New wave of Emirati space experts in training as 10-week programme begins
13 May 2025 21:33
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)Space science training has begun for the second batch of Emiratis who could be the next experts and innovators of the country's rapidly evolving satellite and exploration industries.The National Space Academy, an initiative by the UAE Space Agency, kicked off the 10-week "Space Applications – Earth Observation" programme on Tuesday. This immersive, hands-on course is aimed at honing Emiratis' talent in remote sensing, artificial intelligence and data analytics.Created in partnership with Space42, the programme forms part of a long-term initiative to advance applied space knowledge in the nation. Participants represent more than 20 public, private, academic, and research entities from across the country."They will graduate with real-world projects, applications that will be launched through our gIQ platform, which utilises space data analytics to provide solutions for real-world applications," said Eng. Naser Al Rashedi, Manager of the National Space Academy.The programme, which runs until July 17, features a mix of lectures, workshops, and live projects, enabling participants to build their space-based solutions with AI and satellite data.With such training, the UAE is cultivating a new wave of engineers and scientists who will be able to drive space science and technology at the forefront of national progress.Building Emiratis' capabilities in space science remains a core priority of the academy, while also tackling long-term sustainability. "The strategy talks about investing in space applications that have real use cases in the UAE and making them economically competitive. It is about generating both social and economic returns," Al Rashedi said.
New Curriculum
To ensure users could take full advantage of the data tools and analytics, Space42 revamped its training strategy. "We created an entirely new curriculum for the second cohort, which enables project-based learning," said Dr. Prashanth Marpu, Chief Technology Officer at Bayanat's Smart Solutions, Space42."Now, people not only learn theoretically; they actually implement it in a programme and go end-to-end," he said."We wanted to actually train people, governmental agencies, students, on the latest technologies to utilise the data in the right way and build applications."This approach, Marpu said, seeks to empower participants. "Now, these students can go back to their organisations already equipped with the tools needed to do their analytics or to contribute to their programmes."The academy is now making plans to further strengthen its programme."We are going to launch another cohort related to the upstream of space, which means how to build satellite systems-not just using the data. We are also exploring different models of delivering the programme to increase access, especially for those who cannot attend the in-person format due to limited seats," Al Rashedi said.
"In the next phase, we are looking to introduce more subjects and varied delivery styles to make the program even more accessible and comprehensive," he added.
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