Faculty of Geomatics, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka is a proud partner of Erasmus+ funded project for Curricula Enrichment Delivered through the Application of Location-based Services to Intelligent Transport Systems [LBS2ITS]
Sri Lanka, which currently stands in middle-income category 2 with a GDP per capita of USD 4,102 (2018) and a total population of 21.7 million, is focusing on long-term strategic and structural development challenges as it strives for the transition to an upper middle income country. The country faces many transportation problems in both urban and provisional areas. Timely access to modern technology and the lack of appropriately trained personnel cause an increase in social, economic and environmental concerns around road / pedestrian safety, pollution and transport inefficiencies. Therefore, the need for sustainable transportation solutions calls for new education and technology approaches and practices.
The project theme is to offer Location-based Services (LBS) to Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). LBS can be defined as mobile computer applications (e.g. using smartphones, PDAs) that deliver information tailored to the location and context of a user and his/her surroundings and beyond. With the integration of mobile ICT (Information and Communication Technologies), 4A (anytime, anywhere, for anyone and anything) ‘services’ are being developed. Examples of emerging mobility services that rely on positioning information span from travel & traffic / public transport and emergency management to personal mobility / commercial vehicle operation / road user charging and driver assistance systems. In short, LBS promote more healthy, greener (lower CO2 emission), and more active mobility behaviours through ITS, which aim at providing innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management enabling the user to be better informed and making safer, more coordinated and ‘smarter’ use of transport networks.
The overarching aim of the project is higher education curriculum development to produce professionals who are equipped to improve the liveability of urban and provisional areas in the partner country. This will be achieved through delivering an enhanced curriculum and new didactic practices for LBS and ITS in four Sri Lankan universities. The benefit will be to achieve safer, more reliable, more comfortable, more environment-friendly and energy-efficient integrated multimodal transportation solutions at regional level with direct impact on the economy and the society.
Accordingly, the specific objectives of the LBS2ITS project are as follows:
to establish a regional cooperation network in LBS to ITS education
to modernize existing and develop new LBS and smart transportation course modules
to train teachers through focused training courses on the project theme
to modernize equipment including digital resource kits for student interaction
to introduce Problem-based Learning (PBL) pedagogy and e-learning tools
to strengthen the interaction and promote collaboration between HEIs and stakeholders in the field
to enhance outreach and broaden the employability opportunities of students at international markets
to implement quality assurance procedures in LBS to ITS education