From EO Skills to EO Competencies: Rethinking Education and Training inthe Age of AI

Scope

Earth Observation (EO) education is changing rapidly. Satellite data are easier to access,
cloud-based processing environments and open-source tools are becoming widely available,
and digital resources have created new opportunities for teaching and training. At the same
time, the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) is influencing how EO data are accessed,
analysed and interpreted. This raises an important question for EO education: What
knowledge and skills will learners need in the future?
AI-supported and increasingly automated workflows can already assist with data discovery,
image interpretation, classification, programming and analysis. As these tools become part
of everyday EO practice, education cannot focus solely on teaching particular software
packages or processing workflows. Learners also need a sound understanding of EO and
geospatial concepts and the ability to question results, choose appropriate data and
methods, recognise uncertainties and limitations, and use AI-supported tools critically and
responsibly.
This session addresses how EO education and training can respond to these developments.
We invite contributions on emerging competency requirements, curriculum development,
new teaching and learning approaches, assessment, and experiences with different learning
environments. Contributions addressing different educational levels and target groups are
welcome, ranging from schools and universities to professional training and lifelong
learning.
A particular focus is on approaches that encourage learners to go beyond following
predefined processing steps. How can EO education enable learners to formulate their own
questions, make informed choices about data and methods, assess the quality and

limitations of their results, and connect EO-derived information to real-world problems and
decisions?
The session brings together experiences and perspectives from schools, universities,
research organisations, space agencies, public institutions and the private sector. It provides
a forum to discuss what EO education should look like as technologies, methods and
professional practices continue to evolve.

List of topics:

• Educational concepts
• Best-practice examples
• Capacity development
• Teaching applications and tools
• Research outcomes
• Demonstration of Applications
• User Uptake and User Engagement

Organizers