ISPRS-Annals ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences ISPRS-Annals ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci. 2194-9050 Copernicus Publications Göttingen, Germany 10.5194/isprs-annals-XI-5-2026-35-2026 Empowering the Next Generation: ISPRS Student Consortium's Global Initiatives in Education, Networking, and Capacity Building Thapa Laxmi 1 Okolie Chukwuma John 2 Vasala Saicharan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7334-8919 3 Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK African Centre for Cities, School of Architecture Planning and Geomatics, University of Cape Town, South Africa Sharda University, Uttar Pradesh, India 10 07 2026 XI-5-2026 35 43 Copyright: © 2026 Laxmi Thapa et al. 2026 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This article is available from https://isprs-annals.copernicus.org/articles/XI-5-2026/35/2026/isprs-annals-XI-5-2026-35-2026.html The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://isprs-annals.copernicus.org/articles/XI-5-2026/35/2026/isprs-annals-XI-5-2026-35-2026.pdf

The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Student Consortium (ISPRS SC) serves as the official representation of students and young professionals within ISPRS, connecting a global network of more than 900 active members from 64 countries as of November 2025. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of ISPRS SC activities during the 2022-2025 Board of Directors tenure, highlighting significant expansion in educational outreach and capacity building initiatives. Key achievements include facilitating 15 summer schools across seven countries, providing hands-on training in emerging geospatial technologies, and organizing more than 40 webinars through partnerships with the ten International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Student Consortium (ISPRS) Working Groups, demonstrating substantial growth from 2 webinars in 2022 to 24 in 2025. The consortium successfully launched 11 Student Chapters worldwide, establishing localized networks that promote inclusive access to geospatial education across diverse regions. Through quarterly publication of the SpeCtrum newsletter, maintenance of active social media presence across four platforms reaching over 10,000 followers, and organization of networking events at major ISPRS symposia, the consortium has strengthened its communication, networking and professional development opportunities. The paper also discusses operational challenges including funding constraints, geographic representation gaps, and Board capacity limitations, while outlining future initiatives including a mentorship program, virtual symposium, and comprehensive Congress 2026 activities. These efforts underscore ISPRS SC's evolving role in developing the next generation of geospatial professionals equipped to address global sustainability challenges.