The Urban and Regional Planning Program (PWK) at Universitas Gadjah Mada continues to equip students with awareness of current trends in spatial technology. In its latest guest lecture, PWK UGM invited Nugroho Purwono, M.URP., Junior Expert Researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), to discuss the important topic “Spatial Big Data in Urban & Regional Planning: Data Analysis Methods and Techniques.”
Nugroho opened the session by explaining that approximately 80% of data produced by society today fundamentally contains spatial dimensions. This includes automatically attached coordinates (natively geocoded) from digital devices, as well as geographical metadata generated from daily activities and transactions.
However, the discussion went beyond technological advancements. The speaker encouraged students to critically examine another dimension of this phenomenon, namely geosurveillance and data governance. He introduced the concept of “data doubles,” where individual movement data is often utilized for commercial interests and monitoring purposes. This raises dilemmas within urban society: while some groups experience excessive exposure of their personal information, other marginalized groups may remain “invisible” or excluded from urban planning systems due to algorithmic limitations.
One important message emphasized by Nugroho was the importance of professional ethics for future planners. Today’s PWK students are expected to be data-literate and capable of utilizing crowdsourced data such as OpenStreetMap and GeoAI. Nevertheless, planners must remain critical of the social context, privacy ethics, and political implications behind every algorithmic model used as a foundation for public policy-making.
The content of this guest lecture contributes to the understanding and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) through improving spatial data literacy and future analytical technology skills among PWK students. The lecture also relates to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) through the utilization of spatial Big Data as a technological innovation in responding to development dynamics. Furthermore, it supports SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by emphasizing the importance of inclusive data practices and avoiding algorithmic bias in spatial planning policies. It also contributes to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the use of Big Data as an instrument for more precise, adaptive, and responsive urban planning. Lastly, the activity aligns with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) through discussions on ethics, public privacy protection, equitable access to information, and transparency in spatial data management.
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Author: Jillan Sausan Amira
Editor: Rindi Dwi Cahyati