#7 Social Media Alignment for Student-to-Professional Grade Retention

Retaining membership through student-to-professional member grade transition is weak spot in IEEE sustainability. A reasonable estimate of the attrition is the ratio of IEEE YP YOY growth to student member YOY growth. Using this metric, IEEE suffers a 78% attrition rate. This could be mitigated by reducing communication inefficiencies between students/student branches and IEEE Section/Region/National. We propose using a coordinated multilevel IEEE information feed to student members through branch social media channels.

#12 Academia–Industry Collaboration Platform

Develop a global platform and program to connect academia and industry through joint events, real-world challenges, and expert networks. This includes curated databases of speakers and professionals, co-creation spaces for projects, and incentives for collaboration to enhance innovation, employability, and the practical impact of IEEE activities.

#19 Bridging the Digital Divide

Launch a “Technology Access for All” program to deploy affordable connectivity and digital literacy training in underserved areas. By utilizing open-source networking and community-led infrastructure, this initiative integrates academia, industry, and government to bridge the digital divide. These efforts empower local talent and provide equitable access to education and healthcare, driving sustainable socio-economic development and global social good.

#23 Launch a Section-Level Engagement Challenge with Seed Grants for Pilot Projects Connecting Industry and Academia

Section-level industry/academia connection initiatives may include: annual expos featuring poster/innovation competitions, company showcases, panel discussions with talks on local impact

This will elevate IEEE’s visibility to employers, strengthens student career pipelines, and positions the local Section as a model for community-based technical engagement.

#24 NextGen Improvement

Effort should be placed towards improving the NextGen user experience (making it easier to use). While NextGen has many data elements, a dashboard has been suggested to make it easier for Treasurers and other people who access the financials including society and chapters along with student branches. Volunteer is not ‘free’ staff time. The entry of financial information has shifted from staff to volunteers. Every financial transaction has to be entered, even $1.06.

#27 Developing Future Engineers for Societal Impact

IEEE should establish a cross-organizational program involving MGA, TA, EA, YP, and industry partners to support Students and Young Professionals. The goal is to help them gain skills, experience, and networks to address societal challenges through technology. The program should expand mentoring, industry engagement, and training in AI, sustainability, and systems thinking, while sharing best practices across Regions and reducing financial barriers. Expected outcomes include higher engagement, better retention after graduation, and stronger industry connections.

#29 Create a Global IEEE Micro-credential Framework for High Schoolers, Offering Industry-recognized Badges in Technical Disciplines

This framework establishes IEEE as a career-starter for high schoolers, offering industry-recognized digital badges in fields like chip fabrication and robotics. By integrating professional mentorship across geographic units, we bridge the gap between classroom learning and industrial practice. This early engagement builds a robust pipeline for future membership, providing students with globally consistent, locally relevant credentials that validate their technical skills and instill lifelong loyalty to the IEEE professional community.

#31 Simplification of Access to Information

IEEE should prioritize, over the next three years: Simplifying member communication preferences – launching an agile, modern, user-friendly platform for easy selection/adjustment of content type, volume, and frequency

#32 AI-Driven Digital Transformation for IEEE Section Operations

Develop and deploy a standardized suite of digital tools, including an IEEE AI assistant, to streamline Section operations such as training, reporting, knowledge management, membership administration, and officer support. The AI assistant would leverage IEEE procedures, manuals, MGA regulations, and operational documentation to provide timely guidance on tools such as vTools, membership systems, Concur, and other IEEE processes. This initiative aims to reduce administrative burden, improve operational efficiency, enhance access to institutional knowledge, and enable volunteers and officers to focus on strategic, high-value activities.

#33 An Ethical Curriculum and Literacy Toolkit

A global, standardized framework for educators and students focusing on practical ethics, sustainability, safety, societal impact, and AI literacy. This would include case-based learning and certified training modules on prompt engineering, bias detection, and ethical data use, enabling learners to make effective use of generative AI while maintaining academic integrity, critical thinking, and responsible innovation.

#34 An AI Governance and Policy Toolkit

A localized toolkit to support IEEE Sections in hosting responsible AI workshops with regional policymakers and industry leaders. This will provide practical guidelines, accountability standards, and certification programs to drive responsible, human-centric innovation across diverse regulatory landscapes.