United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

United Nations Programme on Space Applications

Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education
(Affiliated to the United Nations)

Meteorology Communications Space science Remote sensing
French version French version French version French version
Spanish version Spanish version Spanish version Spanish version
For hardcopies of the above curricula, please contact the Office for Outer Space Affairs ( oosa@unvienna.org )
 
For a CD-ROM with electronic versions (PDF format) of the above curricula in English, French and Spanish, please contact the Office for Outer Space Affairs ( oosa@unvienna.org )
 

Education Module:
Astrophysics for University
Physics Courses
Education Module:
Humans in Space
and Space Biology
Brochure
Capacity building in
space science and technology
Executive Seminar
Recognition of Cross-border
Capacity Building in Earth Observation

Teaching material, data, and software  

Between 1985 and 1989, the United Nations, through the Programme on Space Applications, organized three regional meetings and one international meeting on the subject of the development of indigenous capability in space science and technology at the local level. These meetings were held in Ahmedabad, India (1985), Mexico City, Mexico (1986), Lagos, Nigeria (1987) and Dundee, United Kingdom (1989). The participants at these meetings concluded that in order for the developing countries to effectively contribute to the solution of global, regional and national environmental and resource management problems, there was an urgent need for a higher level of knowledge and expertise in the relevant disciplines by educators as well as by research and application scientists in these countries. These capabilities, they further noted, could only be acquired through long-term intensive education.


In support of the above initiative, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 45/72 of 11 December 1990 endorsed the recommendation of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space that:
"... the United Nations should lead, with the active support of its specialized agencies and other international organizations, an international effort to establish regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education in existing national/regional educational institutions in the developing countries."

In 1995, the United Nations General Assembly, further endorsed the regional centres initiative and in its resolution 50/27 of 6 December 1995, recommended that:
"... these centres be established on the basis of affiliation to the United Nations as early as possible and that such affiliation would provide the centres with the necessary recognition and would strengthen the possibilities of attracting donors and of establishing academic relationships with national and international space-related institutions;."

In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 60/99:
" Notes with satisfaction that, in accordance with paragraph 30 of General Assembly resolution 50/27 of 6 December 1995, the African regional centres for space science and technology education, in the French language and in the English language, located in Morocco and Nigeria, respectively, as well as the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific and the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean, entered into an affiliation agreement with the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the Secretariat and have continued their education programmes in 2005;."
" Agrees that the regional centres referred to in [ the ] paragraph above should continue to report to the Committee on their activities on an annual basis;
" Notes with satisfaction that the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2005;."

In order to translate the recommendations of the Committee and the General Assembly into an operational programme, the Programme on Space Applications initiated a project aimed at the establishment of regional centres for space science and technology education at existing research and higher education institutions in each region covered by the United Nations Economic Commissions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Asia.

Each centre is conceived as an institution that should offer the best possible education, research and applications programmes, opportunities and experience to the participants in all its programmes. Thus the principal goal of each centre is the development of the skills and knowledge of university educators and research and applications scientists, through rigorous theory, research, applications, field exercises, and pilot projects in those aspects of space science and technology that can contribute to sustainable development in each country.

The initial programmes of each centre focuses on:

   (a) remote sensing and geographic information systems;

   (b) meteorological satellite applications;

   (c) satellite communications and geopositioning systems; and

   (d) space and atmospheric sciences.

Its data management unit should be linked to existing and future relevant global databases. Each centre should also foster continuing education programmes for its graduates and awareness programmes for policy and decision makers and for the general public.

The activities at each centre are undertaken in two major phases. Phase 1 emphasizes the development and enhancement of the knowledge and skills of university educators and research and application scientists in both the physical and natural sciences as well as in analytical disciplines. That is accomplished over a nine-month period as laid out in the curricula of the education programme of each centre. Phase 2 focuses on ensuring that the participants make use of the skills and knowledge gained in phase 1 in their pilot projects, which are to be conducted, over a one-year period, in their own countries.

The activities and opportunities provided in the two phases should result in the development and growth of capacities that will enable each country to enhance its knowledge, understanding, and practical experience in those aspects of space science and technology that have the potential for a greater impact on its economic and social development, including the preservation of its environment.

In order for the centres to become model institutions that are respected both within their regions and around the world, they need to meet internationally recognized standards. To promote the achievement of those aims, the United Nations Programme on Space Applications has developed a model curricula on the basis of input made by prominent educators participating at the UN/Spain Meeting of Experts on the Development Of Education Curricula for the Centres for Space Science and Technology Education in 1995. This model curricula was published in 1996 as a booklet entitled:

"Centres for space science and technology education: education curricula"
(UN document A/AC.105/649)

(a PDF version is available online in (English) and (French)).

In 1992-98 the Programme on Space Application undertook a series of evaluation missions to the countries that offered to host a centre in their respective regions in order to asses the viability of the potential host institutions and to conduct detailed analyses of these offers. After a careful study of each of the evaluation reports prepared by international groups of experts participated in the evaluation missions, host country and institution in each region have been identified as the most viable locations for the regional Centres.

Related Reading

Figure 1: Map of the Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education (affiliated to the United Nations)

  

Asia

On 1 November 1995, the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in the Asia and Pacific region was inaugurated at New Delhi, India. More information on the Centre can be found at http://www.cssteap.org/ .

  

Contact Information:

Dr. George JOSEPH,
Director,
CSSTEAP (affiliated to the UN),
IIRS Campus,
4 Kalidas Road,
Dehra Dun 248001,
India

Tel: +91 135 2740 737; 2740 787
Fax: +91 135 2740 785
Email: cssteap@iirs.gov.in
Website: http://www.cssteap.org/

Course Director (satellite communications): Mr. Kalyan Bandopadhyay  cssteap@sac.isro.gov.in
Course Director (satellite meteorology and global climate): Dr. B.M. Rao   bmrao99@hotmail.com 
Course Director (space and atmospheric sciences): Mr. R.N. Misra   rnmisra@prl.res.in 
Course Director (remote sensing and geographic information systems): Dr. S.K. Saha  sksaha@iirs.gov.in

 

  

Africa

Two centres in Africa were inaugurated in 1998: the African Centre for Space Science and Technology - in French Language (CRASTE-LF) in Morocco, and the African regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education - in English Language (ARCSSTE-E) in Nigeria.

African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education - in English Language (ARCSSTE-E):   Postgraduate Diploma Programme in Space Science and Technology Application 2008


  

African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology - in French Language (CRASTE-LF):   Postgraduate Course on Satellite Communications, Rabat, Morocco, 15 November 2007


  

Morocco Centre Contact Information:

Dr. Abderrahmane TOUZANI
Director,
African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education - in French Language (CSSTE-F),
Ecole Mohammadia d'Ingenieurs,
Avenue Ibn Sina,
B.P. 765, Agdal,
Rabat, Morocco

Tel: + 212 37681826
Fax: + 212 37681824
Email: craste@emi.ac.ma
Website: http://www.enssup.gov.ma/craste

  

Nigeria Centre Contact Information:

Dr. O. O. JEGEDE
Director,
African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education - in English Language (CSSTE-E),
Obafemi Awolowo University Campus,
PMB 019 OAU PO, Ile-Ife,
Nigeria

Tel: +234 803 400 7146
Fax:
Email: arcsstee@oauife.edu.ng, director@arcsstee.org
Website: http://www.arcsstee.org

 

  

Latin America

Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CRECTEALC)

 

Dr. Sergio Camacho, Secretary General
Centro Regional de Enseñanza de Ciencia y Tecnología del Espacio para América Latina y el Caribe - CRECTEALC
Campus México
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica - INAOE
Luis Enrique Erro Nº 1
72840 Tonantzintla, Puebla
MEXICO
Tel: +52 222 266 3100 Ext 2317
E-mail: sergiocamacho99@yahoo.com and sergio.camacho@inaoep.mx
Website: http://www.crectealc.org

  

Brazil Campus Contact Information:

Dr. Tania Maria SAUSEN, Director
Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CRECTEALC)
Campus Brazil
INPE-CRS
Campus Universitário-UFSM
Av. Roraima N° 1000, Camobi
Caixa Postal 5021, CEP 97105-970 Santa Maria, RS, BRAZIL
Tel: +55 55 3301-2051
Fax: 55-55-3301-2060
E-mail: tania@ltid.inpe.br
Website: http://www.inpe.br/unidades/cep/atividadescep/crectealc

  

Mexico Campus Contact Information:

Dr. José Guichard ROMERO, Director
Centro Regional para la Enseñanza de la Ciencia y la Tecnología Espaciales en América Latina y el Caribe - CRECTEALC
Campus México
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica - INAOE
Luis Enrique Erro Nº 1
72840 Tonantzintla, Puebla
MEXICO
Tel: (52 55) 57296000 ext 64616
Fax: (52 55) 57296000 ext 64645
E-mail: jguich@inaoep.mx
Website: http://www.crectealc.org

  

Status of Centres

As of January 2001, the status of the establishment and operation of the regional Centres is described in document A/AC.105/749 . A report on the development of the education curricula for the Centres can be found in A/AC.105/782 .

  

Education Curricula

The Office for Outer Space Affairs, in cooperation with the European Space Agency, organized the United Nations Expert Meeting on the Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education: Status and Future Development, in Frascati, Italy, from 3 to 7 September 2001. One of the main objectives of the Meeting was to review and update the education curricula of the regional centres in four areas: remote sensing; satellite meteorology; satellite communications; and space science. The following reports contain the deliberations of the working groups on the four subjects.

Note: If a document is unavailable online, please send an email to oosa@unvienna.org including your name, address and the symbol or title of the required document.

The hypertext links indicate the format of the document (PDF or HTML) and the language version, where:

A - Arabic; C - Chinese; E - English; F- French; R - Russian; S - Spanish

Click on the appropriate link to download the required language and format.

Document Symbol

Title of Document

Available Languages

   

Arabic

Chinese English

French

Russian

Spanish
               
A/AC.105/L.238 Curriculum on satellite meteorology and global climate PDF-A PDF-C PDF-E PDF-F PDF-R PDF-S
A/AC.105/L.239 Curriculum on satellite communications PDF-A PDF-C PDF-E PDF-F PDF-R PDF-S
A/AC.105/L.240 Curriculum on space and atmospheric science PDF-A PDF-C PDF-E PDF-F PDF-R PDF-S
A/AC.105/L.241 Curriculum on remote sensing and the geographic information PDF-A PDF-C PDF-E PDF-F PDF-R PDF-S
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentations made by UNOOSA on the Regional Centres

 

 
 
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