Evaluation of the use and management of GIS in Costa Rican Public Universities: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Costa Rican universities is analyzed, mentioning successful international experiences in Australia, North Carolina, California, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. In Costa Rica, the use of GIS has grown significantly, benefiting decision making, natural resource management and strategic planning in institutions such as the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC), Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (UNA), Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), Universidad Técnica Nacional (UTN) and Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED). The methodology included interviews with representatives of the Vice Rector's Offices of Administration and analysis of the SICOP platform. A varied adoption of GIS was observed, from open source applications to licensed programs, improving operational efficiency and accuracy in strategic decisions, with differences in their comprehensive application between institutions such as UCR and UNA.