Keywords
Citation
(2000), "Symposium on 'space and education'", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 72 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2000.12772dab.027
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
Symposium on 'space and education'
Symposium on "space and education"
Keywords: Education, Space travel
The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) recently organised a symposium on "space and education" in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the International Space University (ISU), and with the assistance of other agencies, representatives of the space industry, teachers, pupils and students. Speakers included space experts from all parts of the world.
The purpose of the symposium was to encourage agencies, businessmen and teachers from all countries to share their ideas, programmes and strategies to meet the needs of primary and secondary school pupils and university students and provide in-service training for professionals in the space industry.
States are constantly required to meet the challenge of ensuring that educational methods keep pace with a changing world. The new technologies loom ever larger in our daily lives and we must all be given an opportunity to familiarise ourselves with this aspect of the modern world and extend the boundaries of our knowledge by taking part in the rapid advances in this area.
Space applications too play an increasing part in our lives, pointing the way to the future. Space can be an excellent adjunct to education, contributing to a better understanding of the world around us and providing young people with the basic knowledge that is an essential part of their training.
Space activities play a key role in prompting explorers, pioneers and inventors to press forward, to provide a source of innovation at the service of mankind and improve our quality of life. The space industry and space agencies can contribute to national education by providing and maintaining programmes at all levels and using the most effective teaching methods to foster enthusiasm for space among the young and encourage them to work in that sector later.