WorldCereal is excited to introduce the very first WorldCereal Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Reference Data for Crop Type Mapping! This free course is the first in a three-part series designed to offer a deep dive into global cropland mapping and monitoring.
The first WorldCereal online course on Reference Data for Crop Mapping is now open. In it you will find presentations, demonstrations, and practical exercises, each focused on a specific aspect of reference data for crop mapping, including field data collection using Crop Capture, a โQuestโ inside IIASAโs Geo-Quest mobile app designed to collect crop reference data in an easy and straightforward manner. All MOOC materials are freely available to the public, allowing you to learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere.
The course provides an in-depth understanding of reference data requirements (in terms of quantity, quality and format) and processing in the context of land cover and crop type mapping. Detailed topics include reference data definition, collection, harmonization, quality assurance, ingestion into the WorldCereal system, exploration and download of available data and tips & tricks related to the use of the data for mapping purposes.
The course consists of a combination of lectures, practical demonstrations and hands-on exercises to ensure participants acquire both the necessary concepts and practical skills to deal with reference data in the WorldCereal context.
In the course you can:
- Learn crucial concepts and usage of practical tools for data collection
- Gain an understanding of our data harmonization and curation approach
- Master data quality assurance techniques
- Get step-by-step guidance to discover, download, and contribute reference data via the WorldCereal ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ (RDM)
- See a demonstration of how data quality and quantity impact crop mapping applications
IIASA researchers Juan Carlos Laso Bayas and Santosh Karanam are part of the group of experts explaining reference data collection procedures and usage of the WorldCereal reference data module.
News
27 November 2025
Bridging the Digital Divide: IIASA Presents Culturally Sensitive Approach to Climate Misinformation at ICEGOV, Abuja, Nigeria
At the International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2025), IIASA researchers highlighted the critical role of cultural context in combating climate change disinformation. Presenting the Adaptation AGORA project, they showcased a suite of innovative digital tools, including a mobile app and a dedicated Disinformation Academy, designed to empower citizens and build climate resilience through inclusive, participatory governance. The project moves beyond top-down approaches to co-create adaptation strategies that are both scientifically robust and socially legitimate.
04 November 2025
IIASA at the International Conference on Resilience of Nuclear Installations against External Events
Dmitry Erokhin, Research Scholar at the IIASA Cooperation and Transformative Governance (CAT) Research Group, presented the study โUsing Google Trends to Analyze Public Sensitivity to Climate-Related Natural Hazards and its Correlation with Nuclear Topics: A Proxy Approach for Societal Impact and Risk Communicationโ, coauthored with Nadejda Komendantova, Leader of the IIASA CAT Research Group, at the International Conference on Resilience of Nuclear Installations against External Events โ Focus on Climate Change, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
21 October 2025
Education and human capital in focus
From 15 to 19 September 2025, IIASA hosted a Symposium on Human Capital for Sustainable Development โ A Focus on Africa. Supported by the Yidan Prize project funds, the event brought together researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and PhD students from Africa and Europe to advance collaboration on education, demography, and sustainable development.