A training program was organized in Turin( Italy) at Politecnico di Torino University within the framework of the MECAS (Erasmus+ CBHE) international project.
25.03.2026
The training was held on March 24–26, 2026. Along with representatives of partner universities, professors and teaching staff from the Department of Hydraulics and Hydroinformatics of the "Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers" National Research University actively participated as team members within the project.
The main objective of this training was to develop a new Master’s (MSc) program in Ecoinformatics for the Aral Sea basin, design modern educational modules, and enhance scientific and methodological capacity.
The following training sessions were conducted during the program.
The training began at the main building of Politecnico di Torino with welcoming participants and registration. During the opening ceremony, the project coordinator provided detailed information about the importance of the MECAS project, its scientific and educational directions, and its role in international cooperation.
Participants were also introduced to the scientific activities of Politecnico di Torino, its experience in international projects, and opportunities within Erasmus+ programs. The weekly training program was presented, and a campus tour was organized for the participants.
Module 1
In the afternoon, the first module titled “Satellite-based Remote Sensing and Image Processing” was conducted.
Within this module, participants gained modern knowledge on:
Physical principles of remote sensing
Acquisition and initial processing of satellite data
Extraction of environmental indicators
Land cover classification and geospatial data analysis
Module 2
At the end of the day, the second module titled “Assessment of River Environment and Hydromorphological Analysis” was organized.
This module covered:
Methods for hydromorphological assessment of river systems
Relationships between flow, sediment, and river forms
Integration of field observations with digital analysis methods
Scientific approaches to water ecosystem conservation
Additionally, within the MECAS project, a total of 17 courses are being developed, of which 7 courses were presented during the training at Politecnico di Torino:
Essential Research Methodology in Ecology – Politecnico di Torino
Assessing River Habitat and Hydro-morphology for Conservation – Politecnico di Torino
Artificial Intelligence in Environmental Science – Politecnico di Torino
Image Recognition in Vitro – Politecnico di Torino
Satellite-borne Remote Sensing and Image Processing – University of Beira Interior
Modelling and Simulation of the Aral Disaster – Politecnico di Torino
Ecoinformatics Entrepreneurship – University of Beira Interior
Practical and Scientific Significance
During the training, participants gained:
In-depth knowledge of modern geoinformation technologies
Practical skills in remote sensing methods
Comprehensive understanding of river system assessment methodologies
This process is especially important for "Hydraulics and Hydroinformatics" Department of "TIIAME"National Research University in developing new academic courses, advancing scientific research, and implementing international experience.