From 7 to 10 October 2025, young engineers from Europe and Africa gathered at the European Space Agency’s Education Training and Learning Facility in ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium, for a four-day Space Systems Engineering Training Course jointly supported by ESA and the African Space Agency (AfSA). The event was described by organisers as another important step in deepening cooperation between the two continents in space.
The course, hosted at ESA’s ESEC-Galaxia facility, brought together early-career engineers to work on core topics in space systems engineering during an intensive classroom and hands-on programme. Joint sponsorship by ESA and AfSA reflected an ongoing institutional partnership aimed at expanding technical skills and fostering professional networks that can underpin collaborative projects. By convening participants from a wide range of national backgrounds, the organisers sought to support capacity building that transcends individual national programmes.
ESEC-Galaxia, which serves as ESA’s education and training hub, has been used for a variety of outreach and skills-development initiatives, including courses that focus on satellite design, systems integration and mission operations. Hosting the Space Systems Engineering Training Course at this venue provided participants with access to facilities designed for experiential learning and simulation-based exercises that mirror engineering workflows used in industry and research institutions.
The joint ESA-AfSA support for the training underscores broader trends in international engagement on space affairs. African nations have in recent years developed and expanded national and regional space programmes, while European agencies and organisations have pursued partnerships to share technical expertise and to enable cooperative use of space-based data and services. Training initiatives such as the October course are intended to strengthen the technical foundations for future collaborations, helping to build a shared pool of engineers familiar with interoperable standards, systems engineering practices and cross-border project management.
Participants in the four-day programme worked on themes central to designing and implementing space systems, with the aim of equipping early-career professionals with practical skills that can be applied in satellite development, mission planning and operations. The emphasis on systems-level thinking is intended to complement specialized knowledge in areas such as payloads, software, or telemetry by stressing integration, testing and lifecycle considerations essential to realizing operational missions.
Organisers framed the event as part of a continuum of capacity-building activities. By engaging young engineers at an early stage in their professional development, ESA and AfSA aim to cultivate networks that could facilitate joint projects, knowledge exchange and technical mentorship across institutional and geographic boundaries. Training courses also provide a forum for participants to become familiar with international standards and methodologies that are commonly used in multinational endeavours.
The October gathering follows previous collaborative efforts between European and African space organisations and contributes to a pipeline of skilled professionals who may support future cooperative programmes. While the course itself did not announce specific follow-on projects, its completion signals sustained institutional interest in bilateral and multilateral engagement on space activities. Continued joint training and capacity-building initiatives are expected to remain a practical avenue for advancing cooperation, particularly where technical training and human capital development are prerequisites for larger-scale partnerships.
As both continents continue to navigate the evolving landscape of space policy and technology, investments in education and professional development are likely to shape the scope and success of future collaborations. The Space Systems Engineering Training Course at ESEC-Galaxia in October 2025 represents a tangible step in that direction, bringing young engineers together to build technical skills and professional ties that could underpin deeper Europe–Africa cooperation in space.
As both continents continue to navigate the evolving landscape of space policy and technology, investments in education and professional development are likely to shape the scope and success of future collaborations. The Space Systems Engineering Training Course at ESEC-Galaxia in October 2025 represents a tangible step in that direction, bringing young engineers together to build technical skills and professional ties that could underpin deeper Europe–Africa cooperation in space.