Guidelines for Organizing and Hosting ISPRS Student Consortium Summer Schools

I. OVERVIEW

The International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Student Consortium (ISPRS SC) is the official representation of the students and the young professionals to ISPRS. The main purpose of the ISPRS SC is to link students, young researchers and professionals in different countries, who are interested in photogrammetry, remote sensing and geospatial information science. The ISPRS SC also aims to provide a platform for exchange of information and to organize student-specific events and other activities that integrate students and the young professionals more effectively into ISPRS activities.

One of the major activities of the ISPRS SC is the Summer School (SS), which aims to provide an opportunity for students and young researchers, in general under the age of 35, to participate in a series of lectures, practical sessions, technical tours and social events as well as to provide an avenue for the participants, lecturers and host organizers to establish and widen their professional networks. An equally important objective of organizing a SS is that cost should be kept to an absolute minimum to allow the attendance of students from economically challenged countries, and, in general, achieve a strong participation.

II. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the ISPRS summer school are as follows:

To provide an opportunity for students and young researchers to participate in an international event,
To provide a platform of learning exchange for students, young researchers, lecturers and experts in the fields of remote sensing, photogrammetry and geospatial information science,
To allow students and young researchers to interact in a comfortable environment through technical, educational and/or recreational tours, and social events,
To immerse international participants to the culture and practices of the host country,
To promote the ISPRS SC and its activities, as well as to recruit members into the organization,
To introduce ISPRS activities and potential opportunities within the organization to the participants, and
To foster friendship and nurture a future of collaboration among students, young researchers, lecturers, experts, and members and officers of the ISPRS SC and ISPRS.

III. SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM

International and local lecturers should deliver the lectures during the summer school.
Practical sessions accompanying the lectures are highly encouraged. Participants must be informed beforehand regarding the availability of resources or the need to bring their own personal computers for the sessions.
Technical sessions where participants can present their research or current work is also highly encouraged.
Technical demonstrations and lectures from sponsors may also be part of the SS.
The length of the SS is normally 5 days, but other formats can be considered.
A one-day technical, educational and/or recreational tour should be organized and preferably scheduled for the 3rd or 4th day of the summer school.
Social events must be organized during the summer school. Icebreaker and farewell parties are required on the first and last day of the summer school, respectively. Additional social events may include dinner at local restaurants, fun games, social drinking and other well-known events in the locality of the venue of the summer school.

IV. SUMMER SCHOOL APPLICATION

Organizations interested in organizing and hosting an ISPRS Student Consortium Summer School should submit an application (see Appendix A) to the ISPRS SC Chair with a copy to the ISPRS VP for approval. The application should contain:

Theme. A general theme for the summer school is preferred and will help to find good lecturers and promote the event to the appropriate audience. Such a general theme is not mandatory, however.
Location. The venue of the summer school can be within an academic institution/organization or other places as long as the facilities needed for the event are available and accessible to the organizing committee and the participants.
Dates. When defining the dates of the summer school, local and international schedules such as lecturing times at universities, ISPRS events should be taken into account.
Lecturers. The organizers should determine who are the best local and international lecturers for the proposed theme and should coordinate with them for their availability; if needed, ISPRS officers may assist in selecting lecturers.
Budget Proposal. At the minimum, the application must contain the participant fees. If financial assistance is applied for, a complete budget must be submitted to justify the requested funding. The organizers must clearly identify the needs and corresponding expenses for the summer school.

V. REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION

The review of the application ensures that the specific objectives of the summer school (see Section II) are met and follows standard criteria, including the quality and the potential impact of the proposed SS as well as serving ISPRS’ interest at large. In case of competitive proposals, preference is given to applicants from underrepresented and economically challenged countries and regions.

The ISPRS SC Chair performs a formal check of the application. In case the application passes this check, he/she starts the evaluation process by sharing the application package with the ISPRS SC board members. Upon completion of the evaluation, the ISPRS SC Chair submits a recommendation to the ISPRS Vice President . If the Vice President supports the application, he/she forwards the documents to the ISPRS Secretary General for official approval. In case financial assistance is requested, this approval will be subject to funds being available (see Section VI). If approved, the ISPRS Secretary General informs all parties concerned, the local organizers are allowed to use the ISPRS and ISPRS SC name and logo for promoting their SS, and the event is called "ISPRS Student Consortium Summer School".

The whole evaluation process should take no more than four weeks.

In case the summer school is not approved at any of the mentioned stages, reasons for rejection need to be given by the respective body in writing. The ISPRS SC Chair returns the application to the applicant together with these reasons with a copy to the ISPRS VP. After corrections have been applied, the application can be submitted again.

VI. FUNDING

The organizers are strongly encouraged to seek sponsors and other potential sources of funds for the summer school. A summer school can also be organized as part of a bigger event, which can provide the needed financial assistance and logistics as well as potential participants.
Summer schools are preferably self-funded, but if this is not feasible, then financial assistance may be requested. The application form contains an optional section about the financial assistance needed for the summer school (see Appendix B). The budget form should be carefully filled in as it provides the basis for the approval of the financial assistance. There is no guarantee that the full amount requested will be provided, and the financial assistance is subject to evaluation and availability of funds.
In case financial assistance is applied for, the ISPRS Council with optional cooperation of TIF decides whether funding can be made available. Such applications need to be submitted to the ISPRS SC in good time for the assistance to be included in the yearly ISPRS SC budget. Normally, applications with funding requirements should be made in the autumn of the year prior to the potential date of the summer school.
If financial assistance is provided for a SS, then the organizers are required to submit a narrative and a financial report after the summer school. Receipts and other proofs of payment are required to be attached to the financial report.
The financial assistance will only be provided once the necessary documents have been submitted. Once approved by the Council, the reimbursement will be processed in coordination with the ISPRS Treasurer.

VII. LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

The local organizing committee selects a chair who will lead the organization of the summer school and a secretariat to supervise the applications of potential participants.
The ISPRS SC assigns a maximum of two contact persons from its current board members to assist the local organizing committee.
The local organizing committee may provide progress reports on the preparation of the summer school at their discretion. ISPRS SC, ISPRS VP and Council may request information if they think necessary.
An ISPRS SC representative may be present during the summer school and may provide additional logistical assistance necessary to the event.

VIII. PARTICIPANT’S APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION

Participants are limited to students and young researchers/professionals, in general under the age of 35.
Participants are required to submit a participant application form (see Appendix C). These applications will be checked by a selection committee (see Section IX).
Invitations to the selected applicants will be sent from the SS secretariat. Participants are required to confirm their registration within a given time period.
In case interest to attend the SS is above capacity, a waiting list will be provided by the selection committee from which potential participants will be selected to handle cancellations and lack of confirmation from the selected applicants.
Participants are required to provide travel documents and further information requested by the local organizing committee to the SS secretariat in good time.

IX. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PARTICIPANTS

A selection committee, comprised of selected members of the local organizing committee (if needed, with the assistance of ISPRS SC and WG) will evaluate the submitted applications. Members may be added to the selection committee as deemed necessary and will be selected from individuals who were previously or are still involved in the activities of the ISPRS SS.
The criteria for selection are as follows:

International participants may be given a higher priority for attending.
Priority may be given to first time applicants of the summer school.
Participants for the summer school should preferably be geographically well distributed to ensure diversity.
Participants are also evaluated based on their current knowledge and interest in the summer school’s theme as well as on their contributions in their academic, scientific and/or professional careers.
Participants who have definite sources of funding for attending the summer school will be given a higher priority.
Women are encouraged to attend, and, in comparable situations, preference will be given to women applicants.

The selection committee will keep a list of potential participants, including a waiting list.

X. FEES

The summer school fees are set based on the minimal needs of the logistics and/or the normal student’s financial capability of the organizing country, and preferably kept to a minimum.
Fees may be paid through bank or wire transfer or credit card, if the local organizing committee can provide such facility and by cash in person at the summer school check-in.

XI. PROMOTION AND PUBLICATION

A website and other promotional materials for information dissemination about the summer school must be established by the local organizers at the latest one month after the approval was given.
The local organizers are required to submit a short promotional write-up for the summer school as well as creative materials (such as banners and logos) to enable the ISPRS SC and ISPRS Secretary General to disseminate the information through email, website, social media, the ISPRS eBulletin and the ISPRS Calendar.
The local organizers are required to submit an article (minimum of 300 words) promoting the summer school, the academic institution/organization and the host country for the ISPRS SC Newsletter and ISPRS eBulletin; note that the article may be used for other promotional media.
After the summer school, the local organizers are required to submit a report about the statistics and activities of the summer school that will be published in the ISPRS SC Newsletter and ISPRS eBulletin. In addition, a short memo on “Lessons Learnt” should be sent to the ISPRS SC, ISPRS VP and ISPRS Council.
In case an ISPRS SC representative is present at an SS, an allocated presentation time during the opening of the summer school must be provided to introduce the organization and its activities as well as to invite the participants to join the organization. Otherwise, the Chair of SS organizers should substitute the ISPRS SC representative.

XII. MATERIALS

Participants must be provided with a summer school kit, which can contain the badge, lecture materials (both, electronic and hardcopy), notebook, pen and other materials that may be needed or may be useful for the participants during the summer school.
The local organizing committee is required to distribute printed version of the latest ISPRS SC Newsletter issue and the promotional leaflets of the organization as well as other ISPRS flyers that could be of interest.

XIII. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Attendance must be regularly checked and only those participants who attended all sessions will be awarded the Certificate of Completion. Absences are not allowed, unless the reason is justifiable.

XIV. EVALUATION

In order to ensure the quality of the summer schools and to keep up with the needs of students and young researchers/professionals, a participants’ evaluation of the summer school must be conducted. This may be distributed in printed copies during the last session or through online surveys. The cumulative statistical results should be part of the memo sent to ISPRS VP and ISPRS Council.

XV. ISPRS CO-SPONSORED SUMMER SCHOOLS

Besides the ISPRS Student Consortium Summer Schools, organizers can apply for co-sponsorship of a summer school. The application and evaluation proceed in the same way as for ISPRS Student Consortium Summer Schools, except the application form contains an appropriate box, which needs to be ticked in this case.

If approved, ISPRS and ISPRS SC name and logo can be used by the local organizers; financial assistance from ISPRS and/or TIF will not be provided for co-sponsored summer schools.

XVI.FURTHER INQUIRY AND CONTACT INFORMATION

For any additional inquiries or other concerns, please contact the ISPRS SC.: sc@isprs.org.