UCL – UCL today launches Mapping for Change, a social enterprise that will support sustainable communities through online mapping and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).Mapping for Change is a partnership between UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, and London 21 Sustainability Network, a charity that works across Greater London to help create a greener, healthier and more sustainable city. The organisation will specialise in providing a suite of innovative mapping tools that communities, voluntary sector organisations, local authorities and developers can use to communicate complicated information in a visual format that is affordable and easy to understand.The services can be applied across a range of sectors including school programmes, food growth, distribution, town planning and sustainable tourism. There are a wide variety of potential uses, such as supporting funding applications or creating interactive maps that help engage communities as part of a consultation process.Through a joint award made personally to Dr Muki Haklay (UCl Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering) who leads the UCL part of the enterprise, and Louise Francis, Chief Executive of Mapping for Change, the partnership is one of the first recipients of a Higher Education Social Entrepreneurship Award – a programme of financial and other support provided by UnLtd, the foundation for social entrepreneurs, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England to help higher education institutions develop their expertise, skills, knowledge base and business support structures in social entrepreneurship and social enterprise activity. Read More
