[OSGeo-Announce] OSGeo and Centre for Geospatial Science Sign MoU

[Frank Warmerdam]

Nottingham, UK ,September 22, 2010 - The Open Source Geospatial
Foundation (OSGeo) and the Centre for Geospatial Science (CGS),
University of Nottingham have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
for the establishment of an Open Source Geospatial Lab (OSGL) and
to develop collaboration opportunities for academia, industry and
government organisations in open source GIS software and data in
the UK.

Professor Mike Jackson, Director of the Centre of Geospatial Science,
said "The MOU between OSGeo and the Centre for Geospatial Science at
the University of Nottingham is an indication of the close collabor-
ation between the two organisations which has already underpinned two
very successful Conferences on open source research in the geospatial
domain. CGS is funding two research internships to help progress joint
research activities and welcomes both offers of funding for further
internee sponsorships and approaches from potential visiting scientists
who may wish to spend a period of time based at the Centre in Nottingham
to work on open source geospatial research."

Arnulf Christl, President of OSGeo, said, "The Foundation has
successfully achieved it's first primary goal: To support Free and
Open Source Software projects in the geospatial realm. One of the
other two pillars of the foundation is supporting education which is
much harder for a developer driven organization to achieve on it's own.
Therefore this Memorandum of Understanding with CGS is a great success
from OSGeo's point of view and will mark the start of an ongoing strong
partnership with academia. In the long run this will enhance education
and research in the Open Source geospatial realm in a broader context
as other institutes recognize the opportunity and join forces."

Tyler Mitchell, Executive Director of OSGeo said "Engaging academia at
several levels is crucial to meeting our common long term missions of
advancing open source geospatial technology.  OSGeo's relationship with
CGS serves as a proactive template for how other institutions can also
engage with OSGeo at a more formal level.  This will open up additional
exciting opportunities that we haven't even thought of yet."

The MOU provides for the establishment of a research laboratory for
supporting development of open-source geospatial software technologies,
training and expertise. It also provides provision of internship
opportunities for high quality students. An Advisory Board/Steering
Committee coordinated by the OSGeo Board and CGS, is to be setup and
will be comprised of key members of OSGeo, OSGeo:UK, eminent academics,
industry leaders, etc. to give strategic input and direction for Open
Source Geospatial Lab and its open source activities.

OSGeo is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2006 whose mission
is to support and promote the collaborative development of open source
geospatial technologies and data. Details at http://www.osgeo.org/

The University of Nottingham is a world-class research intensive
University and in the top 1% of all universities worldwide. The Centre
for Geospatial Science is the key leader in the Open Source Geospatial
domain within the UK. CGS is actively involved in multiple Open Source
geospatial initiatives. Details at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cgs/

The first phase of internships are now released at:

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cgs/news/internships.aspx