Introduction

The Center for Research in Applied Geography (Centro de Investigación en Geografía Aplicada, CIGA) was created in May 1984. The CIGA’s proposal is to respond a threefold need:

• To strengthen and spread a new geographical methodology (systematic approach),
• To generate hard information and thorough knowledge of the national territory.
• To showcase the importance of the geographical research focused on the regional and local development of our country.

From the beginning to 2011, the Center belonged to the Humanities department of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, PUCP). Since 2011, it is part of the Institute for Research in Natural Science, the Territory and Renewable Energies INTE (Instituto de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Territorio y Energías Renovables).It played an important role to reinforce the inter-disciplinary connection:

• With history and archaeology through the retrospective territorial dynamics
• With the toponymy concerned with the linguistic evolution of place-names
• With philosophy and the political perspective on space and society.

Geography is also linked with biology, ecology, geology, engineering, social science, communication, political science and architecture.

Objectives

• Conduct urban and rural geographical research in the different natural regions of the national territory.
• Advise and direct public and private institutions in land use planning, competitiveness of territories, regional attractiveness, basin management and specific research.
• Analyze and model the spatial dynamics of rural, urban, mining, industrial, tourist and commercial activities in the context of globalization and sustainable human development
• Answer a national need for incorporating new methods and high tech technologies and innovations in territorial and environmental research.

 Research areas

BASIC RESEARCH

• Analytical models
• Methodologies study for spatial processes

APPLIED RESEARCH

• Land management
• Water management
• Climate change adaptation
• Disaster Risk Management
• Environmental Assessment
• Life quality
• Sustainable development

GUIDED RESEARCH

• Education
• Land-use planning and environmental management

RESEARCH ADVANCES POPULARIZATION

• Reviews, books, notebooks, radio programs, cd, websites

RESEARCHER’S CAPACITY BUILDING

• Training courses, internships, seminars and workshops

CONSULTING FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN SPECIFIC RESEARCH

• Creation of geographical information centers, regional atlases, environmental profile, design of metadata systems.

History

Since the late 1980’s, the CIGA welcomes high technological innovations in terms of remote sensing and geographical information systems. Thanks to the support of the engineering and science section, the informatics services and the Direction of Academic Computing (Dirección de Informática Académica DIA), the Center can expand his research ability.

The CIGA practices academic social responsibility, consolidating the knowledge management processes, constructing protocols for basic and applied research according to the scientific, professional and educational demands on human sustainable development.

Due to the experience in education and training, the Center realizes numerous courses, seminars and workshops, supporting public and private institutions in capacity building.