GPC Global Information Solutions (GPC GIS) and Afghanistan Information Management Services (AIMS) Sign Memorandum of Understanding for the Development of the GeoSpatial Industry in Afghanistan

Mark Sorensen, General Manager of GPC GIS and Abdul Rahim, Acting Executive Director of AIMS signed the MOU, while attending the EOE Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

About GPC Group

Based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, GPC Global Information Solutions LLC (GPC-GIS), was launched in 2008 by the Geographic Planning Collaborative, Inc. (GPC) to specialize in the delivery of geospatial information services to the MENA Region. 

GPC-GIS provides consulting services in Geospatial Information Technology and Services (GITS), Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), Geospatial Education, Location Based Services and Information Management for a wide variety of organizations and projects in the region. 

For more information about GPC-GIS and its services, contact Mr. Rajy Wehbeh at +971-2-666-65-74 or rajy.wehbeh@gpc-gis.ae

About AIMS

AIMS originated in 1997 with the creation of the Project Management Information System (ProMIS) under the direct supervision of the United Nations Officer for Coordination and Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), and it becomes UNDP Project (Afghanistan Information Management Services) in July 2002. AIMS becomes a National independent non-governmental organization in July 2008, registered with Ministry of Economy, Government of Afghanistan.

Dr. Harlan Onsrud on Building a Global Knowledge Network among Geospatial Specialists

On 14 December 2011, alongside the Eye on Earth Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, GPC Group hosted a side event featuring Dr. Harlan Onsrud, Executive Director, Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association.  Dr. Onsrud delivered a highly insightful presentation titled "Building a Global Knowledge Network among Geospatial Specialists."  Embedded below is a video walk-through of the presentation.

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Agenda

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Growing GITS Human Capacity to Support Sustainable Development in the MENA Region

Wednesday 14, December 2011
11:30 am – 1:00 pm

11.30 am – 12 noon
“Supporting Environmental Sustainability through the Growth of Geospatial Human Capacity”
Mark Sorensen, Managing Director, GPC GIS

12.00 –12.30 pm
“Growing GITS Human Capacity in the MENA Region: The GPC GIS Model”
Dr. Garfield Giff, GPC GIS

12.30 – 12 50 pm
“Building a Global Knowledge Network among Geospatial Specialists”
Dr. Harlan Onsrud, Executive Director, Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association

12.50 – 1.00 pm
Discussion and Question and Answer Session

Geo Community: GITA and GPC-GIS Announce Education and Training Partnership

As seen at: http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/dailynews/2011/dec/12/news3.html

GITA, a non-profit educational association headquartered in Colorado and GPC-GIS, a private sector consulting company based in Abu Dhabi, jointly announce the formation of a collaborative partnership to design, develop and conduct educational events to raise the awareness, knowledge, expertise and professionalism of the rapidly evolving geospatial workforce in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region.

The partnership will deliver education and training services under the title "Project Gemeni," an acronym for the "Geospatial Education in Middle Eastern Nations Initiative."

Project Gemeni is expected to include a combination of seminars, workshops and in-depth courses focused on a variety of subjects related to the critical aspects of designing, developing and implementing geospatial projects and applications throughout the MENA Region.

GPC-GIS will retain exclusive rights to represent GITA events and programmes in the Region and will be primarily responsible for marketing, promotion and local facilitation of Gemeni regional events and services. GITA will serve as primary educational content provider, utilizing its established network of qualified subject matter experts under the coordination of Talbot J. Brooks, Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Information Technologies at Delta State University.

Robert M. Samborski, GITA's Executive Director, said, "We welcome this extraordinary opportunity to help shape the future of geospatial professional development in this critical part of the world. GITA is an association exclusively dedicated to furthering education and awareness of geospatial information and technology. In doing so, we seek to raise the professional standards of geospatial practitioners worldwide. Project Gemeni will benefit existing and future geospatial practitioners in the MENA Region, but also will accrue to GITA members and constituents in North America and elsewhere. We look forward to working with GPC-GIS as partners in this important venture."

According to Mark Sorensen, General Manager of GPC-GIS, "The Eye on Earth Summit in Abu Dhabi is indeed an auspicious occasion to launch Project Gemeni. Geospatial Information Technology and Services is such an important component of global sustainability and access to societal data. The beneficiaries of Project Gemeni education and training will be in the forefront of achieving the objectives and aspirations of the Summit as professional development and expertise in using geospatial technology advances throughout our region."

Initial course offerings are being planned for the region in January 2012.