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Surabaya, July 15, 2026 – The Department of Geomatics Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), successfully organized the International Conference on Geomatics and Innovative Technologies (GeoICON) 2026 on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) at DoubleTree by Hilton Surabaya. Carrying the theme “Geospatial Technology for Mapping the Future: Climate Resilience and Geospatial Intelligence for Multi-Hazard Early Warning,” the conference brought together researchers, academics, government officials, industry practitioners, and students from various countries to explore the transformative role of geospatial technologies in addressing climate change and strengthening disaster resilience.
The conference served as an international platform for exchanging scientific knowledge and fostering collaboration in developing innovative geospatial solutions that support sustainable development, climate adaptation, and disaster risk reduction. Through keynote addresses, invited talks, scientific paper presentations, and poster sessions, participants discussed emerging technologies and interdisciplinary research aimed at enhancing early warning systems and evidence-based decision-making.
The event commenced with participant registration at 7:00 a.m., followed by the Opening Ceremony, hosted by the Master of Ceremony (MC). The opening session featured the singing of the Indonesian national anthem, “Indonesia Raya,” and the ITS Hymn, followed by a traditional dance performance that showcased Indonesia’s cultural heritage to the international audience.
In his welcoming remarks, the Chairman of GeoICON 2026 emphasized that the conference theme reflects the growing importance of geospatial intelligence in responding to increasingly complex global challenges, including climate change, extreme weather events, sea level rise, and natural disasters. He noted that advances in geospatial technologies, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics have become essential tools for supporting resilient communities and sustainable development worldwide.
The conference was officially opened by the Rector of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), who reaffirmed the university’s commitment to promoting internationally collaborative research and innovation. The Rector highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships among universities, government agencies, research institutions, and industry to accelerate technological innovation and produce impactful solutions for society.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan, Deputy Head for Climatology at the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Indonesia, discussed the growing impacts of climate variability and extreme weather on communities and infrastructure. He underscored the critical role of geospatial information, climate data integration, and predictive modeling in developing reliable multi-hazard early warning systems capable of reducing disaster risks and enhancing national resilience.
Following the keynote session, the conference featured a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Signing Ceremony, marking the strengthening of strategic collaborations among partner institutions in advancing research, education, and innovation in geomatics and geospatial sciences. The program then continued with the Speakers of Innovation Technology session, where technology partners introduced cutting-edge innovations supporting geospatial data acquisition, analysis, visualization, and intelligent decision-support systems.
After a coffee break accompanied by a poster presentation session, Invited Speaker Session I featured Prof. Hone-Jay Chu from National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, and Assoc. Prof. Abdullah Hisam bin Omar from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia. Their presentations highlighted recent advances in geospatial analytics, remote sensing applications, environmental monitoring, and spatial modeling for disaster preparedness and climate adaptation. Both sessions concluded with interactive discussions that encouraged knowledge exchange among participants.
The conference continued with Invited Speaker Session II, featuring Iyan E. Mulia, Ph.D., from the RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Japan, who presented recent developments in artificial intelligence and numerical modeling for tsunami forecasting and coastal hazard assessment. The session also featured Hepi Hapsari Handayani, Ph.D., from the Department of Geomatics Engineering, ITS, who shared research on geospatial applications supporting environmental monitoring and sustainable development initiatives in Indonesia. Together, the presentations illustrated how the integration of artificial intelligence and geospatial intelligence is shaping the future of disaster mitigation and climate resilience.
Following lunch, participants attended Parallel Session I, where researchers presented scientific papers simultaneously across ten parallel rooms. Each paper was allocated 14 minutes, including presentation and discussion. The sessions covered diverse topics, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, photogrammetry, hydrography, land administration, smart cities, artificial intelligence, environmental monitoring, and disaster management. Running concurrently, the APTTEGGI Meeting provided an opportunity for representatives of Indonesian geomatics engineering departments to discuss strategic initiatives for strengthening higher education and research collaboration.
The scientific discussions continued during Parallel Session II, allowing participants to exchange ideas, receive constructive feedback, and establish new research collaborations. The enthusiastic participation from presenters and audiences reflected the increasing global interest in applying geospatial technologies to address climate-related challenges and improve disaster preparedness through science-driven innovation.
The conference concluded with the announcement of the Best Presenter Awards, recognizing outstanding scientific contributions delivered during the parallel sessions. In his closing remarks, the Head of the Department of Geomatics Engineering, ITS, expressed appreciation to all speakers, participants, reviewers, and organizing committee members for contributing to the success of GeoICON 2026. He emphasized that international collaboration remains essential in developing innovative geospatial solutions capable of addressing global environmental challenges and supporting resilient societies.
GeoICON 2026 reaffirmed the Department of Geomatics Engineering ITS as an active contributor to the global scientific community in geomatics and geospatial sciences. By embracing the theme “Geospatial Technology for Mapping the Future: Climate Resilience and Geospatial Intelligence for Multi-Hazard Early Warning,” the conference demonstrated how advances in geospatial technology can contribute to more effective climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development. Beyond serving as a forum for scientific dissemination, GeoICON 2026 also strengthened international partnerships that will drive future research and innovation toward building a safer, more resilient, and sustainable world.