PRESS RELEASE: Space Academy funding announced
20 February 2008
The country’s first Space Academy will soon be opening its doors to young people from schools and colleges in the East Midlands and throughout the UK thanks to a £990,000 grant from East Midlands Development Agency (emda). The Space Academy will be set up at the National Space Centre in Leicester, with partners at the University of Leicester, the University of Nottingham, the Regional Science Learning Centre for the East Midlands and STEMNET.
The Space Academy provides education programmes, summer space schools, road- shows and conferences, built around schools’ curricula in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) using space as the inspirational hook. It is especially aimed at students from 14-19 years of age, and their teachers, in the East Midlands and beyond, encouraging and supporting them to consider the benefits and challenges of careers in these fields. It will draw on the skills and reputations of Universities in the region, which are international leaders in space-related subjects, and employers who need scientists and engineers.
Prof Alan Wells, who led the Space Academy bid, says; “I am excited at the prospect of the Space Academy providing young people, and their teachers, with unique insights of the role of space in modern life; science, technology, the environment, history, human issues, even artistic creation. We will be helped by some of the world’s leading experts in space science and will be adding to the successful science education programmes already being delivered by the National Space Centre and its partners. The Partnership is grateful for emda’s vision and support”.
Dr Bryan Jackson, Chairman of emda, says;”The Space Academy is a terrific initiative and is testament to the globally renowned skills we have in the East Midlands in space research, education and communication. We are delighted to support such an imaginative programme to help increase the number and quality of scientists and engineers available to business in the East Midlands and the UK.”
The focus of the Space Academy will be to: