Welcome to the International Cartographic Association
Welcome to the website of the International Cartographic AssociationGet to know the new ICA Executive Committee for the term 2023-2027
Welcome to the website of the International Cartographic Association
Get to know the new ICA Executive Committee for the term 2023-2027

President’s Blog: Joined activities of IMIA and ICA

ICA has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in place with the International Map Industry Assocation (IMIA). During the Frankfurt Book Fair common interests and joined activities of ICA and IMIA for the next yearshave been discussed and agreed upon between the Presidents Bridger DeVille (IMIA) and Georg Gartner (ICA). This will include sessions and presentations at symposia and conferences, panels and cooperation on major topics of concern such as trustworthiness of maps. A joined ICA-IMIA-ESRI Award for the Best Maps of the ESRI User Conference is already in place and demonstrate the mutual interests.

Bridger DeVille and Georg Gartner at the Frankfurt Book Fair

IMIA President Bridger DeVille and ICA President Georg Gartner at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Discussing joined activities of ICA and IMIA

Discussing joined activities of ICA and IMIA

– Georg Gartner
President of the International Cartographic Association

President’s Blog: ICA and OSGeo renew their Memorandum of Understanding

Georg Gartner and Jeff McKenna shake hands to renew the ICA-OSGeo MoU

Georg Gartner (ICA) and Jeff McKenna (OSGeo) shake hands to renew the ICA-OSGeo Memorandum of Understanding at FOSS4G-Europe in Como, Italy, on 16 July 2015

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICA and OSGeo signed in 2011, a real success story developed. The MoU acted as an umbrella for several activities coordinated by the ICA Commission on Open Source Geospatial Technologies under the chairmanship of Suchith Anand. The so-called ICA-OSGeo Labs are focussing on the use of open source software for geoinformation management and cartography. In the meantime, more than 100 institutions have joined the initiative and it is still growing. Based on the unexpected high interest, Suchith Anand took this idea a step further and founded Geo4All, which goes beyond open software and also includes the aim of having open access to education material, data and applications.

During the most successful FOSS4G Europe conference at Como, Italy, president of OSGeo Jeff McKenna and ICA President Georg Gartner renewed and edited the MoU, which can be found on wiki.osgeo.org.

– Georg Gartner
President of the International Cartographic Association

President’s Blog: ICA and URISA sign Memorandum of Understanding

URISAI am happy to announce that the rising interest cartography and ICA are gaining from the “classical” GIS industry and their proponents have found yet another indicator. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between ICA and URISA, the Urban & Regional Information Systems Association, which can be seen as a GIS professionalist’s society.

The MoU shall work as a framework towards establishing cooperations in training programmes, workshops, symposia and can entitle ICA to reach out with their key messages and instruments about the relevance of modern cartography to a large number of GIS professionalists.

– Georg Gartner
President of the International Cartographic Association

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President’s Blog: Geo4All

Prof. Chen Jun (ISPRS President), Jeff McKenna (OSGeo President) and Prof. Georg Gartner (ICA President) during their meeting at AfricaGEO in Cape Town in July 2014 to discuss future collaboration for GeoforAll

Prof. Chen Jun (ISPRS President), Jeff McKenna (OSGeo President) and Prof. Georg Gartner (ICA President) during their meeting at AfricaGEO in Cape Town in July 2014 to discuss future collaboration for GeoforAll

The “Geo for All” Initiative has developed out of the Memorandum of Understanding Activities between ICA and OSGeo (the Open Source Geospatial Foundation). So-called “ICA-OSGeo Labs” have been founded in unexpected high numbers in the last months (http://www.geoforall.org/locations/), demonstrating the great interest and demand for evaluating and using Open Source Software in the area of Cartography, GI Science and Geospatial Information Management.

In order to direct the development of this initiative an Advisory Board has been found, co-chaired by the Presidents of ICA (Georg Gartner) and OSGeo (Jeff McKenna). Due to the inclusive character of this initiative and a strong interest being expressed several times from the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) is now joining this initiative.

We are looking forward to working together in our common aim to expand geospatial education and opportunities to all.

ICA and EuroSDR signed a Memorandum of Understanding

Thorben Brigsted Hansen, EuroSDR President and Georg Gartner, President of ICA signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations

Thorben Brigsted Hansen, EuroSDR President, and Georg Gartner, President of ICA, signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations

At the ICC 2013 in Dresden, Germany, a Memorandum of Understanding between ICA and EuroSDR (the European spatial data research platform for National Mapping and Cadastre Agencies) was signed by EuroSDR President Thorben Brigsted Hansen and ICA President Georg Gartner.

With this the already exisiting several cooperations between ICA and EuroSDR get a renewed and stronger framework.

The full text of the signed document can be found here.

An overview over all organizations, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ICA can be found here.

Category: General News

Introducing the ICA-OSGeo Lab Network

After discussing with our lab members, I am pleased to inform that we now have the official name and also a short acronym for our network of Open Source geospatial laboratories: ICA-OSGeo Lab Network is the official title of the network and OSGL as the acronym to be used for the url, domain name, etc.

The official full title highlights and brings together two communities – the ICA and the OSGeo (Open Source Geospatial Foundation) – in our common aim to support the establishment of Open Source Geospatial Laboratories and Research Centers across the world for supporting development of open-source geospatial software technologies, training and expertise. We started establishing the network of labs globally with the ICA-OSGeo MoU initiative.

Individual labs (those already established and those in future) are free to select the names they wish. For example, the lab at UNMC is called Open-source Geospatial Research Lab, at NCSU it is OSGeo Research and Education Laboratory (OSGeoREL), it is Open Source Geospatial Lab in Newcastle University, etc. That will also give individual nodes the flexibility to select the name for their lab that they want under a joint lab network umbrella.

We are also working to create a dedicated website and mailing list. In the meantime, visit the OSGeo page on education intiatives for details.

We would like to thank the whole OSGeo and ICA community for the strong support and helping spreading the message of our education initiative.

Best wishes,
Dr Suchith Anand

President’s Blog: Memorandum of understanding with International Hydrographic Organisation renewed

Cartographers apply mapping technologies to map lands. Hydrographers apply mapping technologies to map the seas. It is obvious, that both have a lot in common. It is not only the technologies they are sharing but also the methodologies , the theories and the principles of design, cartographic modeling and media adequate representation techniques.

When looking at famous mariners and explorers like for instance Captain James Cook one can learn, that those mariners have not only managed on how to sail a ship successfully but have also been excellent cartographers. Cook’s maps of the St. Lawrence River System have been used for decades!

It is therefore not a big surprise that the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO), the international body of hydrographic offices all over the world being in charge on producing navigational charts and the International Cartographic Association have renewed their memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently. With the friendly support of the new elected president of IHO Captain Robert Ward the signing of the MoU was placed prominently at the opening of the Hydrographic Conference in Monaco 2012. Under personal patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco and the EU Commissioner Maria Damanaki the MoU got a more then appropriate audience.

What is needed most to fill this cooperation with life? I see three major aspects: Hydrographers are eager to understand, if their usage of electronic displays leads to efficient cartographic communication processes. Furthermore, the topics of standardization, portrayal and SDI are of importance to both communities. And finally, both organizations are interested in contributing to capacity building and outreach programs. What’s the point in not having joined efforts in this respect when applicable, like e.g. in a small island where the capacity of mapping and hydrographic offices are restricted anyhow?

I would be most pleased, if ICA can become a home for the cartographers of the sea as well. And I would welcome it very much, if the ICA community comes up with ideas and actions on joined efforts.

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ICA and OSGeo sign a Memorandum of Understanding

Nuremberg, Germany
September 27, 2011

Memorandum of Understanding between ICA and OSGeo

Professor Georg Gartner (left), President of ICA and Arnulf Christl, President of OSGeo shake hands after signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations

The Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) and the International Cartographic Association (ICA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of developing on a global basis collaboration opportunities for academia, industry and government organizations in open source GIS software and data. The MoU aims to provide expertise and support for the establishment of Open Source Geospatial Laboratories and Research Centres across the world for supporting development of open-source geospatial software technologies, training and expertise. In the first phase five laboratories will be established, one each in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas and Australasia which will act as nodes for future expansion. It also aims to provide support for building-up and supporting development of open source GIS teaching and training materials, joint organization of open source GIS events, workshops through the ICA network for wider participation globally etc.

Professor Georg Gartner, President of the ICA, said “The International Cartographic Association (ICA) is committed to supporting society and governments by collaboratively facilitating initiatives and programmes that establish and grow the capacity to deliver timely, comprehensive and useful geospatial information. This MoU responds to the challenges and issues related to the use of open source cartographic and GI software and data. In considering this response, it is pertinent to note that ICA is interested in contributing to this initiative, and will champion the advancement of the initiative through their various individual and collaborative efforts.”

Arnulf Christl, President of OSGeo, said “The Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) is committed to support and build the highest level Open Source geospatial technology. It is our pleasure to be able to serve as a platform and multiplier for the cartographic domain, an area which needs creativity beyond pure technology. This MoU intends to bridge the gap between technology and cartographic requirements and we very much look forward to work with members of the International Cartographic Association to improve this. A very much hands-on objective of this MoU is to jointly organize walk-in events where cartographic professionals can access and use a set of software unencumbered by proprietary restrictions and vendor lock-in.Both organizations are also interested in supporting young academics by lowering the barrier to good cartography through collaborative efforts on both sides.”

Dr Suchith Anand, Chair of ICA Commission on Open Source Geospatial Technologies welcomed this excellent initiative and said “this will be landmark opportunity for both OSGeo and ICA in building up synergies and bringing opportunities for lots of people worldwide to learn and benefit from geospatial technologies especially in developing countries. This will build upon the Open Source Geospatial Lab UK initiative started at the University of Nottingham. We are also pleased to announce that Open Source Geospatial Lab Malaysia is now being established by Dr. Tuong Thuy Vu. We are pleased to see many Universities are rapidly following this example (such as University of Girona in Spain). Over the next few months we will be building collaborations with key Universities and research organisations worldwide for the establishment of Open Source Geospatial Research Laboratories and Research Centres for development of open-source geospatial software technologies, training, expertise and building up momentum in Open Source GIS education and research worldwide.”

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.

ICA is the world authoritative body for cartography, the discipline dealing with the conception, production, dissemination and study of maps.

See details about the ICA/OSGeo memorandum of understanding or see a list of all ICA MOUs.

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