European SDI Best Practice Awards 2009

Learning from Best Practices
International Conference in TURIN , ITALY
26th and 27th November 2009

All over Europe at all levels many SDIs are active. What can we learn from each other? Where can we find solutions that may fit our purposes? How can we help each other? These were the main aims of the European SDI Best Practice Awards 2009 Conference that took place in Turin (Italy) on 26th and 27th November 2009.

What is the European SDI Best Practice Awards 2009 Event?

The SDI Best Practice Awards 2009 Conference was a milestone of the eSDI-Net+ Project, a thematic network co-funded by the eContentplus Programme of the European Commission, that started in September 2007. It aims to bring together key European SDI stakeholders to share knowledge and to provide a platform for communication and knowledge exchange at all levels, from local to global. The Network aims to identify working, accessible and intelligible solutions; to communicate the purpose and goals of INSPIRE; and to encourage local collaboration in setting up innovative solutions.

The process of identifying and analysing SDI Best Practices

During 2008-2009 all SDIs in Europe were invited to join the fast growing network of SDIs and to submit their best practices. SDIs are bound to be complex structures. To achieve a coherent identification and evaluation of SDIs, the eSDI-Net+ Project had devised a methodology and an evaluation framework. After an initial evaluation, a number of promising SDIs was selected for detailed interviews to provide further information. Each interviewed SDI was evaluated by the national representatives of the eSDI-Net+ Project.

Nearly 160 SDIs were analysed and discussed in 12 National Workshops during 2008-2009.

Aspects considered as key elements of successful SDIs were:

  1. Technological, innovative level and originality of the project
  2. Implementation and/or readiness for INSPIRE principles
  3. Level of fostering cooperation between different users (proof of visibility and/or user feedback)
  4. Possibility of extension or transfer to other countries and regions

SDIs considered as European best practices were pre-selected by the eSDI-Net+ Jury, that includes 6 members, three from project Advisory Board and three from project partners.

The SDI best practice selection was based on five assessment criteria, articulated in 32 indicators:

  1. Quantitative aspects
  2. Data and service quality
  3. Cooperation and subsidiarity
  4. Sustainability
  5. Users and usability

These best practices will present their experiences and developments at the SDI Best Practice Awards Conference in Turin, where the final selection of SDIs will be made.

All finalists' solutions will be promoted to the European stakeholders and the media. The event is marketed to attract an international audience engaged in SDI and related GI activities at European, national, regional and local levels.

You can download the detailed programme of the SDI Best Practice Awards 2009 Conference in "pdf" format here.