As part of the "Space Strategy for Europe", the European Commission fosters the creation of voluntary participative networks related to Earth Observation (EO) and Copernicus. Two such networks have been set-up, the network of Copernicus Relays and the Copernicus Academy Hub, mostly under own funding acting as channels of promotion to target intermediate and end-user communities. With the "Space Hubs for Copernicus" calls EC offered limited funding within H2020: CoRdiNet - "Copernicus Relays for digitalisation spanning a Network" and CopHub.AC - "Copernicus Academy Hub for Knowledge, Innovation and Outreach" are two partner projects, which emerged from these two groups focusing on the activities adequate for these two types of networks: CoRdiNet members acting as regional Copernicus info points and coordinators, while CopHub.AC emphasizes its work related to research, teaching, training and didactics. Both started work in October 2018 for 27 months onwards.
CoRdiNet is an open network of five Copernicus Relays each having a coordinating function on a regional, cluster and or national level, while supporting, promoting and stimulating digitalisation and new business solutions based on EO i.e. Copernicus data. CoRdiNet bundles the local expertise in the civil use of EO, close to the needs and offers of citizens, administrations and businesses, and shares them with other Copernicus Relays, Academy members and new EO players. Moreover, CoRdiNet has set up a specific “fund” of 100 k EUR which has supported 14 joint activities between the consortium and Associated Partners to CoRdiNet.
CoRdiNet offers tangible opportunities through local expertise in sector-oriented European-wide working groups to design better strategies and guidelines for new digital services, supports the creation of pilot projects linking users & suppliers of services, organises awareness raising, provides user-targeted information, and bundle local key players and local societal challenges and needs that EO data are able to match and deliver.
Stakeholder analysis has revealed several challenges and barriers to increased uptake of Copernicus services, including a need for more education, training and information, as well as a lack of data quality and needed infrastructure and related costs. Suggested measures of mitigation include a strengthening of the Copernicus User Uptake initiative to foster better collaboration between Copernicus Relays and Academy.
