The GEO-Academy International Teachers Conference took place in Paris (27–28 April), marking the conclusion of a three-year European initiative dedicated to strengthening geo-education and integrating geospatial technologies into teaching and learning.
Hosted by Eurisy at ESA headquarters, the event brought together educators, researchers, and project partners from across Europe, all working on the same fundamental question: how does geospatial training translate into real, lasting classroom change?
All guest speakers highlighted the growing importance of geo-education in developing green, digital, and spatial skills, as well as its role in connecting learning with real-world environmental and societal challenges.
The heart of the conference was the teachers, who presented the projects they have developed with their students within GEO-Academy, including: noise pollution mapping, urban heat island studies, fire prevention mapping, forest monitoring, as well as robotics and 3D-printed student projects.
A standout moment was the presentation by the winning school of the GeoVoices Map Storytelling competition from Cyprus- a reminder that geo-education is not a curriculum document but a way of giving the next generation the tools to speak about their world and why it matters to their community.
Spotin actively contributed to the conference by presenting the Map Competition methodology as a concrete, scalable model for geo-education, from our Panhellenic editions in Greece to GeoVoices at European level.
GEO-Academy leaves behind a strong legacy, offering an innovative framework for geo-education in Europe and reinforcing the role of geospatial technologies as tools for learning, exploration and active citizenship.
