South-East European Research Centre (SEERC)

'Location' is an important concept in addressing many policy concerns, from the targeting of limited financial resources in public health interventions to intervening in cross-border natural disasters. GI Science (and related technologies) offers a means to address such challenges by not
only providing analytical resources but also research into the social and organizational problems involved in sharing such data, contributing to wider debates in areas such as the Semantic Web and Web 2.0. Location is a key metaphor that helps organize and combine data from varying sources. It, thus, provides us with a tool for collaborative research not only within academia but also with those who need to know 'where' issues occur. The presentation will outline the core concepts of GI Science relating to collaboration and illustrate its potential role through initiatives such as Spatial Data Infrastructures, e-(social) science and public participation.