Innovation of Geological Information Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina

History

This project proposal was compiled based on the concept submitted in 2020 to the Czech Development Agency (CzDA) by the Geological Survey of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FZZG) and the Geological Survey of Republic of Srpska (RZZGI). Both organizations emphasized the need for better management and dissemination of subsurface data to support spatial planning and decision-making, as well as, for example future research of renewable energy potential. The technical infrastructure and knowledge in both organizations is currently not up to the level that would allow this.

Project intention

The project intents to contribute to developing sustainable management and access to geological data and knowledge of the two geological surveys in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy), Goal 13 (climate action – sustainable management of natural resources) and Goal 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions - contribute to the establishment of effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels).

Project aim

The main aims are to support the public institutions in improving the geological information system, to increase professional competence of local experts and governmental staff and to improve data management, as well as access, presentation and dissemination of data and information. The project is based on the assumption that the technological and organizational design of the information system, which will be prepared by ČGS based on their expertise and experience, will be handed over to FZZG and RZZGI for implementation and further operation.

Project outcome

The outcome of the project is to improve the access to geological information in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Achievement of this outcome can be monitored through following indicators:

• Proposal of the system, including recommendations for its implementation, operation, monitoring and periodic inspection is documented
• Trainings provided to increase the professional competence of local experts and state administration staff
• Improved access to data using the provided technology and knowledge

Project proposal

The proposal compiled by Czech Geological Survey (CGS) is based on information obtained during communication with both local Geological Surveys and the knowledge and experience of the CGS.

Project structure and content

• Coordination of work, meetings and working groups

Organizing the working groups and monitoring the progress of work in accordance with the project schedule, organizing regular meetings at all management levels, organization and supervision of compilation of reports and deliverables.

• Output 1: Design of technical infrastructure and related procedures

Based on the inventory, technical infrastructure and related procedures will be designed. This includes a design of strategy for archive, data and metadata management.

• Output 2: Innovation of information systems

Necessary technologies will be supplied, and implementation of the proposed system will be supported. Local staff will be trained in the specific technology.

• Output 3: Enhancing the ability of Bosnian stakeholders to use geological data

Presentations and popularization of results will improve the ability of local stakeholders, representatives of authorities and public to use geological data. Professional workshops focused on the transfer of acquired know-how within the geological topics will be led by CGS experts. Cooperation with relevant local universities will be deepened.

Status of work

The initial phase of the project (01-06/2023)

This phase was a direct follow-up to the previous preparatory phase. An important part of the work consisted of coordination activities, planning of individual stages of work and administrative activities.

The professional capacities were mainly focused on inventory of the existing situation. The results of sub-activities Inventory of data sources and Inventory of existing HW, SW, procedures used and staff knowledge are summarised in the annexes to the mid-term report. The information from the questionnaire surveys was processed and the situation at both Sarajevo and Zvornik sites was completed and verified.

On the basis of the ongoing analysis of the information obtained, parts of the design of the upgraded information system are gradually being prepared. Proposals for metadata processing strategy, work with archives, data management are being developed. The design of the technical infrastructure aims to prepare the technical basis for the planned tenders.

Following the preparation of the technological proposal, a plan and timetable for technical certified courses is being developed.  A communication plan with Bosnian universities is being prepared.

Progress during 07-12/2023

On 4-6 September 2023, the Kick-off meeting of the project took place in Bosnian Jajce. The meeting was attended by leading representatives of the project partners - the Czech Geological Survey, the Czech Development Agency, the Geological Survey of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Geological Survey of the Republic of Srpska, as well as senior staff of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska and the Deans of the Faculty of Mining and Geology of the University of Banja Luka and the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Civil Engineering of the University of Tuzla. 

The agenda included an introduction to the project, its expected outcomes and timeline, the roles and responsibilities of the project participants, and an assessment of the initial assumptions and potential risks. The participating organisations presented their main activities and information systems and their expectations from the project. There was a very open and friendly discussion on the next steps of the project, including subtasks and responsibilities, and a summary of the main conclusions of the event. 

A meeting of the Project Advisory Board was also held to discuss issues related to the work programme, deliverables, communication set-up and risk management.

On 20-21 November 2023, the project held a working meeting in the ČGS meeting room in Prague. The meeting was attended by senior representatives of the project partners - the Federal Institute of Geology of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Geological Survey of the Republic of Srpska, the Czech Development Agency and the ČGS team led by Dana Čápová.

The main aim of the meeting was review and final approval of the technical infrastructure proposal developed by CGS. Important topics were also review and approval of certified training proposal, discussion of the communication plan with universities and popularisation and public awareness plan. As the end of the first year of the project is approaching, an overview of activities in 2023 and a plan of activities for 2024 was presented.

The first day of the meeting was dedicated to a technical workshop focused on inventorying existing data and the system of processing, digitization and presentation of the ČGS archive documents as a model for the analysis and preparation of a similar workflow and application support.

Progress during 01-06/2024

Personal meetings in Zvornik on 16.4.2024 and in Sarajevo on 17.-18.4. 2024 were of great help. On this occasion, the GIS specialists of CGS physically inspected the map documents and their digital background. In this way, all the data inventory items recorded so far in both organizations were discussed; their storage, method of updating, quality and scope. Their relevance to other parts of the project was also considered. All the data sources were checked for their coordinate system and a short presentation on the coordinate systems was given in both organizations.  
Individual data sources were often personally presented by their current technical or even expert administrators. The inventory was also supplemented by non-spatial data sources, both geoscientific (e.g. archives) and non-geoscientific (e.g. staff directory). During the visit to Zvornik, a briefing on editing metadata records took place. The technical parameters of the future metadata systems of both partner organizations have been prepared and discussed.

On 27-29 May 2024, a course titled "Introduction to Windows Server Administration" was held in Banja Luka as part of the project. The course was attended by 5 staff from both the Geological Survey of the Republic of Srpska and the Federal Institute for Geology. Participants in this course were trained to implement and maintain small computer networks. More trainings are planned in the next period.

The joint working meeting of the project partners took place on 20-22 June 2024 in Prague. In addition to the project partners, representatives of Bosnian universities -Svjetlana Sredić (Dean of the Faculty of Mining in Prijedor, University of Banja Luka) and Sabid Zekan (Vice Dean of the University of Tuzla) - also participated. One of the objectives of the meeting was to introduce the project to both university representatives. The main objective of this meeting was the participation of Bosnian partners in the Geology Day, which was organized by the CGS on 20 and 21 June 2024 at the premises of the CGS office at Klárov 3, Prague 1. This activity could inspire visitors to organize similar events in Bosnia and help to popularize geology for schools and the public. 

A large part of the Czech Geological Survey Newsletter World of Geology 1/2024 was devoted to information about the project.

Progress during 01-06/2024

On 10–12 September a meeting dedicated to presenting the project results took place in the city of Mostar. In addition to experts from the Czech Geological Survey and the two Bosnian geological surveys, the meeting was attended by representatives of the Czech Development Agency, the Czech Embassy, the Bosnian Ministry of Energy and Mining, the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bosnian universities.

The opening ceremony featured a speech by the Czech Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jana Lolić Šindelka, who emphasized the importance of this project in strengthening the expertise of local professionals, improving data management and information availability, and fostering cooperation between the geological surveys.

Presentations highlighted advancements in various project areas, aligning with the goal of improving access to geological information in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The agenda also included a meeting of the Advisory Committee, which addressed key project challenges.

Strengthening Geological Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina

From November 5th to 7th, a series of lectures took place at several Bosnian universities: the University of Tuzla, the University of Banja Luka, and the University of Travnik. The lectures were organized by the Czech Geological Survey (CGS) in cooperation with the Geological Survey of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FZZG) and the Geological Survey of the Republic of Srpska (RZZGI).

A team from CGS, consisting of Jakub Kryl, Jan Jelínek, Ondřej Švagera, and Lucie Koucká, introduced students to the latest technologies used in geology, including remote sensing methods. Local experts Cvjetko Sandić (RZZGI) and Ferid Skopljak (FZZG) also participated in the lectures.

The goal of the event was to motivate students to pursue further studies in geology and to strengthen cooperation between Bosnian universities and geological surveys. The lectures were intended not only for university geology students but also for students of a technical secondary school in Banja Luka and representatives of the professional public. University students were additionally offered the opportunity to gain practical experience through internships at local geological surveys.

Implementation Mission in Zvornik

The Implementation Mission in Zvornik, conducted on November 13-14, 2024, successfully concluded the installation and initial configuration of the newly acquired IT equipment. The mission focused on establishing a robust and secure IT infrastructure for the Geological Survey of the Republic of Srpska (RZZGI). Key activities included setting up the server room with proper cooling and network connectivity, installing and interconnecting critical hardware components such as servers, storage systems, firewalls, and switches. Furthermore, the mission included basic training sessions for RZZGI staff on essential IT management tasks. These sessions covered Active Directory user management, fundamental VMware administration, and basic operations on the ST1 data storage system. The mission was carried out in a collaborative and productive manner, laying a strong foundation for future IT development at RZZGI.

Data Management Workshop

From December 10th to 12th, the CGS hosted a workshop in Prague for colleagues from the Geological Survey of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Geological Survey of the Republic of Serbia. The focus was on enhancing data management and metadata practices within their organizations. The organizational team, composed of employees from the CGS Informatics Department with the support of other colleagues, first presented the project status and the structure of CGS, followed by a tour of selected CGS departments (publishing house, library, collections, bookstore, remote sensing, 3D modeling). After this introduction, the employees from the geological surveys of Bosnia and Herzegovina were presented with the core principles of organizing and managing a central data warehouse (CDW) of the organization, and were given a live simulation of project data management workflow. 

The following day, the workshop focused on metadata, specifically on the management of a local metadata catalog, and its use for both internal organizational purposes as well as for fulfilling its external obligations within Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. The workshop also addressed the broader context of European data initiatives (INSPIRE, Open Data, EGS, SIEG, GSEU, EGDI, etc.) and other relevant standards. The workshop thematically corresponded to the installation of new IT infrastructure in these geological surveys. The attendees, comprising personnel responsible for data management, are now well-equipped to leverage this knowledge to establish robust and effective CDWs within their respective organizations.

Implementation Mission in Sarajevo

On January 14th-15th, 2025, an implementation mission by employees of the Czech Geological Survey took place in Sarajevo. The mission successfully concluded with the installation and initial configuration of newly acquired IT equipment, resulting in the creation of a robust and secure IT infrastructure for the Geological Survey of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FZZG). Key activities included the establishment of a server room with proper cooling and network connectivity, the installation and interconnection of critical hardware components such as servers, storage systems, firewalls, and switches. The team agreed to develop detailed documentation, conduct online workshops, and migrate existing systems to the new infrastructure.