ESA and AfSA join forces for systems engineering training

The course was held under the umbrella of the Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme (AESPP), which is a flagship of the Global Gateway funded by the European Commission, DG INTPA. Co-implemented by ESA and AfSA, the AESPP seeks to strengthen cooperation across the full space value chain, from satellite manufacturing and data applications to policy and institutional development.

This year’s course brought together 30 students from 24 nationalities, including 13 participants from Africa. Their presence symbolised more than an exchange of technical knowledge: it marked a growing strategic and educational alliance between Europe and Africa, rooted in shared ambitions for sustainable space development.

“This training goes beyond engineering,” said Nigel Savage, ESA Academy Training Administrator. “It’s about creating the conditions for genuine partnership, where expertise, opportunities, and visions are shared across continents.”

“For AfSA, the collaboration represents a milestone in advancing African capacity building within the global space community,” according to Hamdi Kacem from AfSA. “Every investment in infrastructure or technology must be matched — and even surpassed — by investment in people.”

Participants delved into essential topics such as requirements engineering, mission architecture, budgeting, and risk management. One of the course highlights was a dynamic simulation exercise where students faced real-world challenges in time and risk management — a fast-paced, interactive game designed to replicate the decision-making pressures of space project environments. The experience encouraged teamwork, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving, mirroring the collaborative spirit of ESA missions. Thanks to the expert guidance of ESA professionals and the practical, experience-based format, students concluded the course with a solid foundation in space systems engineering, equipped with valuable tools to apply in their future academic and professional journeys. However, the broader story was one of space diplomacy through education. The exchange of ideas, perspectives, and approaches highlighted how technical training can serve as a foundation for strategic collaboration.

For a Liberian participant, the experience was highly educational: “Participating in the ESA Academy Space System Engineering Training Course […] provided practical knowledge in mission design, payload analysis, and system engineering. As Liberia’s representative, I enhanced technical, teamwork, and leadership skills through collaboration with international participants.”

ESA and AfSA plan to continue expanding their joint training initiatives in New Space engineering under the AESPP, paving the way for future cooperation in research, innovation, and technology transfer. Each course builds on the same vision, that the future of space exploration is inclusive, interconnected, and collaborative.

With every new cohort of students trained under this partnership, the message becomes clearer: Europe and Africa are engineering a shared future among the stars.