"The IGIT project aims at developing a prototype system for data collection, analysis and dissemination for informed decision making; a step towards the goals of GEOSS. This staff exchange programme embraces a broad palette of research centres in China and Europe to streamline their activities towards the complex prototype system with the following main function: integrated geo-spatial information acquisition and management in various application fields. Eight leading institutions of different disciplines participate in the mobility programme, which facilitates data and information exchange and joint research work. This way, different fields of ongoing activities are linked together for building the complex system. The following elements will be developed in individual work packages: - New image processing techniques for remote sensing - Integrated geo-spatial information and its application to agriculture and forestry - Integrated geo-spatial information and its application to land and environment monitoring - Spatial data engineering and internet-based information sharing and service in water resources management - Design and implementation and application of a WebGIS - Distributed computing and geographical knowledge grid - Geographical process modeling and analysis - Integrated geo-spatial information and its application to climate change and carbon cycle - Integrated geo-spatial information and its application to coastal zone management The researcher mobility between the European and Chinese partners provides the link among the institutions and the work packages. Scientific results are to be published in peer reviewed articles written by the cooperating. Workshops are organized as mile stones for information and result exchange. The prototype system is presented on a summary conference. It is envisaged that the personal and institutional interactions will have a multiplicative effect on the results, for the mutual benefit of Europe and China."