The Remote Sensing & GIS Centre at Sultan Qaboos University in cooperation with the Department of Computer Science at the University and the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (IEEE-GRSS) organized an International Forum on Remote Sensing Applications in the Era of Machine Learning: Applications and Opportunities at SQU on 2 October 2018. The forum was under the patronage of Hon. Dr. Saeed Al-Muharmi, member of the State Council.

Dr. Yaseen Al Mulla, Director of Remote Sensing and GIS Research Center at SQU, in his welcome address, gave an overview of the research projects carried out by the Center in this field. Then Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamdani, Head of Computer Science Department, gave a speech explaining the academic programs in the department related to this field.

Dr. Farid Melgani, Representative of the International Society for Remote Sensing IEEE-GRSS, presented the keynote speech of the forum, in which he gave an overview of the International Society along with examples of the remote sensing applications in Machine Learning. IEEE-GRSS is the largest association in the world on geoscience and remote sensing.

After the break, eight papers were presented by speakers from four countries in addition to speakers from the university and PhD students. The aim of the forum, which was attended by a number of governmental bodies and even specialized companies, NGOs and students, was to shed light on this technology, its applications and to exchange expertise among the research scientists. It was platform for postgraduate students to learn more about applications of this technology and its potentials as objectives for their research thesis. The fields of research cooperation were opened with IEEE-GRSS and the international bodies participated in the forum.