and European corporation Airbus addressed the students from Russia and China. Director of Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence of Volgatech Professor Eldar Kurbanov gave a presentation on rethinking the role of forests and forestry in the climate policy of the European Union and Russia. Researcher of Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence Alexey Fominykh delivered a lecture on climate diplomacy and EU ecological policy. In practical classes, European teachers taught students advanced methods of analysis of satellite images of forest cover and the use of remote sensing data in research and professional work of foresters.
Re-training of teachers and staff included visits to research centers and commercial enterprises, which are the part of the innovation cluster of Thessaloniki – the Institute of forest research at the Greek agricultural organization “Demetra”, companies Geoanalysis S.A., Omikron, InterBalkan Environment Center (i-BEC). The project’s Greek partners demonstrated the main areas of application of geo-information technologies in environmental monitoring – in forestry, including forest fire preventing, as well as hydrography, meteorology, urban planning and land use. Informative excursions were organized for Russian and Chinese students and teachers in Mount Olympus National Park and Taxiarchis Forest of Aristotle University.
The SUFOGIS project, which is being implemented by the grant from the European Erasmus + program, is an example of the interaction of scientists from Europe, Russia and China to discuss and solve common problems of climate change and forest protection for our planet. For students of Volgatech, participation in the English-language Summer school was a unique opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills and gain invaluable international experience.