Setting Up an ESA_LAB
The European Space Agency and the University of Central Lancashire have finalised ESA_Lab@UCLan, a collaboration agreement focusing on the investigation of public value, in Carlisle.
ESA_Lab@ is a cooperation scheme initiated in 2017 to establish strong institutional ties between the European Space Agency, academia, industry and other entities. This cooperation is then leveraged through numerous different approaches. On one level, the cooperation helps to define new technical and business approaches that can be applied to the rapidly evolving space sector. On another, it is also used to attract and educate young and talented people, encouraging them to get involved in space activities. It will take into account how the space ‘angle’ can provide disruptive and future-oriented solutions. Lastly, the cooperation with ESA brings with it a cross-cultural focus; highlighting the strength of international activities and developments.
ESA’s Chief Strategy Officer Kai-Uwe Schrogl presented the agreement, signed by the ESA Director General Jan Wörner and Lynne Livesey, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) on behalf of Vice Chancellor of UCLan Mike Thomas, to Rick Wylie, Samuel Lindow Academic Director at UCLan’s campus in west Cumbria and Executive Director of the Applied Policy Science Unit at UCLan.
The ESA_Lab@UCLan, managed by Gianluigi Baldesi, Senior Corporate Development Coordinator at ESA, will jointly investigate, how "public value" can be understood and how it can be made a useful tool to explain the effects ESA has for Member States and society as a whole.
The Agency can benefit from in-depth research in this field undertaken by UCLan. The University can use ESA as a case study for their approaches and models. The agreement is similar to other activities ESA is conducting with other universities in the field of corporate development.
