Geographical information is becoming more and more important in the World’s societies. Think of physical planning, risk management, navigation systems, location based services, movement analysis, augmented reality, increasing use of maps and volunteered geographical information.

GIMA is a very complete Master of Science programme, which focuses on the management and application of geographical information from a scientific perspective. In addition to this specific focus, there are two more aspects which make GIMA a unique Master of Science program: the blended learning concept and the co-operation between four renowned Dutch universities.

You will get the best from geo-information experts from four universities in the Netherlands: University of Twente/ITC Enschede, TU Delft, Utrecht University and Wageningen University. These universities have joined forces to offer GIMA, each with their own specializations related to geo-information technology, management and applications. The GIMA programme offers more than advanced use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for a variety of applications: it also covers the management of geo-information and spatial data infrastructures in organizations and management styles. Since the start of the programme in 2003, GIMA has become one of the most popular and well evaluated master programs on geo-information applications and management in the Netherlands and our community keeps growing.

GIMA is a blended learning Master programme: most of the time you are studying from the place where you think you can study best. This can be at home, or at the facilities of one of the four universities. For the first part of the programme (one or two years depending on whether you are a full-time or  part-time student) there are only four short contact periods per year, one at each partner university. During those contact periods (with a duration of one or two weeks only) you are supposed to be present in person but for the rest of the year you can study through our electronic learning environment from wherever you are. Obviously, the same holds for the individual thesis research project of 6 (full-time) or 12 (part-time) months duration in the last part of the programme. When doing the program’s internship with the same duration, of course you will have to be present at the geo-information company or institute you have selected for your internship.

The internship is one of the reflections of GIMA’s links to professional geo-information organizations (governments, companies, institutes). The possibility of doing GIMA part-time (whilst working in such an organization) is another reflection. Part-time GIMA studies last 4 years and full-time studies 2 years.

The English language GIMA Master programme is also an international programme. It does not only target Dutch bachelors, but surely also foreign bachelors and professionals with equivalent pre-education.