Category Archives: Announcements

EuroGeographics Annual General Assembly this year coincided with the 25th anniversary of the organization’s establishment. Senior leaders of geospatial authorities from EuroGeographics member countries gathered in Riga, Latvia, on 18-20 May 2025.

State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG) was represented at this event by:

• Ms. Vilma Tomço – General Director of ASIG,

• Mr. Kristaq Qirko – Director of the Directorate of Geodesy and Cartography at ASIG

• Mr. Klaudio Çollaku – Director of the Directorate of National GIS and Geoportal at ASIG.

The main theme of the event was: “Facing the challenges for a more secure future”, addressing numerous challenges such as; digital transformation, artificial intelligence developments, security and institutional equality.

The main agenda items of the session where ASIG participated were:

• High-level presentations by representatives of the European Commission, geospatial agencies and counterpart institutions;

• Knowledge exchange session between Directors General;

• Discussions on; global challenges, artificial intelligence, geodesy and open data policies versus security;

• Votes on the 2025 budget, membership strategies and the election of the new president of EuroGeographics.

ASIG’s participation in this activity was an important opportunity to strengthen institutional cooperation, increase capacities and represent Albania in the largest European network of geospatial institutions.

State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG) in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences of Albania (ASH) organized on 17.04.2025, at the premises of the Academy, the workshop on the topic: “Geodetic Reference Frame and Geoid Modeling in the Republic of Albania”.

ASIG, as the institution responsible for the design, construction, maintenance and updating of the Albanian Geodetic Reference Frame (KRGJSH), has been engaged since 2014 in the drafting of the necessary detailed technical projects and their implementation for the construction of networks within the KRGJSH, to enable Albania to create a unique geodetic base that relies entirely on GNSS technology and in the calculation of the geoid with high resolution and accuracy for the efficient determination of the exact horizontal and vertical position of various points on the earth’s surface.

During this event, the Albanian Geodetic Reference Framework (AGRF) was presented by ASIG specialists, collaborators from the Institute of Geosciences (IGEO) and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH);

The topics presented were:

o Implementation of the Modern Geodetic Reference Framework in the Republic of Albania,

o Implementation of the Active Geodetic Network (ALBCORS) in the Republic of Albania,

o Characteristics of the current tectonic displacement of Albania based on GNSS data,

o The gravimetric and hybrid model of the Geoid in the Republic of Albania.

At the end of this event, participants from the academic world thanked and appreciated the work carried out by ASIG for the implementation of the AGRF network projects and the calculation of the geoid for the first time in the Republic of Albania.

State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG) participated in the General Assembly of the European Space Network which was held on 10-11 April 2025, in Venice, Italy, as part of the Copernicus Relay network, invited by the European Commission and the European Space Support Office.

ASIG was represented at this event by the Director of the Remote Sensing Data Processing Directorate, Mr. Dritan Prifti.

In the opening speech of this Assembly, the President of the Veneto Region, the Rector of IUAV University and representatives of the European Commission greeted.

At this Assembly, the members of the EU Space Networks present in the hall had the opportunity to present the activity of their institutions with the achievements and challenges of each one. During this session, participants were informed about past activities and achievements, the evolution of the cooperation networks and their current status, including a presentation on the results of the Framework Partnership Agreement on the Uptake of Copernicus Users (FPCUP).

The members of the EU Space Networks provided comments and discussed their expectations for the development of the EU Space Networks and proposed ideas to the representatives of the European Commission.

The second day of the assembly took place at the IUAV University of Venice (Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia) where the following topics were discussed:

• Exploitation of EU spatial data for coastal and ocean sustainability;

• Securing Europe’s space assets – SSA & STM;

• EU Space Situation and Space Traffic Management as a key component of the EU Space Programme;

• Capacity in the EU spatial sector;

• Preservation of cultural heritage with the help of EU spatial data.

A meeting was held at the premises of the State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG) with representatives of the National Forestry Agency (AKP) in the framework of assistance and coordination with public institutions for the use of geospatial information.

At this meeting, a number of issues of importance for the management and administration of forests at the national level were discussed. Between ASIG experts and AKP representatives, ideas and experiences were exchanged on the use of geospatial information technology and systems for the monitoring and protection of forests. Also, AKP representatives were more closely acquainted with the products of the ArcGIS Online platform and mainly with the web-map “Forest Cover 2024”.

The cooperation agreement between State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG), represented by the General Director Ms. Vlima Tomço and the University of Tirana (UT) represented by the Rector Mr. Artan Hoxha was signed today at the premises of the Tirana Rectorate.

This agreement consists of several key points such as:

• Identification, promotion, support and cooperation in projects of common interest, in the field of geoinformation, technology, promotion and marketing of products.

• Cooperation for the application and implementation of joint national and international scientific projects, joint organization of conferences, symposiums, congresses, seminars, etc.

• Promotion, support and implementation of joint activities in the field of education, training, scientific research and the provision of professional and teaching practices.

In her speech, the Director General, Ms. Tomço, emphasized that this partnership is the result of a year-long work together with the Department of Geography, which also brought the right moment to strengthen and develop this cooperation. She assessed this agreement as an opportunity for all UT students, not only for those of the Faculty of History and Philology but also including the Faculty of Economics, that of Natural Sciences, etc.

Ms. Tomço emphasized scientific research and open lectures for students, emphasizing that this is also a good opportunity for the organization she leads, to further expand the horizons of cooperation, after the previous ones with the State Cadastre Agency, the University of Pristina, and AIC, ASPA and other institutions.

For his part, Rector Hoxha assessed this agreement as a good opportunity to benefit from the expertise and opportunities, thus enabling the activities of the UT to benefit the developments of society. He also emphasized that these are good opportunities for the university itself to offer expertise to other parties, in order to increase finances, as is also provided for in the Law on Higher Education.

Following the work to create the thematic map “Land Cover” for all Local Government Units of the territory of the Republic of Albania, ASIG has published on the digital platform ArcGIS Online, geospatial information for “Land Cover” Kurbin Municipality. .

In the Web-Map of the ArcGIS Online platforms, land cover maps and other products obtained from satellite imagery have been compiled, Land Cover has been published for 30 municipalities and is in the process of analyzing 31 others.

The layers included:

1️. Vegetated areas;

2️. Vegetated areas;

3️. Forests;

4️. Urban areas;

5️. Water areas;

6️. Agricultural greenhouses.

The importance of land cover:

✅ Helps in the sustainable management of natural resources;

✅ Provides all for urban and rural planning;

✅ Monitors environmental changes;

✅ Improves land management for agriculture and forestry.

Directorate of Remote Sensing Data Processing at ASIG and the UAV Imagery Processing Sector have carried out the UAV survey with photogrammetry and LiDAR in the area of the Metallurgical Plant, Elbasan.

This product includes the realization of a detailed photogrammetric and LiDAR survey, using the DJI Matrice 350 drone, equipped with the ZENMUSE P1 optical sensor and the L2 LiDAR sensor.

The obtained data were used to create orthophotos, digital terrain models and point clouds. This product serves as a basis for technical analyses, to support decision-making in urban planning and infrastructural development of the area.

State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG) participated on January 17, 2025, in the international conference entitled “Call to your country! Space, linguistic, historical and anthropological memory”, organized by the Institute of Anthropology, part of the Academy of Sciences of Albania.

This conference was chaired by Dr. Ledi Shamku Shkreli and at the beginning of it, academician Mr. Skënder Gjinushi, President of the Academy of Sciences of Albania (ASHS), assoc. prof. dr. Olsi Lelaj, Director of the Institute of Anthropology (ASHS), academician Valter Memishaj, Director of the Institute of Linguistics and Literature (IGJL), dr. Mirela Muço, Director of the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation (AKKSHI), Dr. Vilma Tomço, Director of ASIG.

Ms. Tomço in her welcoming speech emphasized the importance of geospatial data today and how useful these data are for the academic world.

Also Denisa Kukaj, Head of the Geoinformation Standards Sector, made a detailed presentation on the work done by ASIG in collaboration with the Institute of Geography and Military Infrastructure (IGJIU) and IGJL regarding Geographical Names and the identification of repetitions of toponyms, reflecting and giving opportunities to the researchers who were present to continue further research in this field.