The Research and Development Centre of Geographic Information (CIAF) as an agent of geographical knowledge transfer in Latin America.

Abstract

This article describes the general overview of the Research and Development Centre of Geographic Information (CIAF) in terms of production and transfer of geographic knowl edge in formal and non-formal academic offerings. Analyzing the main disciplinary lines of work such as the Geographic Information Systems - GIS, Remote Sensing, and Spatial Data Infrastructures - SDI; among others. The article reviews, analyzes and compares  the progress of this research center in attention to the basic and spatial competences that are developed within the framework of the guidelines for education in Colombia. Finally, it reflects on the singular nature of the center, considering that the Geographic Institutes in a large part of Latin America do not have research centers that potentiate a geographical and territorial culture in the nation context.