Karl Donert
Director of the European
Centre of Excellence digital - earth.eu
Austria

Biography
Karl Donert is a senior academic with extensive experience in educational development in higher education and in a teaching-led, research-informed context. He is a geographer who is an an expert in learning and teaching with particular specialisation in academic networking and developing research and development partnerships, the effective pedagogies in higher education as well as in the use of new technologies including uses of elearning.
He has a national and international profile in his specialist areas and has a strong track record in leading major international and university activities. Karl is recognised as an outstanding teacher, a national leader in learning and teaching, as demonstrated by his National Teaching Fellowship. He has initiated and led significant professional networks and communities of practice including the large international higher education network that he coordinates (HERODOT http://www.herodot.net). He is researching professional development through international networks and networking in higher education.
Recent research interests are based around the uses of GeoInformation in education, as he is the external evaluator to the iGuess (GeoInformation in several subjects - www.iguess.eu) and ALAC (Active Learning, Active Citizenship - http://extra.shu.ac.uk/alac/) Projects. Particular developments he is involved in include developing 'spatial citizenship' as an educational construct for all.

Abstract
What future for the geospatial sector?

Geospatial activity is booming in Europe. In many countries, demand for a geospatial workforce is not being met by supply. Central administration (the European Commission and Ministries of Education) seem largely unaware of the problems being faced by the industry. Connecting stakeholders is essential for the future. This presentation reports on initiatives to support and enhance geospatial education in different education sectors. It suggests the role and importance of networking and developing a strong lobby for geospatial education for all and sets out goals for those working in the geospatial sector to consider when attempting to redress the situation.