Call for Participation in Training Course: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems July 1-5, 2024, Agricultural University of Tirana

The Agricultural University of Tirana (AUT) and the Leibniz-Institute for Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) are pleased to announce the upcoming course “Introduction to Geographic Information Systems”. This course will equip participants with foundational knowledge and practical skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial data analysis.

This is the first course organized in the frame of the new project GEO-WB6 - Establishing a Geoinformation Centre for the Western Balkans at the Agricultural University Tirana, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The project aims to improve human resources for the management and analysis of geodata in the field of agriculture and natural resource management and to strengthen the regional network of geoinformation experts in the Western Balkans. You can find more information about the project at https://www.iamo.de/en/geo-wb6/.

Course Highlights:

• Time: July 1-5, 2024 (five full days)
• Place: Agricultural University of Tirana, Kodër-Kamëz, Tirana (this is an in-person course; online participation is not possible).
• Eligibility: The course is open to all students, lecturers, researchers, and professionals in agriculture and related fields who study or work in one of the six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) and who have an interest in GIS and spatial data analysis. Participants must be fluent in English and bring their laptops. Previous experience in GIS is an asset but is not required.

Course Contents:

• Introduction to GIS: Understanding the basic concepts, functions, and applications of GIS.
• Types of spatial data: Characteristics of vector and raster data.
• Data analysis techniques: Tools for spatial data visualization, mapping, and analysis.
• Practical applications: Real-world case studies and hands-on exercises.

What we offer:

• A state-of-the-art training course free of charge, using the open-source software QGIS.
• Facilitation by experienced lecturers and researchers.
• An official course certificate issued by AUT and IAMO.
• Travel scholarships for course participants from institutions located outside Albania.

How to register:

Please send your CV and a half-page motivation letter stating why you would like to attend this course to geo-wb6@iamo.de. Application deadline is June 13, 2024. Applicants will be notified of acceptance on June 17, 2024.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment. We strongly encourage women and individuals with disabilities to apply. We can offer participants from institutions outside of Albania a lumpsum travel scholarship to cover a part of the costs for transport and accommodation.

For further questions, please get in touch with Prof. Dr. Daniel Müller at geo-wb6@iamo.de