Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Planetary Geosciences - GeoPlaNet

ongoing

In the last decades Space has become a highly competitive sector with global scientific and economic challenges. The EU Space Programme promotes a European New Space eco-system to foster entrepreneurship within the European space industry. The GeoPlaNet EMJM in Planetary Geosciences (PG) aims to train the future cohort of tomorrow's best researchers (72 top international students) with a unique and world competitive European learning experience based on a strong education by research. It will prepare them to design, analyse and interpret the data of the future space missions and to address the many challenges of the oncoming Earth and Planetary exploration programmes. This project was born from a long-lasting partnership of 3 European HEI: Nantes (FR), Chieti-Pescara (IT) and Coimbra (PT), world renown experts in the combined disciplines of PG and involved in the main international space missions. Associated partners include the GeoPlaNet Consortium of 19 partners, main actors of space exploration worldwide (ESA, NASA, Europlanet), and private companies specialised in Virtual Reality and space instrumentation. GeoPlaNet EMJM is based on 3 existing masters and a full semester research internship within the network of associated partners, for a 2-year programme of 120 ECTS, validated by a joint diploma. The objectives of the project are 1) to offer a European structured and internationalised programme of excellence in PG, 2) to develop students research and numerical skills, including disruptive technologies, the use of VR tools and the creation of collaborative virtual universes for space exploration, in an international and multidisciplinary environment, 3) to reach 100 % of employment after graduation and create a wide network of employment opportunities within research & industry. Activities and results will contribute to support the EU Space policy in terms of scientific research, international networking activities and disruptive technologies.