MOU UNIGIS

The UNIGIS International Association (UNIGIS) and the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) agree on this

Memorandum of Understanding between

Open Source Geospatial Foundation

and

the UNIGIS International Association

DRAFT

This non-exclusive Agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is entered into on the day of the last signature, by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation, hereinafter called “OSGeo” and the UNIGIS International Association, hereinafter called “UNIGIS”.

Both institutions share the common objective of advancing the use of tools and methods of GIScience and Geoinformatics, with a specific focus on worldwide capacity building. OSGeo and UNIGIS recognize that the geospatial domain is a core contributor to the global digital transformation, education therefore is indispensable for the development for societies, environments and economies. Open science, open technologies and open educational resources are acknowledged to play a critically important role in these developments.

• 1. Towards this objective, OSGeo and UNIGIS agree to cooperate in the following activities to their joint and mutual benefit:
  • a. Dissemination of information, news, and opportunities for each organization to members of the other, using agreed-upon processes and methods;
  • b. Exchange of information related to educational initiatives in order to
    • i. encourage the development and distribution of open educational resources, curricula, and other materials built using OS tools and services;
    • ii. contribute to online educational material repositories and a framework to educate academic faculty to leverage open educational resources;
    • iii. utilize and contribute to the GeoForAll network;
    • iv. encourage joint proposals between UNIGIS and OSGeo institutions.
  • c. Contribute to a research agenda for open source geospatial science that
    • i. identifies priority areas and opportunities for open source geospatial development;
    • ii. initiates joint proposals between UNIGIS and OSGeo institutions.
  • d. Contribute to geospatial open source projects
    • i. Direct participation in the development and documentation of OSGeo projects
    • ii. Positive and productive participation in project email list and communication channels
    • iii. Use of the project issue tracker and public support channels
    • iv. Ensure organizations participating in UNIGIS have determined an open source participation policy enabling members to work on shared intellectual property. As an example several of our projects require organizations signed a contributor license agreement on behalf of their researchers.
  • e. Utilize online communication platforms to develop, share, and exchange ideas and information, for instance by inviting members and associates to webinars;
  • f. Refer to this MoU in the promotional and communication materials of each organization, such as their websites;
  • g. Exchange designated official representatives to the principal annual meeting of each organization. Registration fees for one official representative will be waived;
  • i. Any other activity agreed by the governing bodies of both organizations.

• 2. This MoU applies to UNIGIS and OSGeo as organizations in their entirety. It does not provide any individual members of UNIGIS or OSGeo membership rights in the other, and does not create any obligations for individual members.

• 3. This MOU between UNIGIS and OSGeo shall be reviewed every two years by the governing bodies of both organizations, with the understanding that it may be terminated by either organization by providing sixty (60) days advance written notice to the other. In the absence of any notice of termination, this MoU will be prolonged for another two years.

Signed on behalf of the UNIGIS board:

Josef Strobl, Chair Date ...

Signed on behalf of OSGeo Foundation Board of Directors: Name Date ...