The fundamental importance of the integrated use of Earth Observation (EO) methods and tools, Geomatics and GeoInformation (GGI), and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has long been recognised.
This integration is aimed at global and continuous monitoring of our planet, to benefit environmental knowledge and protection, security, and sustainable development of territories and production, the protection of populations, and the quality of life on Earth.
A large portion of the approximately 250 indicators used to represent the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is based on information obtained by integrating EO, GGI, and ICT, which is central to the activities of the United Nations initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM).
The Copernicus program falls within this context, coordinated by the European Commission in collaboration with Member States, the European Space Agency, the European Environment Agency, and other European organizations.
Copernicus is dedicated to providing not only EO and ground sensor data but, above all, services based on freely and publicly accessible information derived from them, to public authorities, organizations, and service providers at both a European and international level.
The key feature of Copernicus is the provision of services officially driven by the needs and requirements expressed by end-users.
The main goal of the National PhD in Earth Observation (DNOT) is, therefore, to train professionals with cross-cutting and integrated expertise in EO, GGI, and ICT, as well as specific application, administrative, and legal skills, capable of enhancing existing services and designing new ones, in close collaboration with actual and potential users who see it as an opportunity, if not a necessity.
This goal is pursued by building on the extensive and well-established expertise in EO, GGI, and ICT already available in various universities and public research institutions, integrating it with specialized knowledge available in public administrations, public foundations, and businesses.
The DNOT, which is part of the Copernicus Academy's lifelong learning program, develops its training and research activities in the following thematic areas: 1) methodologies, technologies, and infrastructures for acquiring, analyzing, and managing EO and geospatial data and information; 2) identification, analysis, and management of natural and anthropogenic risks; 3) analysis and management of crises and emergencies; 4) water cycle and cryosphere, marine and coastal waters and environments; 5) urban environmental planning and management; 6) agriculture, forestry, and environmental management of soils; 7) atmosphere, climate, and climate change; 8) cultural heritage and landscapes; 9) legal and economic aspects of EO and geospatial data and information management; 10) data mining.