A conceptual flash flood early warning system for developing countries is described. The system uses rainfall intensity data from terrestrial microwave communication links and the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation satellite, i.e., two systems that are already in place and operational. Flash flood early warnings are based on a combination of the Flash Flood Guidance method and a hydrological model. The system will be maintained and operated through a public-private partnership, which includes a mobile telephone operator, a national meteorological service and an emergency relief service. The mobile telephone operator acts as both the supplier of raw input data and the disseminator of early warnings. The early warning system could significantly reduce the number of fatalities due to flash floods, improve the efficiency of disaster risk reduction efforts and OPEN ACCESS ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2014, 3 585 play an important role in strengthening the resilience to climate change of developing countries in Africa. This paper describes the system that is currently being developed for Kenya.
Many refugees aspire to continue or start higher education studies in their host country. However, higher education is difficult to access for refugees due to various obstacles such as a lack of (reliable) information and admission criteria. If they manage to access higher education they experience specific problems during their studies, related to their backgrounds. Institutions therefore need to provide refugee-background students with suitable support. Based on an explorative study among fifteen refugee students, we argue that focusing on equity and inclusion is fundamental to successfully support refugee students. We interviewed refugee students twice: in the first and the second year after they started their program. In addition, before the student interviews took place, we interviewed seventeen education professionals who are involved with refugee-background students, to gain good insight in the range of support that was available for the students. According to our study, refugee students are highly motivated but less able to capitalize on higher education for their aspirations because of multiple disadvantages. Besides unfamiliarity with the Dutch education system and a language barrier, they encounter exclusionary mechanisms. They struggle to connect with fellow students and do not always feel safe to ask questions or seek support, while inclusion and a sense of belonging are crucial for study success. Existing organizational resources can be valuable; however, refugee students have difficulties utilizing these for their benefit. Offering support alone is not enough: students must be able to use the support for their goals, which now is often not the case. If we want to strive for inclusive education for these students more diversity in approach, support, and resources is required.
Selection of scale in science and planning is often guided by ad-hoc decisions and arguments of accuracy and availability of existing data and resources. A more analytical approach to selection of scale and a bridge between theoretical insight and practical application is required. This paper reviews recent developments in thinking on theoretical concepts on scale from the perspective of geo-information science and compares these with a real life case. The concept of scale is framed as a three dimensional boundary object that explains scale choice as resultant of rationalities in reality-, model-and data scales. It is applied to a case-study of how issues of scale were handled in the Reconstruction program of the Province of North Brabant in The Netherlands. The Reconstruction is an ongoing regional spatial planning exercise that started in the year 2000 in response to major veterinary, environmental, social and economic problems in areas with concentrations of intensive livestock keeping. It combines legislation and policies at international, national, regional and municipal levels. Geographic information was produced to support and present the results of the plan process and related SEA. and final geo-information products varied from 1:5000-1:400,000 and was dependent on the plan stage, plan status and target audience, plan instrument, level of participation, data characteristics, costs and technology. By comparing theory with the case study we bring out the criteria and conditions of selection of appropriate scale whereby the usefulness of academic research in geographic information science for planning and decision making could be improved.Keywords: Geo-information; multi-scale planning; issues of scale in spatial planning and assessment; Environment Assessment; reconstructie intensieve veehouderij (reconstruction of intensive livestock-keeping areas); North Brabant.
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