NSDI and INSPIRE Days and Cartography and Geoinformation Conference

25-29 September 2012, Zagreb, Croatia

NSDI and INSPIRE Days and Cartography and Geoinformation Conferences are traditionally organized every year. Three NSDI and INSPIRE Days and Cartography and Geoinformation Conferences have been organized so far: Varaždin (2009), Opatija (2010) and Split (2011). The Regional INSPIRE Training and Forum organized by EU INSPIRATION Project was also included this year. The Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Days were organized by:

• State Geodetic Administration (http://www.dgu.hr),
• Croatian Cartographic Society (http://www.kartografija.hr),
• EU project INSPIRATION – SDI in the Western Balkans (http://www.inspiration-westernbalkans.eu).

SDI Days were held in the Hotel International in Zagreb, September 25th – 29th, 2012. SDI Days included training, conferences and social events:

• 2nd Regional INSPIRE Training, September 25th - 26th, 2012;
• 1st Regional INSPIRE Forum and 4th Croatian NSDI and INSPIRE Day, September 27th, 2012;
• 8th Cartography and Geoinformation Conference, September 28th, 2012;
• Tour to Hrvatsko Zagorje, September 29th, 2012.

SDI Days had several auspices, partners, supporting organizations and donors. General Conference auspices were Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning of the Republic of Croatia and NSDI Council of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The Minister of Construction and Physical Planning, Mr. Ivan Vrdoljak opened SDI Days. SDI Days were supported by European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), International Cartographic Association (ICA), International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), EuroSDR and Croatian Academy of Engineering. Partners of the SDI Days were Association for Geospatial Information in the South-East Europe (AGISEE), the National and University Library in Zagreb, Croatian Environmental Agency and City of Zagreb Office for the Strategic Planning and Development. Donors of the SDI Days were Croatian Geological Survey, Geomatika-Smolčak Ltd., Igea Ltd. and the Zagreb Tourist Board.

SDI Days side events included:

• Announcing the Ideas Competition by INSPIRATION Project;
• Visiting the Exhibition SDI of the City of Zagreb SDI in ZagrebForum;
• Visiting the Collection of Maps and Atlases of the National and University Library;
• AGISEE General Assembly.

SDI Days themes included SDI, NSDI, INSPIRE, cartography, geoinformation, spatial data and others. A wide range of topics and distinguished keynote speakers guaranteed interesting presentations. SDI Days keynote speakers were:

• Hugo de Groof, Directorate-General Environment, Chief Scientist, Research and Innovation Unit;
• Rik Wouters, EULIS Managing Director;
• Athina Trakas, Director of the OGC European Services;
  Prof. Dr. Vlado Cetl, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Geodesy, Scientific/Technical Project Officer at JRC;
• Dr. Andreas Wytzisk, Project manager and INSPIRE Expert, con terra GmbH;
• Prof. László Zentai, Eötvös Lorand University, Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics in Budapest, ICA Secretary-General and Treasurer;
• Ulrich Boes, member of the Global Advisory Council of the Open Geospatial Consortium, AGISEE President;
• Dr. Chryssy Alex. Potsiou, School of Rural & Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, FIG Vice-President;
• Dr. Joep Crompvoets, Public Management Institute of KU Leuven (Belgium), Centre for Spatial Data Infrastructures and Land Administration of Melbourne University (Australia), EuroSDR Secretary-General;
• Dr. Adam Iwaniak, Assist. Prof. at the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics at the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Member of the ICA Commission on Geoinformation Infrastructures and Standards.

The conference language was English with simultaneous translation to Croatian. Two hundred participants from fifteen countries took part at SDI Days. Forty-three presentations were presented at the 1st Regional INSPIRE Forum and the 4th Croatian NSDI and INSPIRE Day and at the 8th Cartography and Geoinformation Conference. Presentations and more information about SDI Days can be found on the SDI Days website http://nipp.kartografija.hr.

Željko Hećimović
Miljenko Lapaine
Ivica Skender
September 2012

15 October 2012