Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Beyond UNIVERSEH (Beyond UNIVERSEH (European University for Earth and Humanity))
Reporting period: 2023-03-01 to 2024-08-31
Beyond UNIVERSEH: Shaping the Future of European Space Research
The project, initiated by the UNIVERSEH Alliance, laid the foundations for a transformative European Space University, focusing on groundbreaking research policies aimed at addressing the needs of both Earth and Humanity. This initiative was part of the broader European Universities Initiative.
The principal ambition of Beyond UNIVERSEH was to craft a comprehensive roadmap for the next fifteen years, culminating in the establishment of a sustainable and integrated research and innovation network within the UNIVERSEH alliance. Furthermore, the project seeked to outline guiding principles for the consortium’s research policies extending over the next thirty years. At its core, with space as its central research theme, Beyond UNIVERSEH set out to achieve the following objectives:
- Identify societal needs: Pinpoint current and future challenges that space-related research can address, contributing solutions for both scientific and societal advancement.
- Address barriers: Identify and dismantle obstacles to collaborative research, particularly those that hinder interdisciplinary research in space-related topics.
- Develop a research roadmap for 2035: Foster excellence by formulating a strategic roadmap for interdisciplinary and collaborative research.
- Craft a vision for 2050: Establish a forward-looking vision that defines the long-term aspirations of the alliance, with a focus on sustaining innovation in space research.
- Create a Virtual Research Community: Build a unified virtual laboratory and collaborative platform that fosters research partnerships among UNIVERSEH members.
- Strengthen industry-academia Links: Deepen the collaboration between the academic community and the industrial sector, enhancing the economic impact of space-related research.
- Engage with citizens: Promote stronger ties between the scientific community and the public, ensuring that space research remains relevant and accessible to society.
- Disseminate results and formulate policies: Share the project’s outcomes widely and develop policy recommendations that enhance cooperation among European universities in the realm of space research.
The Beyond UNIVERSEH project represents a bold step toward redefining space research across Europe. With its ambitious roadmap for 2035 and long-term vision for 2050, Beyond UNIVERSEH not only addressed present challenges but also laid the groundwork for future advancements in space exploration and its societal applications. Through strategic partnerships, stronger links between academia and industry, and greater public engagement, the project poised to significantly shape the future of space research in Europe and beyond, ensuring that Europe remains a leader in this critical field for decades to come.
The project, initiated by the UNIVERSEH Alliance, laid the foundations for a transformative European Space University, focusing on groundbreaking research policies aimed at addressing the needs of both Earth and Humanity. This initiative was part of the broader European Universities Initiative.
The principal ambition of Beyond UNIVERSEH was to craft a comprehensive roadmap for the next fifteen years, culminating in the establishment of a sustainable and integrated research and innovation network within the UNIVERSEH alliance. Furthermore, the project seeked to outline guiding principles for the consortium’s research policies extending over the next thirty years. At its core, with space as its central research theme, Beyond UNIVERSEH set out to achieve the following objectives:
- Identify societal needs: Pinpoint current and future challenges that space-related research can address, contributing solutions for both scientific and societal advancement.
- Address barriers: Identify and dismantle obstacles to collaborative research, particularly those that hinder interdisciplinary research in space-related topics.
- Develop a research roadmap for 2035: Foster excellence by formulating a strategic roadmap for interdisciplinary and collaborative research.
- Craft a vision for 2050: Establish a forward-looking vision that defines the long-term aspirations of the alliance, with a focus on sustaining innovation in space research.
- Create a Virtual Research Community: Build a unified virtual laboratory and collaborative platform that fosters research partnerships among UNIVERSEH members.
- Strengthen industry-academia Links: Deepen the collaboration between the academic community and the industrial sector, enhancing the economic impact of space-related research.
- Engage with citizens: Promote stronger ties between the scientific community and the public, ensuring that space research remains relevant and accessible to society.
- Disseminate results and formulate policies: Share the project’s outcomes widely and develop policy recommendations that enhance cooperation among European universities in the realm of space research.
The Beyond UNIVERSEH project represents a bold step toward redefining space research across Europe. With its ambitious roadmap for 2035 and long-term vision for 2050, Beyond UNIVERSEH not only addressed present challenges but also laid the groundwork for future advancements in space exploration and its societal applications. Through strategic partnerships, stronger links between academia and industry, and greater public engagement, the project poised to significantly shape the future of space research in Europe and beyond, ensuring that Europe remains a leader in this critical field for decades to come.
WP2, led by LTU, identified current and future priorities of European and international actors in the space sector that will guide the priorities of future Alliance research policies and activities.
WP3, led by UT (Toulouse INP and UT3), identified laboratories that could be used in common within the Alliance, gathered information which could make the cooperation possible and set up markers for our research community such as inclusion and diversity.
Jointly with WP2, WP3 also initiated a work for the organisation of an interdisciplinary workshop in May 2023, gathering researchers and PhD students from the partner universities in order to concretise the implementation of the UNIVERSEH research activities roadmap, the UNIVERSEH virtual single lab and the UNIVERSEH research community. The two applications for MSCA projects are its major outcome.
WP4, led by AGH, contributed to developing the Alliance's links with the private sector. WP4 first worked on an overview of the partners' projects with companies in the space sector, on the organisational support system available for researchers eager to start their own entrepreneurship and on the techniques of valorisation of researchers with companies. In parallel, WP4 developed the activities of the future Centre for Space Technologies. Furthermore, interviews with spin-offs setters and a report on model collaboration agreements applicable for partnerships in the space sector were created.
WP5, led by HHU, created the citizen science platform and gathered a team to build the website dedicated to one citizen science project, called Dictionary of Space Concepts and to be the expert for factchecking what students and citizens have submitted. In parallel, WP5 organised public events to disseminate about Beyond UNIVERSEH and to network with and for the Alliance researchers. Finally, a network of internal and external researchers and other stakeholders involved in space research has been acquired, met and communicated with in tandem with WP3 and WP6.
WP6, led by uni.lu worked to calibrate UNIVERSEH's collaboration with policy makers and stakeholders. At the same time, collaboration with other Alliances on lobbying and networking activities was performed.
At the same time, the supporting WPs, WP1 led by UT and WP6, facilitated exchanges between the WPs but also with the education component of the Alliance through common governance bodies and a Beyond UNIVERSEH dissemination plan aiming to be the counterpart of the dissemination plan defined in the UNIVERSEH project.
WP3, led by UT (Toulouse INP and UT3), identified laboratories that could be used in common within the Alliance, gathered information which could make the cooperation possible and set up markers for our research community such as inclusion and diversity.
Jointly with WP2, WP3 also initiated a work for the organisation of an interdisciplinary workshop in May 2023, gathering researchers and PhD students from the partner universities in order to concretise the implementation of the UNIVERSEH research activities roadmap, the UNIVERSEH virtual single lab and the UNIVERSEH research community. The two applications for MSCA projects are its major outcome.
WP4, led by AGH, contributed to developing the Alliance's links with the private sector. WP4 first worked on an overview of the partners' projects with companies in the space sector, on the organisational support system available for researchers eager to start their own entrepreneurship and on the techniques of valorisation of researchers with companies. In parallel, WP4 developed the activities of the future Centre for Space Technologies. Furthermore, interviews with spin-offs setters and a report on model collaboration agreements applicable for partnerships in the space sector were created.
WP5, led by HHU, created the citizen science platform and gathered a team to build the website dedicated to one citizen science project, called Dictionary of Space Concepts and to be the expert for factchecking what students and citizens have submitted. In parallel, WP5 organised public events to disseminate about Beyond UNIVERSEH and to network with and for the Alliance researchers. Finally, a network of internal and external researchers and other stakeholders involved in space research has been acquired, met and communicated with in tandem with WP3 and WP6.
WP6, led by uni.lu worked to calibrate UNIVERSEH's collaboration with policy makers and stakeholders. At the same time, collaboration with other Alliances on lobbying and networking activities was performed.
At the same time, the supporting WPs, WP1 led by UT and WP6, facilitated exchanges between the WPs but also with the education component of the Alliance through common governance bodies and a Beyond UNIVERSEH dissemination plan aiming to be the counterpart of the dissemination plan defined in the UNIVERSEH project.
Beyond UNIVERSEH was the research component of the European University for Earth and Humanity and was closely linked to the education component UNIVERSEH. The intertwining of the actors and governance bodies of both projects allowed the two pillars of our European university to move forward together even if the evolution of the two pillars was done at different speeds.
The UNIVERSEH alliance aims to become a key European academic player in the field of space. In building its European university, the Alliance has worked to have a wide spectrum of stakeholders from space agencies, space industries, service providers, research institutions, and support organisations, including public authorities. This is why the Alliance's governance system provides for an advisory board that is consulted during the progress of the project. The Alliance organises the presence of its members in major events (IAC, Space Week...).
The particularity of the Alliance also lies in the integration of students in the implementation of activities. As such, a student council has been set up to ensure that there are student representatives in all the WPs of the two projects and in the governance bodies.
The UNIVERSEH Alliance is committed to being part of the European Universities initiative’s community. We are represented and actively participate in collaborative events and exchanges of good practices. To this aim, UNIVERSEH added a booth on the EAIE 2024 exhibition and fair in September 2024 in Toulouse, alongside 25 other European University Alliances. Moreover, UNIVERSEH was highly involved in the organisation (organized by UT and the ForEU1234 alliance coordination) of an event dedicated to the internationalisation on the EUA, with over 200 participants on site as well as online, https://www.charm-eu.eu/internationalisation-european-universities-alliances-new-frontiers(opens in new window). In the space sector, some countries such as Australia, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Canada and South Africa could be good candidates. UNIVERSEH will explore these possibilities to turn them into opportunities.
The UNIVERSEH alliance aims to become a key European academic player in the field of space. In building its European university, the Alliance has worked to have a wide spectrum of stakeholders from space agencies, space industries, service providers, research institutions, and support organisations, including public authorities. This is why the Alliance's governance system provides for an advisory board that is consulted during the progress of the project. The Alliance organises the presence of its members in major events (IAC, Space Week...).
The particularity of the Alliance also lies in the integration of students in the implementation of activities. As such, a student council has been set up to ensure that there are student representatives in all the WPs of the two projects and in the governance bodies.
The UNIVERSEH Alliance is committed to being part of the European Universities initiative’s community. We are represented and actively participate in collaborative events and exchanges of good practices. To this aim, UNIVERSEH added a booth on the EAIE 2024 exhibition and fair in September 2024 in Toulouse, alongside 25 other European University Alliances. Moreover, UNIVERSEH was highly involved in the organisation (organized by UT and the ForEU1234 alliance coordination) of an event dedicated to the internationalisation on the EUA, with over 200 participants on site as well as online, https://www.charm-eu.eu/internationalisation-european-universities-alliances-new-frontiers(opens in new window). In the space sector, some countries such as Australia, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Canada and South Africa could be good candidates. UNIVERSEH will explore these possibilities to turn them into opportunities.