This course provides a practical, hands-on introduction to QGIS and is designed for professionals who want to integrate mapping into their work but are unsure where to begin. Whether you work in humanitarian action, development cooperation, environmental protection, or another data-driven field, the ability to work confidently with spatial data is becoming an increasingly valuable skill. In this introductory training, you will gain a solid foundation in QGIS. You will learn core mapping concepts, work with accessible geospatial datasets, and develop an understanding of how professional maps are designed and applied in real-world contexts. By the end of the course, you will be able to work with maps independently and confidently, and to use QGIS as a practical and powerful tool in your professional work.

The HLA Webinar Series is an online initiative designed to connect, inform and inspire humanitarians from around the world. We promote information sharing and knowledge exchange on topical issues facing the sector. The next Humanitarian Tech series webinar will be in partnership with NetHope: What will it take to accelerate collective action on localised humanitarian AI?  Join for a candid panel discussion identifying practical priorities and pathways for coordinated action across the humanitarian ecosystem.  

The world's leading humanitarian aid and disaster relief event returns to Geneva on 21-22 October 2026. AidExexplores solution-oriented and innovative approaches, as well as systemic changes needed for a sustainable and effective crisis response in the conference agenda and exhibition. The humanitarian system is creaking, overwhelmed by overlapping crises and funding shortages exacerbated by the USAID dissolution and cuts to other public donor funding, making adaptation critical to address today’s challenges. AidEx is co-located with Development2030, a global event uniting international development actors in pursuit of sustainable development goals. The two events bring humanitarian aid and international development professionals under one roof to explore the latest innovations, meet new suppliers, share experiences with peers, build meaningful relationships and collaborate in new projects. Participants include UN agencies, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, local and international NGOs, donors, DFIs, IFIs, impact investors, MDBs, foundations, government, and many different businesses with an interest in A&D from the private sector.