Development of a University Training Center for Environmental GIS Applications in Poland

Abstract

A training center for environmental GIS applications was established at the Warsaw Agricultural University (WAU) in a cooperative effort of nine Polish and nine western European universities, as well as public authorities and private consulting companies. The project was part of the “Structural Joint European Project” entitled “Joint Curricula Development for Sil and WAter Resources Protection (SWARP)”, and funded under the framework of the TEMPUS program. In compliance with TEMPUS guidelines and national Polish priorities, promotion of GIS technology for environmental management was assigned a high priority, reflected in the specific objectives for the GIS training center: (1) to become a center of competence for environmental GIS applications, with up‐to‐date resources of hardware, software, staff and expertise; and (2) to promote the integration of GIS technology for environmental management into the educational programs of the partner institutions. This paper describes how support for hardware and software equipment, curricula development, transfer of expertise through intensive short courses and a staff mobility program was used to increase GIS infrastructure in Poland.