Process for becoming a GBIF Participant

In this section, we will review the details of how to become a member of GBIF, the description of Participant categories, and the GBIF Memorandum of Understanding. We will investigate recent examples of new GBIF Participants to better understand their pathway to formal engagement in the GBIF network.

Before going further, go back and review the Introduction to GBIF Participant nodes section of the pre-requisite course, in which we discussed the modes of formal Participation in GBIF as an intergovernmental network and research infrastructure.
Read through the information on how to become a member in detail. Be sure to review the GBIF Memorandum of Understanding to understand the commitments that GBIF Participants make when joining the network.
GB26 group photo small
Governing Board delegates and Secretariat staff at GB26. Photo by Henk Caspers, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, 2019

Examples of new Participants

To learn more about how countries and organizations join GBIF, explore examples of new Participants available in recent news items. Keep notes from these examples in your activity sheet.

Step 1: Go to the news section of the GBIF website

Step 2: Look for new items related to new Participants joining the network, such as:

NewsItem
News item on Sierra Leone joining GBIF as a Voting Participant in 2022.

Step 3: For these examples, look more closely at:

  • Which Ministry or Institution has signed the MOU?

  • Who has been assigned as Head of Delegation and Node Manager?

  • Which reasons are given for why the Participant joined GBIF?

Step 4: Write up your examples in your activity sheet

Check your understanding

Quiz yourself on the concepts learned in this section. Click resolve to get instant feedback on whether you selected the right answer.

  1. How do countries, economies, intergovernmental/international organizations, and organizations with international scope join GBIF as Participants?

    • They sign a voluntary non-binding instrument called the GBIF Memorandum of Understanding

    • They sign a legally binding document called the GBIF Memorandum of Cooperation

    • They ratify the GBIF protocol

  2. Who can sign on behalf of the country when completing the process for becoming a GBIF Participant?

    • Signature must come from the Head of State

    • Signature may come from any university or natural history museum within a country

    • Signature may come from a minister or senior official in a relevant government department or designated national agency

  3. Which of the following is NOT a category of GBIF membership?

    • Voting Participants

    • Associate Country Participants

    • Other Voting Participants

    • Other Associate Participants

  4. In order to become a Participant in GBIF, an appropriate representative should send an official Letter of Intent to:

    • The GBIF Executive Secretary

    • The Head of Administration

    • The Chair of the GBIF Governing Board

    • The Chair of the Nodes Committee

  5. How long may a country Participate in GBIF as an Associate Country Participant that does not yet make financial contributions to GBIF?

    • A maximum of one year

    • A maximum of three years

    • A maximum of five years

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