Kingston University Selects eSpatial OnDemand GIS™ For Use In MSc GIS Programme

Broadening Students' Experience With Geospatial Industry-Standard Software

12 October 2011 Dublin, Ireland

Kingston University, one of the United Kingdom's leading universities, has selected Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) based Geographic Information System (GIS) software eSpatial OnDemand GIS™ for inclusion in its MSc GIS teaching programme.

"eSpatial approached us earlier in the year, inviting us to trial their software – Web 2.0 technologies (or SaaS) will be increasingly used within business and we wanted to expose our students to a wide range of applications," says Dr Mike Smith.

"While we already use both commercial and open-source desktop GIS software packages to teach our students, we think it's important for our students to experience a wide range of software on a variety of platforms. We were also keen to introduce our students to one of the few full-function GIS software packages that's delivered in the cloud."

A complex discipline that requires both geographical and analytical knowledge, GIS requires its students to both learn abstract concepts, and gain experience using industry-standard software.

Traditionally, providing students with hands-on experience in using GIS software has entailed an IT-heavy investment from the teaching institution. In contrast, using SaaS-based GIS software such as eSpatial OnDemand GIS requires little setup – just an Internet connection and supported browser.

Already commercially successful, with a growing and very international customer base, Dublin-based eSpatial has firmly committed to offering their software to tertiary institutions at a very low cost.

"We firmly believe that SaaS-based GIS software is the future of the geospatial industry," says Chief Executive Officer Philip O'Doherty.

"We see great value in providing the geospatial experts of tomorrow with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with full-function, SaaS-based GIS software. We're excited to be able to work with such a forward-thinking tertiary institution as Kingston University."

For Kingston University, using eSpatial OnDemand GIS provides a valuable opportunity to enhance the learning experience.

"Our commitment to providing our students with the best education means that we're always open to new ideas," says Dr Mike Smith.

"It is particularly important to prepare our students for the future and cloud-based GIS both provides greater breadth and depth to our programme. Our courses run in both on-site and distance learning modes, targeted at working professionals. Being able to offer the same fully-functional GIS to a student in London as well as Melbourne demonstrates both the capability of the system and ease of deployment."

"This additional experience will stand them in good stead as the geospatial industry continues to evolve."

Interested in finding out more about eSpatial OnDemand GIS?
Request your free custom demo at: www.espatial.com/request-a-demo

About Kingston University
In 1989, Kingston University offered the first GIS undergraduate degree in the world; this was followed by several MSc and PhD research degrees and there are now strong and active undergraduate and postgraduate groups within the Centre. Kingston is the UK's foremost centre for GIS education and training, with one of the largest GIS programmes in Europe. GIS staff are world renowned experts in their field and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate programmes on-site, via Distance Learning and through Summer School courses. Find out more at: www.centreforgis.org.uk

About eSpatial OnDemand GIS
eSpatial OnDemand GIS transforms data with a geographic component into easily-understood maps, charts and graphs that can be interpreted to provide actionable business insights.

Combining the latest innovations in software delivery and usability with the full functionality of a Geographic Information System (GIS), eSpatial OnDemand GIS makes location intelligence available to any organisation.

eSpatial OnDemand GIS is an affordable, predictable, and scalable location intelligence tool, suitable for both GIS experts and newcomers to location intelligence alike. It also provides an ideal enterprise grade hosted services delivery platform for geospatial applications.

Interested in experiencing eSpatial OnDemand GIS for yourself? Request a free custom demonstration with a sample of your own data!

About eSpatial
eSpatial is a leading provider of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and a pioneer in the provision of location intelligence delivered via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

Our flagship product, eSpatial OnDemand GIS (formerly known as iSMART), has pioneered the availability of a full-function GIS or location intelligence tool with SaaS delivery.

As an established presence in the GIS and location intelligence space, eSpatial has developed considerable expertise and intellectual property in spatial software use and development.

We are proud to work with leading technology partners such as Oracle, NAVTEQ and Digital Globe; and to count many leading organisations amongst our global customer base.

eSpatial is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Email: Email Contact
Website: www.espatial.com

Further information
Laura Lilienthal, Corporate Marketing Manager, eSpatial, Block A1, EastPoint Business Park, Fairview, Dublin 3, Ireland.
Phone: +353 1 870 8800 Email: Email Contact