The Symposium on Space Educational Activities (SSEA), organised by the European Space Agency’s Education Office, provides a forum for university students, professionals working in education, and other professionals in industry or agencies to present and discuss their experiences organising, running and/or participating in Educational Activities related to Space. After successful past events in Padova (2015), Budapest (2018), Leicester (2019), and Barcelona (2022), the 5th SSEA is to be held on April 2026 (the 8th, 9th, and 10th) in Munich, Germany.
The local organisation team is led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), involving Professors, PostDocs, PhD Candidates, and Master’s and Bachelor’s students, in close collaboration with the Bavarian aerospace ecosystem partners.
The purposes of the SSEA are the following:
- Showcase Student Projects: Provide a platform for tertiary education (university and vocational) students and young professionals to present their hands-on projects, including satellite development, robotics, experiments aboard the ISS, and other space science and technology initiatives.
- Facilitate Collaboration: Encourage networking and collaboration among students, educators, industry professionals, and institutions involved in space education.
- Exchange Best Practices: Share innovative teaching methods, tools, and approaches to make space education more engaging and effective.
- Promote Diversity and Inclusion: Highlight initiatives aimed at increasing diversity in the space sector, including gender balance, accessibility, and outreach to underrepresented communities.
- Promote the importance of space education: To elevate the understanding of academic, industrial and government institutions/organisations of the importance of hands-on activities and specialised training and learning opportunities in the preparation of the next generation of space scientists, engineers and others.
- Discuss Future Trends: Explore emerging trends in space education, including the use of new technologies, interdisciplinary approaches, and the role of space in solving global challenges.
- Address the skills gap: Discuss the identified gap between the hard and soft skills provided by current educational curricula and the needs of the space industry.
- Support Career Development: Help students and young professionals connect with mentors, educational organisations, and potential employers in the space industry.
About 300 participants are expected to attend the 5th SSEA. Expected attendees of the SSEA include:
- Current, past and potential University and vocational tertiary educational student participants in curricular and extra-curricular space educational activities.
- Members of student/young person (aero)space associations and clubs.
- University professors and teachers, providing curricular and extra-curricular activities related to space science or technology at the tertiary education level.
- Educators from non-academic organisations providing or supporting space educational activities at the tertiary education level.
- Representatives from industry, government and inter-governmental bodies with interests in the current and future state of space educational activities and the effect on the future space industry work force.
The 5th SSEA is an inclusive event, not only for engineers and scientists. Everyone interested in educational activities in space is welcome and has a place at the SSEA! See you in April in Munich!