As one of the final major milestones of the GEO-Academy project, the conference provided an opportunity to reflect on three years of collaboration dedicated to strengthening geospatial education, Earth Observation (EO), GIS and sustainability learning in schools. Participants from Austria, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Sweden, Bulgaria and France joined the event alongside representatives from ESA, COSPAR, Esri UK and GEO-Academy partner organisations. 

The conference opened with keynote sessions featuring several high-level speakers from the European space and education ecosystem. Kai-Uwe Schrogl, ESA Special Adviser for Political Affairs and former President of the International Institute of Space Law, highlighted the growing importance of spatial literacy and geospatial education within Europe’s future education and space strategies. Jean-Claude Worms, Executive Director of COSPAR, emphasized the importance of international scientific cooperation and the need to translate Earth Observation knowledge into societal value through education and outreach. 

Throughout the conference, GEO-Academy partners showcased the project’s main achievements, including the development of the GEOBSERVE platform, GEO-Hubs, teacher training modules and practical educational resources designed to support the integration of geospatial technologies into classrooms. 

The second day of the conference focused strongly on panel discussions dedicated to the future of GEO-education and the transformation of classroom practices. 

The first panel, “Building Tomorrow’s Educators: Emerging Competence Needs in GEO-Education”, moderated by Dr. Loukas Katikas, brought together Claire Evans from Bloxham School, Katie Hall from Esri UK, Clara Cruz Niggebrugge from ESA and Olympia Befa from Ellinogermaniki Agogi. 

The discussion explored the future competencies required for teachers and students in an increasingly data-driven and sustainability-focused world. Panelists highlighted the importance of spatial thinking, GIS literacy, inquiry-based learning and the integration of authentic Earth Observation data into classrooms. Katie Hall and Claire Evans notably stressed that the challenge today is not the lack of geospatial tools, but rather curriculum integration, teacher confidence and institutional support. Clara Cruz Niggebrugge also emphasized ESA’s long-term vision for Earth Observation education and the importance of preparing future generations for careers and societal challenges linked to climate and sustainability. 

The second panel, “Transforming Teaching Practices: From GEO-Academy Training to Classroom Impact”, moderated by Shana Sonntag from Eurisy, focused on the concrete implementation of GEO-Academy methodologies in schools. 

Alexandros Pantazis from Ellinogermaniki Agogi, Paula Lomascolo from the Institute for Space Studies, Afroditi Riga from SPOTIN and Evgenia Agapi Vavouraki discussed how teacher training can move beyond isolated workshops to become long-term educational transformation. The discussion highlighted the importance of continuous mentoring, modular educational resources, school leadership support and collaborative ecosystems enabling teachers to adapt geospatial approaches to their own classrooms. 

One of the highlights of the event was the GEO-Academy GeoVoices Map Storytelling Competition, which demonstrated how students can combine digital storytelling, mapping technologies and sustainability topics to better understand their local environment. 

The winning project, “Sustainable Community Living in our School and Beyond”, was presented by students from Agios Spyridonas Lyceum in Limassol, Cyprus. Their work explored how local school initiatives can contribute to broader sustainability goals through geospatial storytelling and community engagement. 

Additional projects showcased during the conference included: 

• “The Rivers of Our Areas” by Eleni Korakaki; 

• “Changing the End: A Map Storytelling Project” by the 3rd Junior High School of Argyroupoli; 

• a Map Storytelling Project developed by Evgenia Tsioupli and Lemonia Laskari from the 1st Model High School “Manolis Andronikos”; 

• and the Award Ceremony Project by Victoria Marques from Agrupamento Terras do Ave European School in Portugal. 

More information about the GeoVoices competition and the participating projects is available on the GEO-Academy website: 

• https://geoacademy.eu/mapstorytelling-competition/ 

• https://geoacademy.eu/geoacademy-map-storytelling-competition/ 

• https://geoacademy.eu/announcing-the-winners-of-the-geoacademy-map-storytelling-competition/ 

A major focus of the conference was also placed on teachers’ presentations and classroom implementation. Teachers from across Europe presented concrete educational activities developed through GEO-Academy training and demonstrated how geospatial technologies are already being integrated into schools. 

Philippe Longchamps from Sweden presented a field study in which students mapped noise pollution around their school using ArcGIS Online and geolocated field data before proposing mitigation strategies linked to urban sustainability. Ana Rola from Portugal showcased projects on urban heat island mitigation and Nature-Based Solutions using StoryMaps and Copernicus data adapted to local contexts. 

In Austria, Julia Haidacher introduced a teaching sequence on bark beetle infestations and forest health using interactive climate and mapping tools, while Thomas Flatscher presented an innovative “Geodesign” project combining laser scanning, 3D modelling and digital landscape representation. 

Teachers from Cyprus also shared interdisciplinary STEM projects combining geospatial tools, drone simulations, coding and wildfire prevention scenarios. Charalambos Charalambous demonstrated how students used Google Earth, Scratch programming and mathematical modelling to explore forest fire prevention and environmental awareness. 

Additional presentations highlighted robotics workshops, outdoor environmental education and inquiry-based sustainability projects. Hélio Domingues from Portugal shared student-centred activities focused on wildfire prevention and environmental stewardship, while Eva Axheden from Sweden demonstrated how outdoor learning activities using the GEOBSERVE platform support experiential environmental education. 

Olympia Befa and Evgenia Agapi Vavouraki from Greece also presented projects linking sustainability education, biodiversity exploration and spatial thinking through inquiry-based learning activities implemented in both primary and secondary education. 

Rather than discussing GEO-education in abstract terms, these presentations showcased concrete classroom applications already tested in schools and demonstrated how students engage directly with real environmental and societal challenges using Earth Observation data and geospatial technologies. 

Beyond the conference sessions themselves, the event generated strong visibility online and across professional networks. Participants, keynote speakers and teachers actively shared conference highlights on LinkedIn, contributing to increased engagement around GEO-Academy and geospatial education. During the conference, GEO-Academy gained more than 50 new LinkedIn subscribers, while conference-related posts reached hundreds of users and were reposted by speakers and participants across Europe. 

Pictures and highlights from teachers’ presentations, student projects and panel discussions further contributed to showcasing the diversity and concrete impact of GEO-Academy activities in classrooms and educational communities. 

As one participant noted: 

“The GEO-Academy event held in May 2026 in Paris, at the headquarters of the European Space Agency, was exceptionally well organized by EURISY. Their professionalism and attention to detail played a key role in making the event an outstanding success, bringing together participants from across Europe to explore a wide range of engaging and thought-provoking topics. GEO-Academy embodies the future of geographical education: collaborative, innovative, and deeply rooted in the real challenges facing our planet. It is an essential initiative, connecting experts, educators, and learners around a shared goal to better understand our world in order to protect it more effectively.” 

The GEO-Academy International Teachers Conference ultimately confirmed the emergence of a growing European ecosystem connecting education, sustainability and space-enabled technologies, while empowering teachers and students to use geospatial tools to better understand and address today’s environmental challenges. 

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The discussions highlighted that the challenge is not the lack of data, but rather making it usable, relevant, and integrated into real decision-making processes.

The conference also offered excellent networking opportunities. Eurisy engaged directly with key stakeholders, including representatives from the RST‑TTO Risk Transfer Office in Bulgaria, a Eurisy Member, as well as representatives from EARSC and experts working hands‑on with DRM applications. These in‑person exchanges fostered valuable discussions and paved the way for potential collaborations with highly relevant actors developing innovative, operational tools. 

About the VALORADA project
The VALORADA project (2023–2026) brings together 14 European partners under Horizon Europe to strengthen climate adaptation and resilience at regional and local levels. It supports the EU Mission for Adaptation to Climate Change, which aims to help at least 150 European regions and communities become climate-resilient by 2030. Demonstrators include Gabrovo and Burgas (Bulgaria), Přerov and Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic), Occitanie (France), Central Greece, and Molise (Italy).

VALORADA assesses the data baseline for adaptation by identifying priority climate risks, evaluating the accessibility and usability of European climate and non-climate data, and co-developing a framework linking socioeconomic, demographic, Earth Observation (EO), and climate datasets. The project also develops and showcases prototype data-manipulation tools, co-creates guidelines for building “resilience-information catalogues,” generates climate-risk indicators, and enables the customisable integration of diverse datasets into decision-making processes. To maximise impact, VALORADA ensures its tools follow FAIR principles, are interoperable with existing repositories, and support capacity building across demonstrators.

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Eurisy participated on April 8 in the ESA Future Skills Executive Roundtable, held at European Space Agency Headquarters in Paris.

This closed-door, high-level discussion convened a select group of key stakeholders from across the space ecosystem, from industry leaders, academic experts, to institutional representatives, for an open and thoughtful exchange on the evolving skills landscape.

The session addressed ESA’s talent priorities and the competencies likely to be important for the future space workforce, with participants openly sharing insights on emerging skills and workforce trends in a closed, interactive setting.

A key component of the roundtable was the presentation of the White Paper on the ESA Skills Digital Twin Initiative, which offered a forward-looking analysis of workforce trends. Discussions allowed participants to share perspectives on workforce needs, talent circulation, and retention dynamics, without disclosing sensitive operational details. 

The final session aimed to translate dialogue into action, exploring general opportunities for collaboration across workforce analysis, skills development, and innovation support. The exchanges focused on identifying actionable, high-level approaches to strengthen Europe’s space talent ecosystem. 

Bringing together experts from organisations such as OECD and UNESCO, as well as leading space companies and universities, the roundtable fostered confidential and constructive dialogue under Chatham House rules. Eurisy looks forward to continuing its work in supporting the people and skills that will shape the future of the space sector.

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She focused mainly on: 

• Satellites in agriculture: Maps created from satellite data help monitor crops, optimise irrigation, and reduce costs. This results in fewer inputs, less water used, lower expenses, and better management of fields. 

• Satellites during floods: The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) provides rapid maps to assess impact and guide interventions. She illustrated this with the concrete example of the service being activated in France on 11 February 2026 for flooding near Bordeaux, showing how it helps produce maps quickly to support authorities and farmers in anticipating impacts and organising responses. 

Watch the full interview!

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Stepping directly into the heart of society, Eurisy met the

Why going to the Salon? Agriculture is one of Eurisy’s core thematic areas. Space data is now an essential component of modern farming, supporting crop monitoring, risk management, sustainable practices, and responses to climate‑related challenges. But while space solutions hold enormous potential, their real value emerges only when they meet the everyday needs of those working on the ground. By stepping outside the “space bubble,” we wanted to better understand farmers’ challenges, their current use of satellite data, where solutions succeed, and where they fall short.

Who did we meet? At the EU Commission booth, the DG DEFIS team put on display satellite images and the interactive Copernicus Browser, attracting the public. In the Innovation pavilion, Airbus presented FarmStar, their precision‑agriculture service. The Airbus team also shared insights from their long‑running collaboration with the French Ministry of Agriculture on the Grassland Production Index, which uses satellite imagery and weather data to estimate annual grass growth and trigger insurance payouts when production falls below historical averages.

After talking to space experts, we discussed with public entities. Engaging with the French Agriculture Ministry, our discussion led us to education, and explaining how the integration of space-based content in the French agriculture high schools could be beneficial to the students and the overall domain. 

While talking to other users, we were positively surprised by the use of space data by national French organisations. 

• Seine Grands Lacs, a public authority responsible for managing large reservoir lakes that protect the Île‑de‑France region from flooding, uses satellite imagery to anticipate and monitor flooding risks;  
• Office National des Forêts, France’s national agency charged with managing public forests, safeguarding biodiversity, and preventing natural hazards, uses satellite observation for wildfire detection and monitoring.
• Conservatoires d’Espaces Naturels, the national network dedicated to protecting natural areas, preserving habitats, and monitoring local fauna and flora, uses QGIS and spatial data to delimit and monitor protective spaces. 

We also discovered Beeguard, an innovative project supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) that enhances biomonitoring and biodiversity protection through a system of connected beehives. 

Fields are becoming smarter, and so is the conversation around them. As agriculture goes digital, with satellite imagery, precision tools, and connected devices, TikTok is emerging as an unexpected bridge between farmers, innovators, and the younger generation. It was interesting to learn how, today, agri-influencers are shaping the sector, with simple but impactful educational messages shared on social media.  

Albane Peltier, Project Officer at Eurisy, also had the great opportunity to be a guest at the TV Agri, a leading media outlet specialising in agricultural news and innovation. During the discussion, she shared Eurisy’s mission and highlighted the many ways space technologies already support the agricultural sector. Can’t wait to share the final video with you all! 

What were the key takeaways from the event: Space is Emerging, but Not Fully Understood 

Through dozens of conversations, a clear picture emerged: 

• Awareness is steadily increasing. Satellite imagery is no longer viewed as “science fiction”; many stakeholders are already using it, especially for mapping and large‑scale monitoring. However, broader adoption still requires strong commitment and implementation by major governmental bodies to fully integrate these technologies across specific sectors.

• Knowledge gaps remain. Many still perceive space as “too far away” too complex, too abstract, or reserved for specialised players. 

• Drone solutions feel more familiar. Users appreciate their high resolution, low latency, and hands-on control. 

• But there is curiosity. A lot of it. When presented with concrete examples, most actors were enthusiastic and eager to learn more about how space can support their missions. 

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DEADLINE EXTENDED!

Eurisy is looking for an Operations Manager to join the Team!

Download the vacancy and learn how to apply!

Closing date for applications: 11 February.

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January 27 at 16:30-17:00
Agora Stage
Advancing Disaster Risk Management through EU Space Programme

Disaster Risk Management (DRM) aims to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made hazards through coordinated policies, data, and tools. Since 2022, EUSPA and EURISY have co-organised 13 national workshops across EU countries on how satellite-based services can advance DRM, working closely with national authorities and experts in the field. The session will showcase EU space capabilities and its practical action and impact on DRM, and will share national perspectives, outcomes, follow-ups, and next steps for cooperation and implementation.

Moderated by Žaklin Butinar, Eurisy Interim Secretary General

Opening Remarks: Rodrigo Da Costa, Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)

• Speakers:

Maruška Strah, Slovenian Space Office
Ella Carlsson, Director General, Swedish National Space Agency
Marie Ménard, Communication Officer, European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)
Lucie Kopecká, Space Policy Adviser, Czech Ministry of Transport

Join us for a Networking Cocktail immediately following the panel discussion, at the Eurisy booth located in the Agora Exhibition Area.

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SpaceSUITE, an Erasmus+ project in which EURISY is a partner, aims to strengthen skills development and improve alignment between education, training, and labour market needs in the European space sector.

The project brings together key stakeholders from education, research, industry, and regional ecosystems to better understand current and future skills requirements related to space and space-enabled applications. By fostering collaboration across disciplines and sectors, SpaceSUITE contributes to building a more resilient, innovative, and competitive European space workforce.

The SpaceSUITE surveys aim to gather insights on the downstream space sector, focusing on skills, trends, and training needs. The collected information will help guide the development of tailored training services by the project, ensuring they effectively address the sector’s current and future requirements.

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The Smart City Expo in Barcelona offered a fantastic opportunity to connect the space sector with city communities and explore how space-based solutions can support smart and sustainable urban innovation.

From 4–6 November, Barcelona became the global hub for smart city experts. The pavilions were buzzing with cutting-edge technologies and visionary ideas that are transforming how we design, manage, and experience cities. Autonomous vehicles, advanced camera systems, integrated security solutions, and even security robots animated the exhibition halls, where delegations from around the world showcased their best innovations and forged new partnerships.

As we walked through the booths, one question guided our conversations: “Do you integrate space technologies and data into your solutions?” The initial reaction was often surprise, and sometimes followed by a confident, “Yes, of course we do.”

While space was not the central theme of the expo, it was undeniably present—and increasingly relevant.

This year marked a growing presence of the space community at the event, including Eurisy members and partners. The European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC) hosted a booth featuring 14  space companies and organisations, among them the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), an Eurisy member. 

The European Space Agency’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) programme team was present, showcasing the opportunities and ongoing work within its Task Force on Smart and Green Cities. Representatives from the Netherlands Space Office were also on site, and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) had a dedicated booth highlighting its projects on urban mobility. 

Eurisy kicked off its presence at the Smart City Expo World Congress by joining the GeoAI Toolkit Validation Workshop, organised by ICLEI Europe in collaboration with UN-Habitat. As partners with ICLEI Europe in the Focus Group on Geospatial Tools for Cities, Eurisy was invited to contribute to this event, which brought together urban planners, city leaders, and GeoAI experts from around the world.

The workshop served as a feedback and validation session for the upcoming GeoAI Toolkit – a practical guide designed to support urban planners in integrating geospatial artificial intelligence into their daily workflows. Participants explored key application areas, challenges, and integration strategies through interactive breakout sessions, facilitated by ICLEI Europe and UN-Habitat experts including Dr. Tanya Baycheva-Merger, Alis Daniela Torres, Xavier Casanova, Laia Gemma García Fernández, Yasmina Grieco, and Roberta Maio.

The programme featured compelling case studies, such as mapping informal settlements in South Africa (presented by Yuming Pan, UNITAC), deep learning for building change detection in Catalonia (Mariona Carós, ICGC), and AI for property tax systems in the D.R. Congo (Adele Somat, LoGRI). 

The toolkit is nearing completion and will be publicly available by the end of the year, and we look forward to sharing it with our community. 

The Smart City Expo was the ideal stage to present the achievements of one year of work within the Geospatial Tools for Cities Focus Group.

It was a valuable moment to reconnect with the Focus Group participants in person, and engage with new stakeholders interested in the role of geospatial technologies in urban innovation. A networking event at the EARSC booth was the perfect place to spark meaningful discussions and pave the way for new collaborations.

Our session, “The Space Between Us: Bridging Satellites and Smart Cities,” brought together the experts from both the space and urban sectors, creating a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives.

Anika Ruess (MindEarth) introduced CityNexus Pro, an innovative urban digital twin application that supports evidence-based decision-making in urban planning. Currently deployed on the EU DestinE Service Platform, CityNexus leverages AI and Earth Observation data to simulate “what-if” scenarios for sustainable mobility and urban transformations. It enables cities to forecast outcomes, evaluate trade-offs, and foster collaboration across stakeholders—an unprecedented tool for shaping resilient urban futures. 

Nicolas Juguet (Keyros) presented the Oracles Project, a collaboration with Météo-France, BRGM, IGN, and Keyros. This initiative pioneers uncertainty-aware visualization tools for weather alerts, empowering authorities to make informed decisions during crises. Through a marine submersion use case in France’s Arcachon Bay, Oracles demonstrates how innovative data representation bridges the gap between scientific forecasts and operational response, enhancing preparedness and public trust. Access the presentation of the use cases here. 

The session concluded with preliminary insights from our ongoing survey of Focus Group participants, revealing crucial initial trends and detailed data. These findings will inform the development of a comprehensive final report, including guidelines and recommendations for the European Commission, shaping the future integration of geospatial tools in smart city strategies, which will be published next year. Support our study by filling in the SURVEY. To learn more about the Focus Group activities visit our dedicated web page and email us at: eurisy@eurisy.eu.

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One of the central objectives of this year’s EuroGEO Workshop was a clear and compelling call to action:

“Engage youth and startups, showcase next-generation EO innovation, and identify how EuroGEO can better support emerging actors in the EO ecosystem.”
— EuroGEO Workshop 2025

This focus aligns seamlessly with the GEO post-2025 strategy, which emphasises:

“Increasing participation of young people in the development of Earth Intelligence.”
— Youth are the future of Earth Intelligence for All – GEO

Continuing its commitment from previous years, Eurisy was invited to design and moderate a dedicated session exploring how emerging actors can shape the future of Earth Observation (EO). The session centred around three key questions:

• How can students, young professionals, and innovation networks actively contribute to advancing the EO sector?
• How can EuroGEO scale up these initiatives to maximise their impact?
• How can these efforts be integrated into a broader vision for a new era of Earth Intelligence—one that prioritises inclusion, cooperation, and equity?

This dynamic panel brought together voices from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise to identify challenges, share insights, and spark meaningful discussions with the audience.

Graham Turnock, Secretary General of Eurisy, opened the session by emphasising the strategic importance of engaging the next generation in EO. He reaffirmed Eurisy’s commitment to this mission through its outreach and activities and projects, like SpaceSUITE and GEO Academy.

Kim Regnery (Netherlands), point of contact for the Space Generation Advisory Council, underscored the value of youth communities and networks in guiding students and young professionals toward careers in EO. She highlighted the role of hackathons and competitions in gamifying education and skill development—making learning both engaging and impactful.

Jakko de Jong, representing the Dutch startup Spheer, addressed the existing skills gaps in the EO sector. He also pointed to the transformative potential of AI in enabling broader access to space data and empowering both EO professionals as users.

From left to right: Graham Turnock, Jakko de Jong, Kim Regnery, Stanislaw Lewinsky, Andrei-Bocin Dimitru.

Andrei-Bocin Dimitru from dotSPACE presented the organisation’s latest activities, with a particular focus on the innovative projects SKIES and SpaceSUITE, which train and empower students and young professionals. He stressed the need to move from data to meaning, stressing the need to turn information into intelligence, mentioning how EuroGEO can play a great role in this vision as an innovation ecosystem.

Stanislaw Lewinski from the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences introduced the LEOO initiative—the Local Earth Observation Observatoryof Poland, a scientific group founded in 2024 by students from Emilia Plater High School in Biała Podlaska, eastern Poland, following their concept presentation at EuroGEO 2024 in Kraków.

LEOO is driven by a set of inspiring objectives:

• Gaining practical experience in satellite remote sensing
• Popularising science among youth
• Exploring new career paths
• Participating in interactive learning experiences
• Collaborating with local communities and institutions
• Celebrating and promoting student achievements

The second part of the session featured the LEOO team on stage, including professors Renata Michalczuk and Sławomir Filipiuk, along with students Martyna Michałowska and Michał Bednarek. They shared their journey, highlighted key milestones from the past year, and showcased the wide range of activities and events they’ve participated in.

Most notably, the team proposed an idea: the creation of a European network of Local Earth Observation Observatories. This initiative would connect high schools across Europe, fostering collaboration between local groups and amplifying the impact of youth-led EO projects. An idea that, with the support of the EuroGEO network, could be scaled up to become a cornerstone of inclusive and cooperative Earth Intelligence development.

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