Vision, Mission & Objectives

Vision

The European space University for earth and humanity.

Through the ages, Space has inspired wonder, questions, cultural and artistic works and technology innovation. It has the potential to concern all students and researchers covering a broad range of subjects and applications.

The night sky and dreams of travel into space have inspired myths and legends and artists long before the space age. Stars were the main means of finding direction and navigating before the compass and GPS. Space enthuses many of us. It has the potential to concern all students and researchers as this field covers a broad range of subjects and applications, ranging from the design of space habitat concepts for the moon or mars to psychosocial and health challenges of living in Space, law governing space-related activities, astronomical art, space engineering…

As expressed by Paul Weissenberg, Deputy Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry:

Space for societal challenges 

EU space policy aims to tackle some of the most pressing challenges today, such as fighting climate change or managing natural resources. Space technology, data and services have proven to be indispensable in the life of Europeans and for sustainable development. For example, EU space data is transforming our daily lives with services such as: increasing efficiency in agriculture and fisheries, helping regions and people access knowledge and information, improving crisis response, protecting the environment and helping to tackle climate change, increasing security, improving citizens’ health, optimising transport.

Space sustainability 

Working on sustainable space is essential to guarantee the ability of all human beings to continue to use outer space over the long term. There is a need to make the space sector more sustainable and to work on how technology and the environment can thrive together. UNIVERSEH is also conscious that the proliferation of space debris remains the most serious risk of the sustainability of space activities and will contribute to the European effort to address this issue. Moreover, access to space in a sustainable way is a key challenge to be addressed for the future missions.

Space exploration 

During ESA’s Council at ministerial level (Space19+ organised in 2019), the Member states committed to space exploration through their involvement in the International Space Station until 2030 and in “Space Gateway,” the first space station to orbit the Moon. European astronauts will fly to the Moon for the first time. Member States have confirmed their support to the ground-breaking Mars Sample Return mission, in cooperation with NASA. Consequently, space exploration is a major priority and UNIVERSEH will contribute to the EU’s effort in this strategic domain.

Space resources and settlement 

How humans can live and work beyond Earth is a subject that raises interest, questions and some apprehension. Over the past years, the concept of permanent, autonomous human habitation of locations outside Earth (Moon, Mars, in orbit) has been the subject of literary, scientific or artistic work. Training and research in space exploration can contribute to different domains such as protection of Earth’s environment, medicine, agriculture and space economy. Likewise, enhancing visionary ideas and research can lead to breakthroughs and contribute to innovative aerospace concepts.

In this page

Mission

Towards earth and humanity, a challenge-driven university.

In this “New Space” business arena, comprehensive higher education is critically needed to realize the above-mentioned ambitions. Student-centred and innovative educational approaches are key for transferring research-based innovative knowledge, competences and skills to take the next wave of this revolutionary approach to space exploration and use.

Focusing on space education, research and innovation in EU will address key societal challenges, nurture job and industrial growth and ensure EU autonomy. This will also contribute to address the growing need for high skilled workers and more labour market relevant skills to ensure productivity growth and competitiveness. Since 2015, opportunities for highly skilled individuals have grown and this will continue at least until 2025. 40% of European employers have expressed difficulty finding people with the right skills. Students are concerned by the mismatch between what they learn and the skills they need for work. The European Commission also calls for developing digital competences and skills. In this context, higher education institutions have a vital role to train highly skilled students to match the current and future needs on the labour market.

Within the Space strategy for Europe and the New skills agenda for Europe, UNIVERSEH will assemble European, knowledge-creating teams of students, learners, academics, researchers, businesses, regional and civil society stakeholders to:

Offer innovative and multi-disciplinary courses to train students for the jobs of today and tomorrow

Support entrepreneurship and innovation

Develop digital, open science and transferable skills among students and researchers

Contribute to match skills of graduates with the requirements of the labour market

Break the real and perceived barriers between academic and other sectors

Strengthen the European Union as a global leader in the space domain

Objectives

UNIVERSEH shares common values and commitments. UNIVERSEH, unites over 130.977 students, 13.030 staff and 59 associates. With a focus on “Space”, the Alliance will work towards the following goals:

Enhance mobility and multilingualism

We will enhance current support services and develop common ones such as the “Feel at Home” program. Further, the alliance will develop mobility opportunities, create new partnerships and organize short term mobility. UNIVERSEH will also promote and facilitate access to different language courses, diversify the offer and contribute to developing students’ tandems.

Develop new joint Interdisciplinary and cross-sectorial curricula

We will explore new innovative opportunities: personal learning networks, hybrid and virtual learning and student to student learning.

Become an entrepreneurial “university”

UNIVERSEH will develop new common entrepreneurship courses adapted to European space sector, develop different activities such as call for project with stakeholders, support to students’ projects, networking and mentoring program, student practical experience in research and innovation infrastructures. All the actions will be supported by a strong Business-University cooperation.

Address some of the barriers students can face when it comes to joining higher education in general and studying abroad in particular

The Alliance will produce a EuroCharter on Equity, Inclusion and Diversity: towards European standards, testimonial videos of Women in the Space sector, a blog for students with specific needs to enable them to share experiences and staff seminar for common guidelines and improvement of services for mobile students.

Our research entity, Beyond UNIVERSEH, develops its own Vision, Mission and Objectives