During a high-level conference at the European Parliament on Tuesday 6 June, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Industry, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, officially launched the Copernicus academy and networks. The objective is to: speed up and increase the use of data generated by the European terrestrial observation programme, Copernicus.
During this conference, the Commissioner explained, “the Copernicus Academy and networks constitute the skeleton of our strategy for raising awareness about Copernicus”. She also highlighted the strategic importance of the space sector for European autonomy.
The project was unofficially launched in November 2016 by Philippe Brunet, the director of Space Policy, Copernicus and Defence. What is it about? The programme seeks to create an “economic ecosystem” and research system based on the European terrestrial observation programme, Copernicus. This will be used to help increase economic and public actors use of the huge quantity of raw data generated – one of the main challenges involved in the space strategy for Europe (see EUROPE 11655).
The Copernicus networks will therefore seek to create a local level network with all economic and local actors, in an effort to promote the European programme and develop adapted applications. The Copernicus Academy is also seeking to set up an academic network that will help develop training within the Copernicus programme.
Following the launch, the members of the network held their first general assembly at the end of the afternoon. Several parliamentarians involved in space policy attended, such as Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany), Constanze Krehl (S&D Germany) and Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania), as well as the President of the Council Committee of the Regions, Markku Markkula.
There are currently 61 members taking part in the networks and 79 academics participating in the Academy. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)