Framework for GIS enabled campus: Design & deployment methodology

Educational campi are the physical entities which comprise spatially distributed utilities over large areas inhabited by different people viz. faculty members, research scholars, service providers, students, their parents and visitors. All such groups require smoother navigation among various entities such as departments, hostels, utility areas such as ATMs, Banks, Post Office, Bus Stops, Guest houses, administrative buildings, examination buildings and so on. At the same time, when we talk about infrastructure development and expansion, a very judicious decision need to be taken for the optimal utilization of the available resources and should also be located strategically. By now, administration has been using manual methods for identification of such locations; however, with the advent of GIS technologies, all such information can now be catered through GIS enabled services and may be deployed globally or locally.

Accordingly, GIS is a technological tool for comprehending geography and making intelligent decisions through spatial visualization and analysis. GIS can, for instance, help manage infrastructure both outside and inside buildings, providing a comprehensive way to optimize space, move staff and classrooms efficiently, map the condition of assets, and ensure adherence to specific standards and policies. As a spatial technology, GIS can be used to explore educational institutions across all scales of geography—a system, a campus, a building and even a particular asset.

In the world of educational buildings, campi and districts, GIS—alone and in tandem with other facilities-focused technologies is making a difference in stewardship across a range of tasks and functions. This study hence provides a framework for the design and development of GIS enabled campuses using Free and Open Source Software.