Dear Reader,

Thank you for your interest in the EU funded eSDI-NET+ project. It is my great pleasure to launch herewith the first official project newsletter and to give interested audience an introduction to the project's activities. Furthermore, with this medium we would like to establish a regular communication channel on eSDI-NET+ activities. It will provide a short overview on the project's latest achievements and activities and also features an outlook on future events and workshops.

Enjoy reading and please do not hesitate to give us your feedback.

Dr. Joachim Rix, Co-ordinator of the eSDI-NET+ Project
INI-GraphicsNet Stiftung, Darmstadt, Germany

The eSDI-NET+ project in brief

eSDI-NET+ is a Thematic Network funded by the European Commission (EC) within its eContentplus Programme (ECP-2006-GEO-320005), aimed at the promotion of cross border dialogue and exchange of best practices on SDI throughout Europe. The three-year EU project started in September 2007. It is the project's main objective to bring together European providers, users and developers of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI). Connecting people is our goal: we want to foster discussion and knowledge about technical, political, even social-economical challenges and benefits. Through the promotion of high-level decisions and technical discussion, the network will help to raise awareness of the important role SDIs play in the enrichment and reuse of GI. In addition, eSDI-NET+ will tackle the multicultural and multilingual barriers to accessing, exploiting, using and reusing GI. As a result, greater steps will be made towards interoperability through the expression of common standards between national digital collections and services, especially in cross-border contexts.

Learn more about eSDI-NET+ by visiting our Web site.

Project News

Methodology on SDI Assessment

In early 2008, the eSDI-NET+ project organised a workshop with the aim to discuss and define an appropriate methodology for the Identification and Analysis of SDI Best Practices.

As a partner of the network, EUROGI is specifically responsible for running the related Work Package, by defining an appropriate methodology and promoting its application through specific regional workshops across Europe, organised in order to gather SDI stakeholders from national and sub-national levels.

The workshop held in Rome registered 24 participants, the majority of whom are experts in the specific field of SDI. After the key addresses delivered by Mauro Salvemini, President of EUROGI and Joachim Rix, Coordinator of the eSDI-NET+, several presentations have set the scene and given references for the following steps foreseen in the Programme of the workshop.

The methodology was finalised in June 2008 and functions now as a key guideline for the follow-up process of the identification and awarding of Best Practice Solutions in the field of Spatial Data Infrastructures.

For further info on the methodology please contact: bestpractice@esdinetplus.eu

eSDI-NET+ offers participation in SDI criteria assessment campaign

The eSDI-NET+ project has now started a broad assessment campaign particularly at sub national level to achieve a coherent identification and evaluation of existing SDI's,

For this purpose, the project is now offering limited opportunity for SDI's throughout European countries and regions to present themselves in personal interviews and local workshops, both to Spatial Data Experts and local SDI stakeholders. This will give existing SDIs the chance to participate in the process of defining the key references and criteria for assessing SDI Best Practices. For further info, please read the full announcement on the eSDI-NET+ project website. Please notice: the deadline for SDI submissions is September 22!

Imprint

eSDI-NET+ Coordinator

INI-GraphicsNet-Stiftung
Rundeturmstrasse 10
64283 Darmstadt
Germany
Phone: +49 6151 155 590
Fax: +49 6151 155 599
E-Mail: info@esdinetplus.eu

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