ISPRS STUDENT CONSORTIUM: THE NETWORK OF YOUTH IN GEOINFORMATION SOCIETY

Abstract. The ISPRS Student Consortium (SC) initiative started at the 20_th ISPRS Congress in Istanbul, 2004.After four years of volunteer activity, an official structure for volunteers was needed. With the implementation of the SC Statutes in the ISPRS Beijing Congress in 2008, the first ISPRS Student Consortium Board Members were elected. Since this day, SC volunteers and supporters have continued to contribute through numerous activities in order to promote the Society and connect young people with a similar interest in the profession. So far, promotional activities have taken place in various places in Europe, North and Central America, Asia and Australia. SC members have not only participated in the events, but also organized activities, taken responsibilities and represented youth in ISPRS midterm symposiums and ISPRS Centenary Celebrations as well as other related events. Summer schools, as the main SC event, are organized with the help of ISPRS TC VI/5 and are focused on the needs and interests of scientific communities around the world. The SC community has been constantly growing with almost 750 members over 85 countries at present, registered through our self-developed website. The organization also publishes its own Newsletter four times per year, with the intention to transmit the messages and news from ISPRS and the SC. The Newsletter is a perfect platform for presenting useful technical, educational and informational material prepared by members and distributed freely among the supporters. Throughout time, the SC has received guiding, motivational and administrative support from WG VI/5 as well as TC VI and the ISPRS Council. Activities have been financially supported by foundations, commercial enterprises and academic organizations and many SC members have received grants to present their work in different scientific events. In addition, the SC has started and established permanent connections and signed agreements for better networking with the youth organizations of the sister Societies of ISPRS. This paper presents the achievements reached over the last four years, the experiences of the SC Board and Regional Representatives and the feedback from our members. It provides an insight for the youth organizations run under other scientific and technical societies. A vision for the continuum of the activities and establishing regional and national developments are suggested. A revised road-map for the future is outlined in the conclusion.