EUGEO Newsletter

As the EUGEO 2013 Congress in Rome is EUGEO’s main activity this year, most information about the association has been disseminated through the seven congress newsletters that have been distributed since September 2012. Therefore, the frequency of our regular newsletters has been lower than usual. This newsletter summarises the main on-going activities and developments.

EUGEO 2013 Congress: Rome, September 5-7: Europe, what’s next? Changing geographies and geographies of change.

The La Sapienza University, in central Rome, is the well-equipped venue for the meeting. The famous Archaeological Museum of the university, with copies of hundreds of Greek and Roman sculptures, will be an extraordinary meeting place for the delegates. The opening session will be in the Piazza del Campidoglio, a social event takes place in the Villa Celimontana. The interest in organising sessions and panels and presenting papers (450-500 presentations!) is far beyond expectations. A big success, but also a lot of work, for our Italian organisers and a boost for geography in Italy and Europe. In three plenary sessions eight keynote speakers will address the attendants: Ron Boschma, Anne Buttiner, Gyula Horvát, Vladimir Kolossov, Peter Mehlbye, Armando Montanari, Petros Petsimeris, and Ad de Roo. More information and latest news on the conference website (eugeo2013.com).

EUGEO General Assembly and Seminar on the State of Geography and Geographical Societies in Europe (September 4, Rome)

The 2013 EUGEO General Assembly meeting will be the day before the EUGEO 2013 Congress on Wednesday September 4 in the afternoon. Venue is also the La Sapienza University in Rome (Faculty of Arts and Humanities). We hope that many representatives of EUGEO member societies will attend.

The second seminar on the State of Geography and Geographical Societies in Europe seminar will take place in the afternoon of September 4th 2013, after the General Assembly in the same venue. This year it will be an informal meeting in which best practises will be presented and discussed.

ESPON Scientific Conference: Science in support of European Territorial Development and Cohesion (September 12-13, Luxembourg)

EUGEO participates in the organisation of the ESPON 2013 Scientific Conference. The two-day conference will take place in Luxembourg/Walferdange on September 12 and 13. This is an important meeting for geographers doing research on spatial dynamics of and regional policies in Europe. The ESPON programme is the most important scientific network and platform. All members of European Geographical Societies are invited to participate. Christian Vandermotten is the EUGEO contact person. Registration is open and all information, including the draft programme, can be found on this link of the ESPON website:

http://www.espon.eu/main/Menu_Events/Menu_Conferences/scientific-conference_2013091213.html

ESA project on Remote Sensing and teaching Geography

Through its members SGI (Italian Geographical Society) and AIIG (Italian Association of Geography Teachers), EUGEO is participating in a project commissioned by ESA (European Space Agency) about How to teach Remote Sensing at school through geography teachers. The aim is to analyse possibilities in curricula, mapping educational tools for geography and remote sensing and to design educational material and activities. The company B-Shape is the leading partner of the consortium. The survey covers the UK, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, and Norway. The project has progressed to the inventories of geography curricula and available tools.

Internet journals supported by EUGO: Belgeo and J-Reading

Belgeo: the international scientific Belgian geography journal Belgeo was converted to a open access electronic journal in 2012. Christian Vandermotten (UL Bruxelles) and Christian Kesteloot (KU Leuven) are the editors. Four issues are published and available at: http://belgeo.revues.org/

J-Reading: In December 2012 the first issue of the new J-Reading journal was published. This international journal aims at bridging research and didactics and researchers and teachers in geography. Gino De Vecchis (Sapienza University, Rome) is editor in chief, Edizioni Nuova Cultura is the publisher. Website and registration for keeping informed: .j-reading.org.