CIS aims to make the Free University of Amsterdam (VUA)’s knowledge, experience and expertise accessible to institutions and individuals in developing countries and countries in transition, and by doing so, to contribute to national development processes in those countries. It’s expertise lies in the following areas:
- development of education and training
- management and organisational of educational institutions
- the use of ICT in teaching and research, management and organisation
- management and conservation of natural resources in rural areas
Activities include cooperation projects and programmes with partner institutions, exploratory studies, advisory work and consultancies for a variety of national and international organisations. Within the natural resources sector, work includes community based management, indigenous knowledge, soil and water conservation and water harvesting.