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The United Nations Global Geodetic Center of Excellence (UN-GGCE) was established in 2023 with the goal of working with United Nations Member States, universities and geodetic organizations like the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) to sustain and enhance the Global Geodesy Supply Chain and the global geodetic reference frame. The global geodesy supply chain includes the geometric and gravimetric satellites and ground stations that make geodetic observations, the data centers that archive and distribute the observations, the analysis centers where the observations are analyzed for geodetic products like the positions of ground stations, reference frames, Earth orientation parameters, and gravity models. Since much of the global geodesy supply chain relies on the IAG’s Scientific Services, the IAG recently became an official partner of the UN-GGCE.

The UN-GGCE Partnership Program was created to recognize Member States, universities and geodetic organizations for their efforts to sustain the global geodesy supply chain. The IAG is a scientific organization that has been serving scientists since 1862. The data and products provided by the IAG’s Scientific Services have been used to gain greater understanding of the geodetic properties of the Earth including its shape, gravity, and rotation and how they change in space and time. Besides the scientific applications of the IAG’s data and products, they are also being increasingly used by society for positioning and navigation services. By partnering with the UN-GGCE, the IAG will be better able to meet the future needs of not only scientists but also of society and its increasing reliance on geodetic data and products.

UN-GGCE Partner Program: https://ggim.un.org/UNGGCE/#partners

This partnership is further solidified through active and continuous collaboration between the UN-GGCE and various IAG components, most notably the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). The organizations maintain a regular exchange of expertise and are engaged in several joint initiatives, including strategic outreach activities designed to raise global awareness of geodesy’s vital role in science and society. A tangible highlight of this cooperation is the recently launched joint Job Portal, hosted on the IAG website at geodesy.science/jobs. This platform serves as a central hub for the global geodetic community, featuring current international job openings and career opportunities. By aligning their efforts, the IAG and UN-GGCE are not only sustaining the technical infrastructure of geodesy but also actively supporting the professionals and the next generation of scientists who drive the field forward.

Author: Richard Gross (IAG President), Martin Sehnal (Director of GGOS CO)