UNIGIS programme

The SPINlab coordinates the UNIGIS distance learning postgraduate course and masters programme on spatial information management. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) represents one of the most rapidly expanding areas in Information Technology. GIS is seen increasingly as an essential tool in many areas of government and business. See the UNIGIS link in the menu, or visit the UNIGIS website directly to see what UNIGIS Amsterdam has to offer.

National GI-minor

The SPINLab, on behalf of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, furthermore coordinates the national GI-minor programme (3rd year bachelor-level). This national programme is offered by five universities together: Delft University, Utrecht University, Twente University, Wageningen University and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. See www.nationalegiminor.nl for more information.

Thesis supervision

Further, we supervise students in various research topics where spatial analysis and geo-information science play an important role. See the overview of supervised bachelor and master theses.

GI-courses at VU-campus and Science park Watergraafsmeer

The SPINlab provides scientific and technical courses as part of undergraduate and graduate education. We are teaching GIS-courses in a whole range of programmes at different faculties and institutes:

Amsterdam University College:
Urban Environment lab
Risk Management

Faculty of Economics and Business Administration:
Geographical Information Systems (MSc Spatial, Transport and Environmental Economics (STREEM))
Geologistics (MSc Transport and Supply Chain Management (TSCM))
Geomarketing (MSc Marketing and Part-time MSc Marketing)

Faculty of Earth Sciences:
Land Use Change (BSc Earth & Economics)
Natural Disasters and Risks (BSc Earth & Economics)
Spring School – field work Salzburg (BSc Earth & Economics)
Geo Data Acquisition (BSc Earth & Economics, national GI-minor)
Imaging and Assessing Landscapes (MSc Earth & Economics)

Updates

Geocraft 2017

A lively academic debate exists on the use of games in formal education. Pedagogic/cognitive sciences promote the use of games in class, because these instructional media are considered to have positive effects on affective and cognitive learning. However, according to multiple, very recent systematic literature reviews of Digital Game Based...Read More »


SPINlab participates in large VU-project for Agribusiness Development Project in Kenya

The Centre for International Cooperation of VU Amsterdam (CIS-VU) has been awarded a grant worth €1.8 mln. to implement a project on Spatial Planning for Agribusiness and Public Policy Development in Kenya. The grant is part of the Netherlands Initiative for Capacity development in Higher Education (NICHE), a Netherlands-funded...Read More »


UNIGIS online u_Lecture: GI Capacity Building in Schools

Is Minecraft a useful teaching tool? Researchers at SPINlab (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) are trying to find the answer to this question. Their focus group are teachers who use Minecraft in the classroom in three Dutch schools in Lelystad, Zaandam and Amsterdam. These teachers can provide valuable feedback about whether Minecraft...Read More »


UNIGIS @Geobuzz 24-25 November

Visit GeoBuzz for €10 only

On November 24 & 25, GeoBuzz takes place in ’s-Hertogenbosch. The event is a great opportunity to meet potential employers. There is a special student program which you can attend. Students can visit the full program and exhibition for only €10. Register for Geobuzz here.

Meet...Read More »


SPINlab lecturers train Election Officials from Bhutan

For two weeks, a team of 15 officials from the Dzongkhang Election Offices and the Election Commission of Bhutan are at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where they receive training on Mapping, GIS operations and fundamentals of Election Management Tools. The GIS-training is provided by SPINlab lecturers Eduardo Dias and...Read More »


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