Imperial and Cyprus launch new space partnership to inspire next generation

The partnership, led by Imperial’s Space Lab and the CSEO, 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 Imperial 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, Imperial’s Provost, Professor Ian Walmsley, said:

“It’s a delight to celebrate the conjunction between CSEO and Imperial’s Space Lab. Imperial remains a global institution and it’s a really important time for Imperial to be forging links with our friends across the science and research communities of Europe. I look forward to seeing the many exciting projects that CSEO and Space Lab initiate in the coming months.”

Dr Jonathan Eastwood, Director of Imperial’s Space Lab, said:

“The aim of Space Lab is to bring together all of Imperial’s space-related research under one roof and act as a lens to try and magnify Imperial’s impact in the world. I’m incredibly excited at this new partnership between Imperial 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 Imperial alumnus (Computing and Electrical Engineering, 1993) said:

“I am delighted that we are signing the agreement with Imperial College London, a research and educational leader in space technologies and engineering. As a graduate of Imperial 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 Imperial 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.”

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

CSEO has more than 1,000 registered researchers, scientists, educators and volunteers and hosted the prestigious NASA SpaceApps Challenge and the first online global moon village workshop. CSEO recently received European funding to develop a compact, X-Ray instrument capable of dating Martian soil and rock samples.

Imperial and Cyprus

Imperial 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.

Imperial’s research collaborations in Cyprus include the KIOS Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence, 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. Imperial and the University of Cyprus have signed a MoU this year to strengthen research and education collaborations across all areas of science.