51³Ô¹ÏÍø

51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) have launched a new partnership to inspire the next generation of space scientists.

The partnership, led by 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's Space Lab and the, will help educate and train young people in space science to boost the space workforce. It will also explore ways to further research and innovation in the field.

The Space Lab and CSEO will work together to improve space science skills and education for young students through various programmes and initiatives. The collaboration will also see 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the CSEO cooperate as partners in national and international research programmes and engaging space industries and research communities in this work.

Speaking at an event to launch the partnership, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Provost, Professor Ian Walmsley, said: "It's a delight to celebrate the conjunction between CSEO and 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's Space Lab. It's a really important time for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø to be forging links with our friends across the science and research communities of Europe. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø is a global institution, Europe is a very key set of partners for us and we intend to continue to maintain very strong links there. I look forward to seeing the many exciting projects that CSEO and Space Lab initiate in the coming months."

Dr Jonathan Eastwood, Director of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's Space Lab, said: "The aim of Space Lab is to bring together all of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's space-related research under one roof and act as a lens to try and magnify 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's impact in the world. I'm incredibly excited at this new partnership between 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the CSEO and is hopefully the first step in a long voyage of discovery."

George A. Danos, President, Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation
(CSEO) and an 51³Ô¹ÏÍø alumnus (Computing and Electrical Engineering, 1993) said: "I am delighted that we are signing the agreement with 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, a research and educational leader in space technologies and engineering. As a graduate of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø the joy for me today is
double. Via this partnership we are committed to jointly spread space
education, capacity building, and stimulate innovation, resulting in
strong engagement of young scientists-to-be in STEM and space sciences.

"We aim to seed the next generation of scientists and engineers, that
will make the next big discoveries in space, and drive the next space
exploration wave of missions into our solar system and beyond. Cyprus'
location in the crossroads between three continents and CSEO's strong
regional role, provide a strategic advantage to act as a bridge to the
region and emerging countries, for our joined goals."

The Mayor of Nicosia, Constantinos Yiorkadjis said: "In Nicosia, one of our targets is to create the environment for a knowledge-based economy and this partnership fits right into this strategy. This endeavour will help rejuvenate the area and bring together all communities of Cyprus through science."

Dr David Reggio, Senior Advisor at the CSEO, said: "CSEO’s founding ethos is to pioneer research, skills, and capacity building by bridging nations, organisations, industries, and minds. The strategic alliance between 51³Ô¹ÏÍø College Space Lab and CSEO will define new, informative ways of innovating through space exploration: new ways of up-skilling and re-skilling the workforce; new pathways and programmes that can increase global participation and preparedness, and new forms of social and community outreach that continue to make learning, research and discovery inclusive, accessible, exciting, and meaningful."

51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Space Lab is a multidisciplinary network of excellence for all space-related activities at the College.

With more than 1,000 registered researchers, CSEO is a space
institution which hosts prestigious international space science entities
- such as the Mars Upper Atmosphere Network (MUAN) and the International Astronomy Education Center - OAE Centre Cyprus of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). CSEO hosted the first online Global Moon Village workshop and recently received European funding to develop a compact, X-Ray instrument capable of dating Martian soil and rock
samples.

51³Ô¹ÏÍø and Cyprus

51³Ô¹ÏÍø has strong connections in Cyprus, including a growing alumni community of more than 1,200, and dozens of Cypriot academics and students at the College.

51³Ô¹ÏÍø's research collaborations in Cyprus include the , which works on critical infrastructure systems and has expanded its work, looking at pandemic preparedness and management infrastructure, and other related challenges. As a result of this expanded collaboration. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the University of Cyprus have signed a MoU this year to strengthen research and education collaborations across all areas of science.