Post on 22-Mar-2016
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Letter from the Low Lands, first published at Directions Magazine
October 14th 2009
The end of Geo-innovation in the Netherlands
The governmental run "Space for Geo-Information (RGI)" program ended recently with an
impressive farewell event that included awards, great speakers and an enthusiastic crowd.
Clear mission
Initiated in 2003, RGI received a Euro 20 million grant from the Dutch national government in
March 2004. The funding initiative proceeded from the fact that geospatial research in the
Netherlands was, in general, too scattered and a wide gap existed between the supply of and
demand for knowledge.
RGI's mission was "the improvement and innovation of the National Geo-Information
Infrastructure and the geo field of knowledge in the Netherlands for satisfactory and efficient
administration and powerful industry."
In 2005, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) characterized
this gap between research and practical application as the Dutch paradox: "Although knowledge
creation is strong, innovation activity is only average." In other words: Business research and
development intensity, one of the most important indicators of innovation activity, is relatively
weak.
Setting up the network
How did RGI go about running the program? RGI established an office and created a network of
knowledge institutes, public authorities and companies. It then started to co-finance projects, so
total investment has been close to Euro 40 million. RGI also invested in communicating the
results through books, awards and events.
In order to focus, RGI co-financed projects around four major themes: National Geo-Information
Structure, Public Order and Safety, Spatial Planning and Design, and Consumer and Students.
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The most recent awards went to the following:
Society Category: Edugis, the educational GIS portal (headed up by Geonovum) - YouTube
clip in Dutch
Economy Category: Ice roads prevention (headed up by Meteo Consult) - YouTube clip in
Dutch
Science Category : Usable (and well scaled) mobile maps for consumers (headed up by
Technical University of Delft) - YouTube clip in English
Receiving recognition in the science category, Peter van Oosterom, professor at the Technical
University of Delft commented, "[I'm] delighted to accept this award; it is recognition of our work
at the GIS technology section, with all partners involved in this open innovation project. RGI
created a great platform for science, commercial companies and governmental science to work
together. Government, at executive levels, were also important contributors in describing the 'as
is' situation. The longer term interest of science and the shorter term interest of commercial
companies created a healthy challenging environment."
Next step
If the RGI approach has been so successful, why quit? Arnold Bregt, former science director at
RGI and professor at Wageningen University said, "For a next phase, we were up against a
series of other programs. RGI II did not make it on its own; it will be integrated into larger
research programs." That seems a bit odd, since innovation approaches really need more time
to be effective.
RGI's International Scientific Advisory Committee, Professor Dr. Philippe De Maeyer and Dr.
Keith Thomson, have commented on the new situation: "In our view this will generate a loss of
momentum across the Dutch geo-information community and will have an important negative
influence on the position of the Netherlands on the international scene. ... An additional
recommendation is that in any future proposals RGI should focus on scientific excellence,
international networking and strong commercial linkages."
So there will not be a next step, for now, although I expect the Dutch geo-community will step up
to the challenge and establish an integrated approach, re-confirming its international position.
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Point of view
From my point of view, as RGI - this project of all projects - comes to an end, it will be important
for all stakeholders to evaluate the progress made thus far. RGI served as a great networking
and communication platform for all those who were active with geospatial technology in the
Netherlands and has extended the technology beyond the traditional boundaries. RGI and its
enthusiastic proponents will be missed.
But the real value of RGI will be known in a few years' time when we are able to look back at the
results. Were the resulting innovation and the approach durable? What has become of all the
great initiatives and how do we look back at them? Assuming we use the same terminology and
perspectives, is there a worldwide index of geo-innovation by country or for any given part of the
world? Should we have an "innovation map"? Or has our progress been integrated into other,
larger innovation indices?
Certainly, there is a lot more "geo" and innovation going on in the Netherlands. I intend to report
on these developments in the coming years.