Final Report From the AGILE Data Access Initiative

Between January and April 2009, EDINA National Data Centre1, based in the United Kingdom, carried out two surveys to explore ?Access to Geospatial Data for the European Higher Education Community?. The first survey targeted the network of National Mapping and Cadastral Agencies (NMCAs); the second surveyed the European Higher Education community. The surveys explored four main themes relating to the provision of data by the NMCAs to the European Higher Education Community. These were: the level of demand for data, data availability, accessibility, and the licensing programmes in place to satisfy demand. The study revealed that: There is a ?healthy? demand for NMCA data from the Higher Education community. 

This demand is ?pan European? with many Higher Education users seeking to access data from countries other than the one in which they live and study or carry out research. The majority of the NMCAs surveyed had arrangements in place for Higher Education. However, for many, this arrangement is the provision of data at a discount and/or free samples of data rather than an agreement for access to national coverage. Around 50% of the Higher Education users found gaining access to NMCA data a problem, with the high cost, licensing and usage restrictions being the main barriers.

The majority of users wanted access to data products with national coverage. The main datasets made available by the NMCAs are topographic data, aerial photography and historic maps. In some cases cadastre information is provided. However, there is a perception by the Higher Education community that a great many more types of data could be made available. This has the potential of leading to frustration especially when NMCAs are unable to meet requests for data they don't hold. Of the countries who responded, only four countries had national agreements in place: Denmark, Norway, Great Britain and Sweden. 

There are many benefits for NMCAs to gain from taking the Higher Education market more seriously. It can provide an opportunity to gather feedback on fitness for purpose of data products, innovative applications and uses as well as unearthing new business areas and applications. It provides a potentially extensive, geo-literate and motivated user base. It is an under exploited market and a potential source of income. Finally, many academic users subsequently enter employment and thus are the customers of tomorrow. However, much more needs to be done to improve the availability of geospatial data for the Higher Education community both within and between countries."