Following an initiative initiated in 2000 between Saviour Formosa and the Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information (EUROGI) based on GI research carried out at the University of Huddersfield, an invitation to discuss the GI situation in Malta with the EUROGI/GINIE (Geographic Information Network In Europe) was taken up. GINIE’s partners are EUROGI - European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC), the Open GIS Consortium (Europe) and the University of Sheffield.

The 2003 EUROGI/GINIE report
The 2005 EUROGI report

This exercise resulted in the launching of an exercise that saw all Maltese GI-related organisations being invited to set up a Maltese Association for Geographic Information.

Quotes from the invitation: "As Malta has been involved in the GI sector for over a decade and the specialisations are growing in diverse sectors, it is imperative that a forum is created to discuss the issues, research trends and promote professionalism. In view of the rapid changes that are occurring in the GI sector, the need is felt to promote strong interactivity between the various government, research, commercial and industrial sectors. Following four years of collaboration with the Geographic Information Network In Europe (GINIE) and the European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information (EUROGI) we have been encouraged to set up a local association.

Such an association will offer the opportunity to keep up to date with new developments in the sector, review new products, and set up specialised groups on issues such as metadata, data management, dissemination, interactivity, interoperability, multi-disciplinarity, etc. It will also offer the opportunity to interact with professionals within the European framework, invite speakers and participation in multi-lateral activities. It is anticipated that the Maltese Association for Geographic Information will become a member of EUROGI to facilitate this interactivity and give us a wider scope."

This invitation resulted in a series of meetings and workgroups that eventually prepared the way forward for the launching of the MAGI. Presentations of the setting up can be viewed in the Presentations page, whilst documentation reviewed in the Members Area section.

For a full document archive kindly click on the Members Button. The archive contains full newsletters, presentation, industry news as well as MAGI interest groups information and activities.