From 31 May to 4 June 2010, a one-week biological collections digitization training took place in Kinshasa in the framework of the CABIN project.

This project was supported by DGCD. Local partner CEDESURK (Centre de documentation de l’enseignement Supérieur, Universitaire et de la Recherche de Kinshasa) contributed its facilities and logistical and technical support.

Fifteen trainees, part-time environmental biology lecturers and/or researchers from several scientific and academic institutions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, attended the training, which was conducted by Nicolas Noé of ULB and Franck Theeten of the RMCA. The trainees hailed from the following institutions:

• Université de Kinshasa
• INERA
• ERAIFT
• Université Pédagogique Nationale
• Luki Forest Reserve
• Université de Kisangani
• Université Officielle de Bukavu
• Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu
• Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles/Lwiro.

The training programme included:
• Use of biodiversity data and presentation of the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) network
• Introduction to the design of relational databases (Excel, Access, Calc and OpenOffice Base)
• Data cleanup and streamlining techniques
• Introduction to geographic information systems (Diva-GIS) and geographic data production
• Introduction to project planning and management.

On 26 June 2010, in Kinshasa, Papy Nsevolo and Etienne Kungula (Université Pédagogique Nationale), and Bruno Muyaya  (ERAIFT) organized a CABIN training review session for their students, thereby disseminating knowledge at the local level.