The ESSC committee was represented on the 21st of April, by Professor Hermann Opgenoorth, in an EC organised “Workshop on Education and Skills in the field of Space and EU -funded research”, in preparation for the upcoming Horizon Europe framework programme. Due to the current crisis, this consultation workshop was done remotely, but this did not prevent the numerous representatives of organisations and agencies to have a fruitful exchange on the status of space related educational activities in Europe and discuss how the upcoming framework programme could be utilised to tackle some of the issues that we are currently seeing in space sector education. The meeting covered the gamut of educational activities, from high school and earlier levels to post graduate space researchers. The ESSC presented its views on European Education and Training for the space sector, based on its recent publication on ESSC contribution for Horizon Europe Consultation. The delivered presentation can be found here: presentation link

Notable issues that arose during the discussion, which have both been highlighted by ESSC in the past, the under-supply of space focused graduates for the needs of the European Space industry and the need for more coordination between EC, ESA, and national initiatives on (space focused) education, to avoid duplication of effort. The EC DEFIS organisers acknowledged the status of ESSC as in important advisory body for the EC space programme and expressed their desire to continue interactions with the committee.