Bridging the Gaps in International Space Education in Africa
Bridging the Gaps in International Space Education in Africa
The volume and scope of space activities conducted by African nations and entities is rapidly increasing. Despite the growth, Africa still lags behind global counter parts in the exploration and utilisation of outer space. This is partly due to the lack of a skilled workforce to adequately serve the needs of the growing African space industry. Space law, policy and industry experts are among the skilled workforce who are critical in advancing the nascent space projects of the continent.
Legal and industry experts support the nations and entities of Africa to navigate the intricate and constantly evolving landscape surrounding space activities by addressing the legal, regulatory, and operational challenges associated with governing and financing space activities on the continent. A lack of such experts therefore hampers the continent's ability to develop and apply comprehensive legal and commercial frameworks needed to effectively guide national and private-sector space activities.
To close these gaps, Africa urgently needs to develop pathways for training a community of specialists who understand both the legal-regulatory and commercial landscape of the global space arena together with the intricate political, and socio-economic perspectives of Africa and her citizens. What are the key challenges and opportunities in training space law, policy and industry experts for Africa in today's rapidly evolving space industry? On what pillars should the relevant stakeholders and partners in Africa’s emerging space industry build education and training programs that can produce the much-needed workforce that can adequately address Africa’s current and future needs? What lessons can Africa take from the strategies and experiences of other nations and regions in developing the robust workforce who serve their space industry?
Join us on 9 February 2024 from 2:00pm–4:00pm GMT (9:00am–11:00 am EST) in a conversation with Prof. Ram Jakhu (McGill Institute of Air and Space Law) and Dr. Adigun Ade Abiodun (Cofounder, African Space Leadership Institute).