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The Space Studies Program – Online Edition (SSP-ONLINE), an intense 6-weeks professional development course for postgraduate students and professionals of all disciplines, is a unique educational experience.
The curriculum covers the principal space related fields, both non-technical and technical and ranges from policy and law, business and management and humanities to life sciences, engineering, physical sciences and space applications. The shared experience of an international, interactive working environment is an ideal networking forum leading to the creation of an extensive, international, multidisciplinary professional network comprising the program’s alumni, faculty members and lecturers.
Through the exchange of ideas and information, this network has been successful in advancing projects in such areas as disaster warning and mitigation systems, human health enhancement using space technologies, and has even significantly contributed to the creation of a national space agency.
The core seminars of SSP-ONLINE are conducted in connection with the on-site SSP, therefore all SSP-ONLINE activities are conducted based on the local time of that year’s SSP. The workshops, debates, panels, and team project are specially designed for the remote audience of SSP-ONLINE.
The interdisciplinary curriculum of the SSP-ONLINE, with its emphasis on international cooperation, exposes participants to broad new perspectives on the world’s space activities – perspectives otherwise reserved for those with many years of diverse professional experience. The program is packed with a wide variety of activities, including lectures by renowned experts, hands-on activities and projects, teamwork and professional visits.
The main elements of the SSP-ONLINE curriculum are the core seminar series, workshops and team project. All course work at ISU is conducted in English. Each year the program evolves to better meet the needs of the participants and their employers. Participants are strongly encouraged to contribute their own knowledge, experience, ideas, culture and opinions as well as their energy and enthusiasm.
Reflecting on ISU’s pedagogical approach and vision, interest in and respect for different cultures and backgrounds is expected from participants.
Phase I of the SSP-ONLINE curriculum ensures participants have a basic grounding in the fundamentals of all the disciplines that are relevant to space programs — and that they understand the relationships between these disciplines in any space-related activity. All participants attend the core seminar series, which creates a basic framework of knowledge to prepare participants for informed and balanced judgment.
A series of seminars in each field of study that is designed primarily for non-experts is presented. Thus, medical specialists can understand the lectures on propulsion and engineers and lawyers can understand the lectures on the effects of weightlessness on the human body.
Core seminars are often grouped in clusters. Questions from participants and group discussions with the lecturers are encouraged.
Knowledge gained from the core lectures allows participants to:
☞ understand the very large range of factors, both technical and non-technical, involved in space activity
☞ apply good decision-making and management skills to projects
☞ appreciate the relevance of all disciplines during the development and exploitation of space activities
SSP-ONLINE workshops are activities designed specifically for a virtual audience to enhance and complement the knowledge acquired during core seminars through more active learning in smaller groups. Participants choose activities based on their interests. A number of activities are conducted in parallel and participants must sign up in advance. Topics may be offered more than once so as many people as possible are able to benefit.
In Phase II of the SSP-ONLINE, participants work in international, interdisciplinary and intercultural teams to produce a comprehensive analysis and proposals for an international space project or on a topic of relevance to the professional space sector. Participants are given a team project by ISU and work on that topic for the duration of the SSP-ONLINE. This element of the program has three main objectives:
☞ To encourage participants to put into practice what they have brought from their own educational and/or professional background, plus knowledge and skills they learn from lectures, workshops and other presentations during the SSP.
☞ To experience decision-making and organizing work in sub teams. Also, to learn how to converge on solutions and recommendations while working in multidisciplinary and intercultural teams- where conflicting requirements emerge and compromises must be made.
☞ To produce a comprehensive report of professional level and present it in a public session at the end product of the team project. The report covers all aspects – technical, financial, organizational, political, schedule and risk
Many ISU reports have served as resources for the world space community (see the ISU Library website for Team Project reports). The structure of team projects depends to some extent on their subject matter, but certain aspects are common to all team projects:
☞ An early phase of exploratory or brainstorming discussion of the project
☞ A series of factual lectures specific to the team project topics Research and an intensive fact finding period
☞ A challenging period of wrestling with different ways of organizing the study effort
☞ Extensive opportunities to engage departmental faculty members and lecturers in discussion of team project issues
☞ An interim presentation and review where expert advice and comments will be given
☞ A period of very intense work to complete the final report.
There will be some mandatory onboarding sessions between 6pm-9pm CET during the week commencing 6 June 2022 and during the week commencing 20 June 2022.
The full fees for SSP-ONL-22 are EUR 9,500.
Payment may also be made in US dollars at the inter-bank exchange rate on the date of payment.
SSP-ONLINE applicants should apply on the ISU website and send the requested documents (grade transcripts, diplomas if any and reference letters) to the Admissions Office (admissions@isunet.edu) by 30 April 2022 at the latest.
For those in need of financial aid, remaining scholarships will be granted on a first come first served basis until they run out.
If you are applying for the SSP-ONL-22, please mention it in your application (in the essay or in the additional information section).
The Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program – Online Edition (SHSSP-ONLINE), an intense 5-weeks professional development course for postgraduate students and professionals of all disciplines, is a unique educational experience.
The curriculum covers the principal space related fields, both non-technical and technical and ranges from policy and law, business and management and humanities to life sciences, engineering, physical sciences and space applications. The shared experience of an international, interactive working environment is an ideal networking forum leading to the creation of an extensive, international, multidisciplinary professional network comprising the program’s alumni, faculty members and lecturers.
Through the exchange of ideas and information, this network has been successful in advancing projects in such areas as disaster warning and mitigation systems, human health enhancement using space technologies, and has even significantly contributed to the creation of a national space agency.
The core seminars of SHSSP-ONLINE are conducted in connection with the on-site SHSSP, therefore all SHSSP-ONLINE activities are conducted based on the local time of that year’s SHSSP. The workshops, debates, panels, and team project are specially designed for the remote audience of SHSSP-ONLINE.
The interdisciplinary curriculum of the SHSSP-ONLINE, with its emphasis on international cooperation, exposes participants to broad new perspectives on the world’s space activities – perspectives otherwise reserved for those with many years of diverse professional experience. The program is packed with a wide variety of activities, including lectures by renowned experts, hands-on activities and projects, teamwork and professional visits.
The main elements of the SHSSP-ONLINE curriculum are the core seminar series, workshops and team project. All course work at ISU is conducted in English. Each year the program evolves to better meet the needs of the participants and their employers. Participants are strongly encouraged to contribute their own knowledge, experience, ideas, culture and opinions as well as their energy and enthusiasm.
Reflecting on ISU’s pedagogical approach and vision, interest in and respect for different cultures and backgrounds is expected from participants.
Phase I of the SHSSP-ONLINE curriculum ensures participants have a basic grounding in the fundamentals of all the disciplines that are relevant to space programs — and that they understand the relationships between these disciplines in any space-related activity. All participants attend the core seminar series, which creates a basic framework of knowledge to prepare participants for informed and balanced judgment.
A series of seminars in each field of study that is designed primarily for non-experts is presented. Thus, medical specialists can understand the lectures on propulsion and engineers and lawyers can understand the lectures on the effects of weightlessness on the human body.
Core seminars are often grouped in clusters. Questions from participants and group discussions with the lecturers are encouraged.
Knowledge gained from the core lectures allows participants to:
☞ understand the very large range of factors, both technical and non-technical, involved in space activity
☞ apply good decision-making and management skills to projects
☞ appreciate the relevance of all disciplines during the development and exploitation of space activities
SHSSP-ONLINE workshops are activities designed specifically for a virtual audience to enhance and complement the knowledge acquired during core seminars through more active learning in smaller groups. Participants choose activities based on their interests. A number of activities are conducted in parallel and participants must sign up in advance. Topics may be offered more than once so as many people as possible are able to benefit.
In Phase II of the SHSSP-ONLINE, participants work in international, interdisciplinary and intercultural teams to produce a comprehensive analysis and proposals for an international space project or on a topic of relevance to the professional space sector. Participants are given a team project by ISU and work on that topic for the duration of the SHSSP-ONLINE. This element of the program has three main objectives:
☞ To encourage participants to put into practice what they have brought from their own educational and/or professional background, plus knowledge and skills they learn from lectures, workshops and other presentations during the SHSSP.
☞ To experience decision-making and organizing work in sub teams. Also, to learn how to converge on solutions and recommendations while working in multidisciplinary and intercultural teams- where conflicting requirements emerge and compromises must be made.
☞ To produce a comprehensive report of professional level and present it in a public session at the end product of the team project. The report covers all aspects – technical, financial, organizational, political, schedule and risk
Many ISU reports have served as resources for the world space community (see the ISU Library website for Team Project reports). The structure of team projects depends to some extent on their subject matter, but certain aspects are common to all team projects:
☞ An early phase of exploratory or brainstorming discussion of the project
☞ A series of factual lectures specific to the team project topics Research and an intensive fact finding period
☞ A challenging period of wrestling with different ways of organizing the study effort
☞ Extensive opportunities to engage departmental faculty members and lecturers in discussion of team project issues
☞ An interim presentation and review where expert advice and comments will be given
☞ A period of very intense work to complete the final report.
There will be some mandatory onboarding sessions between 6pm-9pm CET before the start of the program.
The full fees for SHSSP-ONL-22 are AUD 9,000 for 5 weeks.
SHSSP-ONLINE applicants should apply on the ISU website and send the requested documents to the Admissions Office (admissions@isunet.edu) by 31 October 2022 if they need financial aid, and by 15 December otherwise. We may still grant some partial scholarships after the 31 October deadline until they run out, but early applications are highly recommended.
If you are applying for the SHSSP-ONL-22, please mention it in your application (in the essay or in the additional information section).
ISU’s online Interactive Space Program (ISP) is a 5-week full-time professional development opportunity designed for university graduates from any discipline and for professionals with any background wanting to pursue a career in the space sector.
It will be conducted in English and follow the international, interdisciplinary and intercultural learning methodology for which ISU is well known.
ISP will prepare participants wanting to enter one of the face-to-face ISU programs such as the Master of Space Studies (MSS) or the Space Studies Programs (SSP and SHSSP).
The program is also a refresher for ISU alumni seeking an update on the latest developments in the international space arena and wanting to enlarge their network of professional contacts.
Participants will learn about all disciplines linked to space and will conduct teamwork similar to that of a Space Analog where crew members, mission control, scientists and experts collaborate remotely in an intense mode.
ISP will prepare participants (“the crew”) well for the challenges of producing quality work in a distributed environment such as teams on the Earth, orbit, Moon, Mars and interplanetary space.
The Team’s Mission will be to produce an influential report and a presentation on how space can help in the monitoring, mitigation as well as the prevention & preparedness of pandemics.
To better simulate human space missions running across different time zones, the ISP operations will be conducted based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). A typical day at ISP will start with a Daily Seminar at 07:30 UTC (1,5 hours including Q&A), and will continue with a Team Mission session for individual work, small-group discussion or mentoring (at least 2 hours), followed by an All-Hands session (1 hour). The afternoon activities will include an Interactive Workshop (2,5 hours) and conclude at 17:00 UTC.
The Daily Briefs will help analyse space from a multidisciplinary perspective covering policy, economics, law and regulations, business and management, science, engineering, satellite applications, human performance in space and the contribution of the humanities.
The Interactive Workshops will deal with practical aspects of space: remote sensing applications, satellite and communications technology; artificial intelligence; telehealth/telemedicine, space technology transfer, business and entrepreneurship, ethics, policy, regulatory frameworks and international collaboration at government, research and corporate level.
The Team Mission work will allow for individual, small-group and full-crew work with mentors on literature survey, analysis, discussion, converging to conclusion and recommendations and preparation of the final deliveries.
The daily hand-over sessions will have a flexible format and can include cross-habitat meetings, Team Mission work handovers, social interaction, or important announcements from Mission Control at ISU’s Central Campus in Strasbourg.
The team of mentors will include more than one hundred ISU faculty and alumni from all disciplines, active in academia, government agencies and companies from around the world.
Upon successful completion of the academic requirements, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from ISU and will be eligible for discount to enroll in other – face to face – ISU programs such as the Master of Space Studies (MSS) and the Space Studies Programs (SSP and SHSSP).
The leading Faculty members are a dedicated team of professionals from academia, government agencies and private industry from around the world.
The Faculty’s role is to plan an deliver the curriculum and to draw upon other experts, giving you access to an impressive lineup of about one hundred experts during the course of the ISP: astronauts and cosmonauts, space agency officials, entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, lawyers, project managers, educators, communicators, artists and more.
Crew members will be distributed over a dozen “3I space habitats” (i.e. each with an International, Intercultural and Interdisciplinary crew”) virtually located on Mars, on the Moon and in Earth orbit. Each space habitat will have its own operational timeline, where daily schedules of individual crew members will range from early shifts to late shifts.
To better simulate human space missions running across different time zones, the ISP operations will be conducted based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). A typical day at ISP will start with a Daily Seminar at 07:30 UTC (1,5 hours including Q&A), and will continue with a Team Mission session for individual work, small-group discussion or mentoring (at least 2 hours), followed by an All-Hands session (1 hour). The afternoon activities will include an Interactive Workshop (2,5 hours) and conclude at 17:00 UTC
The Daily Briefs will give insights into the Team Mission from an interdisciplinary perspective, covering space sciences, space policy, economics and law, space and the humanities, satellite applications, space engineering, human performance in space, and space management and business.
The Interactive Workshops will deal with practical aspects of space and pandemics: remote sensing, satellite and communications technology; artificial intelligence; telehealth/telemedicine, space technology transfer, business and entrepreneurship, ethics, policy, regulatory frameworks and international collaboration at government, research and corporate level.
The Team Mission work will allow for individual, small-group and full-crew work with mentors on literature survey, analysis, discussion, converging to conclusion and recommendations and preparation of the final deliveries.
All space habitats will be connected live once per day for a Hand Over session. This one-hour slot will have a flexible format and can include cross-habitat meetings, Team Mission work handovers, social interaction, or important announcements from Mission Control at ISU’s Central Campus in Strasbourg.
We hope that you will one day enjoy the beautiful environment of the library at ISU’s Central Campus. For the whole duration of the ISP, you will have remote access to a comprehensive catalog of eBooks and online reports covering all aspects of space, ISU Team Projects, and student reports of our Master in Space Studies program. The library’s website includes access to online bibliographic databases, reading lists, online guides and tutorials on literature search, referencing and more. You can choose to receive regular updates via social media: https://isulibrary.isunet.edu/
No, but you should consider the following basics:
Additional details to operate during the ISP will be shared with program participants on a dedicated platform.
Like any ISU program, the ISP requires your entire attention. ISP is designed as a full-time experience, and even if the number of hours of online sessions is limited, the full potential is achieved through individual study and work in small teams outside of the scheduled sessions.
We rather encourage you to take leave during the five weeks. Your employer may be able to offer you a mix of (paid or unpaid) leave plus paid leave for training, to make up for the 5 weeks.
Obviously, we cannot promise something that is more in your hands than in ours, but we can say that about 80% of the 5000 ISU graduates are working in the space or high-tech sectors. They are spread in more than 100 countries.
The wealth of contacts that you will make during ISP and the insights into programs, projects and entrepreneurial activities in startups etc. is a valuable asset that will help you during your entire career, especially if you know how to nurture it. Professional networking is definitely something you will practice and enjoy during ISP.
ISU is privileged to benefit from partnerships with space agencies, public administrations, foundations, corporations and private donors from around the world who provide scholarship money to the best candidates. These partnerships make it possible for numerous candidates to obtain a portion of their fees covered by a scholarship.
For more information on financial help in your particular case, please contact the Admissions Office.
After successful completion of an ISP, you will already be familiar with the International, Intercultural and Interdisciplinary “3I” approach to Space activities, and you will be an accomplished team player ready to integrate into the new ISU learning experience.
To find out about discounts to other programs that may apply to your particular case, please contact the Admissions Office.
Yes, under some conditions. For more information in your particular case, please contact the Admissions Office.
The time that the applications for the next ISP opens will be announced on this page later.
The tuition fee is EUR 8000 and includes attendance to all sessions, lecture material, access to experts and to ISU’s online Library services.
Financial help is available through ISU for applicants from many countries and will be considered once the full application is received.