3 rd INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CARTOGRAPHY AND GIS 15-20 June, 2010, Nessebar, Bulgaria LEARNING FROM OTHERS – CAPACITY BUILDING FOR GIS AND SDI IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE Ulrich Boes 1 , Miljenko Lapaine 2 , Vlado Cetl 2 Association for Geospatial Information in South-East Europe, 1 URSIT Ltd., 2 University of Zagreb, Faculty of Geodesy Abstract This paper addresses the need for capacity building for using GIS and building spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) in South-East Europe. This is a recognized need, which is dealt with, amongst others, by the European project eSDI-NET+ that has build a network of users and key European SDI stakeholders in Europe to share experiences and best practices. Using a detailed assessment methodology for SDIs, the project has collected and documented 135 regional and local SDIs in 26 countries in Europe. These SDIs were identified and analysed in twelve SDI Best Practice workshops with one in South-East Europe. All SDIs were presented in the International Conference “SDI Best Practice Award 2009”, November 2009 in Turin, Italy, which awarded the twelve best SDIs. This experience is now fed back to support SDIs in development that they can learn from successful SDI implementation. This proposed paper is part of this process in emphasizing the needs of the South-East European region. The SD in Croatia is presented in more detail as significant example of SDI development in the region. Keywords: GIS, SDI, NSDI, South East Europe, capacity building INTRODUCTION The importance of the use of geospatial data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is today widely accepted. When different sources of geospatial data are combined, Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) are created. SDIs normally use GIS and may grow out of the use of GIS and a distributed infrastructure. However, whereas GIS comprise technology and data, Spatial Data Infrastructures require policy agreements and a proper organization that they can operate. Metadata are important for Spatial Data Infrastructures as well in order to be able to identify data. SDIs are formal arrangements with its main goal to increase access to and availability of geographic data across a given area or domain. The goal is for organisations to reduce costs, to share data between themselves and others, to realise and to foster services, and to enhance the diffusion of public data to other stakeholders, especially private companies and citizens. SDIs may exist on several levels: on national level, initiated by national governments, making data available for the whole country, or on local or regional level, with arrangements valid only for a certain geographical region. A recent shift in emphasis has taken place in the SDI field from national SDIs to sub-national SDIs. Whereas a great deal of the discussion in earlier years revolved around talking about national SDIs, much more time is now being spent on discussing different ways of creating and operating sub-national SDIs. Success at the sub-national level has become a crucial yardstick of overall success for SDI development and acceptance. In industrialized countries, since about 30 years, considerable experience with Spatial Data Infrastructures exists in research and implementation [Masser, 2005]. In transition and developing countries, the development of Spatial Data Infrastructures lags behind, but could be greatly improved if using the rich experience of existing implementations. Thus, dialogue and exchange of experience is necessary between countries and stakeholders in different stages of development. Development and use of standards, that is operational agreements, is necessary as well in order to be able to operate together. This is exemplified by the European directive INSPIRE [Annoni, Craglia (2005); Craglia, Annoni (2007)] that sets standards for SDIs in Europe, where vast differences in SDI implementation are visible as well. The purpose of this paper is to point to existing undertakings and endeavours of creating a dialogue between SDIs in different stages of development, prompted by a project that is partly financed by the European Union, “eSDI-NET+”, and