Open spatial data infrastructure education network

The project SPIDER aims to promote and strengthen active learning and teaching towards open spatial data infrastructures. The Knowledge Centre Open Data received an Erasmus+ grant for the three-year project, collaborating with Bochum University of Applied Sciences, KU Leuven, Lund University, and the University of Zagreb.

SPIDER stands for open SPatial data Infrastructure eDucation nEtwoRk. In the past 20 years, European public authorities have invested considerable resources in the development of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs). National SDIs were developed throughout Europe to facilitate and coordinate the exchange and sharing of geographic data. The European INSPIRE Directive acted as an important driver for this development. These SDIs initially focused on data sharing among public authorities as a closed system. 

Currently, SDI education around the globe is characterized by single disciplinary or siloed views missing out on opportunities of a holistic, multidisciplinary view on SDIs. In addition, the recent Open SDI trend has not been implemented in any SDI curriculum yet. Moreover, teaching methods are still limited to traditional teaching in the classroom. As a consequence, there is barely an international exchange of educational material and approaches on open SDI among universities. An overview and detailed analysis of existing SDI education is unavailable and an international platform facilitating the SDI education is lacking. The SPIDER project aims to overcome these shortcomings. 

More information

Contact researchers Bastiaan van Loenen, Frederika Welle Donker, or Hendrik Ploeger for more information about the project or visit the website here.