European Geomatics Centre

Geomatics is the discipline that integrates Earth Sciences with Information Technology in order to acquire, stock, analyze, diffuse, and manage data related to a territory.

The study of geomatics is especially influential to the development and economic growth of rural areas. As well, it is the information technology sector which currently and in the future will provide the most essential applications for the rural world (land management, sustainable agriculture, protection of the environment, food product traceability, tourism promotion, and new services for migrating citizens...). For these reasons the CCI of Gers saw its involvement in Geomatics as indispensable to its future growth and success.

The CCI of Gers established a Geomatics Strategy in 1998, whose ultimate goal was to establish a European geomatics technology centre which would bring together initial training and continuing education, fundamental and applied research, a technology incubator, a business incubator, and a welcoming centre for new companies. Furthermore, the Geomatics Strategy includes continuing participation and cooperation with exterior partners (within the European Projects framework).

In 1997 the European Geomatics Centre (EGC) of Gers was founded in Auch, France. The centre is responsible for conducting studies and projects (both European and non-European), participating in research and development, providing training courses in the field of Geomatics, as well as acting as a project and business incubator for entrepreneurs in the field of Geomatics.