Geonovum is the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) executive committee in the Netherlands. We were founded in spring 2007 to develop standards for the national spatial data infrastructure and to become a network partner in its further development and innovation.
The foundation of Geonovum marked an important step on the way to optimise ways to find and access spatial data of the public sector. We have been - and still are - a strategic partner in the realization and further development of (meta)data portals such as the Nationaalgeoregister.nl and PDOK.nl where dataproviders publish their datasets and services.
Our key task is coordinating the adoption and implementation of standards that ensure the functioning of the national spatial data infrastructure. We develop and maintain information models for a number of key spatial data registries and sectors in The Netherlands. To further ease and improve the use of spatial data we coordinate testbeds and initiate platforms to explore innovations on their use and application for the public sector.
Geonovum is flexible in size. We employ a steady core of information modelling experts and can tap into a large network of specialists at research institutes, public bodies and private companies where needed.
For our key task we receive subsidy by the Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management, the land registry (Kadaster) and the Geological Service Netherlands at TNO. We have an independent board of directors and advisory board.
Goals and tasks
The main goals of Geonovum are:
- to develop and standardise the geo-information infrastructure while also being innovative.
- to build up and disseminate knowledge in the area of geo-information infrastructure.
- to make the geo-information infrastructure more accessible and of better use to administrative bodies, institutions and departments in the Netherlands and the European Union.
In order to attain its goals Geonovum has set itself the following tasks:
- to develop high-quality and widely applicable standards (in line with FAIR principles)
- to make public geo-information easily accessible in the Netherlands
- to be a think tank in the domain of geo-information
- to be the 'voice of geo-information' that provides the minister of Interior and the Council for Geo-information with professional advice and relevant knowledge.