History of the Foundation

The Geo Promotion Foundation was founded in 1986 by students of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences from the University of Groningen. Over the years Geo Promotion has organized several events such as symposia, seminars, and colloquials for the faculty. These activities all have a geographic, spatial, or real estate background.

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Only in 1989 the first ever conference was organized. The goal of the Foundation is to promote the interest for spatial sciences and to connect students in the spatial domain to the working field. Foundation Geo Promotion has emerged from faculty association Ibn Battuta as a conference committee and has, to this day, still very close contact with the association.

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Since 1989 the following conferences were organized by Foundation Geo Promotion:

1989: Schijnwerpers op Scandinavië
1991: De intelligente stad
1993: Oost- Europa
1994: Regiovorming met beleid
1996: De optimale investeringslocatie?
1998: Spreiding of concentratie?
1999: Arbeidsmarktperspectieven voor geografen en planologen
2001: Real e-state
2003: De veilige omgeving: Werkelijkheid of utopie?
2005: OV-beleid: De regio aan het stuur?
2006: Water: Bron van kansen? 
2008: Krimp en Ruimte: Kansen voor het Noorden?
2009: Bedrijventerreinen: Tijd voor ruimtelijke kwaliteit!
2010: Ruimte voor Energie!
2011: De Grensoverschrijdende Regio: Krachten in het Noorden
2012: De Stad van de Toekomst: Visies op stedelijke ontwikkeling
2014: De Risico’s te Boven: van Onzekerheden naar Kansen
2015: De innoverende ruimte: hoe verandert technologie onze toekomst
2016: Reinventing the city – De kansen van herbestemming en transformatie
2017: Van Eigen Bodem – Transitie naar de zelfvoorzienende ruimte
2018: Energize the future - Spatial implementation of energy policies
2019: Expect the Unexpected - Risk management in socio-spatial planning
2020: The Fair Share - Managing spatial differences
2021: Resetting our Spatial Environment - The Interplay between the Physical and Virtual World
2022: Inside the Inner City: How to Sustain Liveable Urban Centers
2023: From 0 to 100: Balancing multi-generational spatial needs
2024: Raising Roofs, Planting Roots: When Urban Densification Meets Green Infrastructure
2025: Energy for Everyone: An inclusive energy transition towards a future proof living environment.

A group of five young adults in formal gray suits, three women and two men, posing in a wood-paneled room with large stained glass windows and heavy curtains. Two women are seated in front on blue upholstered chairs, while the others stand behind them.