Master a.a. 2025/26

The gap between the demand and supply of specific skills in the field of Earth Observation from Space has been recognized by the European Commission as one of the main limiting factors in the development of the aerospace sector and, in particular, the insufficient growth of the European market for products and services based on EO techniques. The lack (at the European level) of a university curriculum dedicated to training researchers and professionals with the skills to cover the entire value chain—from the design of platforms and sensors to the development of systems, applications, and services based on the processing of EO data from space—has been identified as a significant gap that the Commission encouraged to overcome, by also including the joint efforts of European universities participating in the Copernicus Academy Network. Companies operating in the sector have repeatedly expressed difficulty in finding personnel with such expertise, capable of responding and actively anticipating future market demands in a continuously evolving field like Earth Observation applications from space. Following the guidelines of the EU and leveraging the synergies made possible by UNIBAS's role in the Copernicus Academy Network, the proposed program aims to train professionals with all the fundamental and specialized skills needed for the development of the entire value chain—from the design and operation of remote sensing platforms and instruments to the analysis and interpretation of remote sensing data for the development of advanced applications and services. All these skills are already offered separately,
albeit in a disorganised manner and with varying intensity and educational objectives, in multiple University curricula, such as Aerospace Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, etc. However, there is still no European University curriculum that combines all the foundational knowledge needed to envision new services and applications of EO from Space, starting from the design of appropriate platforms and tools, rather than solely relying on the existing EO data. To fill this educational gap, has already been recognised as one of the paramount objectives of the Copernicus User Uptake of the European Commission (there is nothing in the European skills catalogue ESCO that alludes to such professional figures). The Master’s program organised by the University of Basilicata thus, aims to fill this gap by training new professional figures who will be able to find employment in companies operating in the aerospace sector and in ICT, as well as in public administrations. The Master’s program will leverage the specific expertise available at the University of Basilicata, as well as contributions from highly qualified teachers from other Universities, Research Institutions and private companies. A particular added value of The Master’s program, in addition to the established relationships with the network of companies operating in the aerospace sector, both local and national, grouped in the TeRN Technology District and the CLAS, is its strong interconnection with the National PhD in Earth Observation (to which UNIBAS has adhered from the beginning) and with the European Copernicus Academies Network, of which UNIBAS was a pioneer. This will allow for a broader pool of teachers as well as opportunities for internships to be offered to the Master’s program participants. The course aims to attract young individuals interested in orienting their professional activities towards a highly innovative and competitive sector, while developing skills that can be easily reinvested in other productive sectors. The content of the Master’s program will be aimed at integrating knowledge derived from university scientific research with the methods and practices that characterise professional activity within companies in the sector. The teaching activities will be carried out by faculties from the University of Basilicata and other European Universities that conduct advanced research activities in the aerospace sector and, in particular, in Earth Observation from Space. The course is primarily aimed at young graduates in STEM disciplines who are motivated to engage in professional activities in the Aerospace Sector. In this sense, a mindset that is both scientific and professional, along with an international outlook on their placement, is required. The Master’s program may also be of interest to professionals, both public and private employees, who wish to broaden and deepen their expertise in this specific sector. The Master’s program aims to train professionals capable of imagining and designing new systems, sensors, services, and applications of EO from Space, who will be able to find employment in companies operating in the aerospace sector and in ICT, as well as in Public Administration entities. 

The Master’s program lasts one year, with mandatory attendance remotely or in person.  Each teaching module, structured into various teaching units, includes a single evaluation based on written exams with closed or open-ended questions. The examination committees will verify the achievement of credits by students at the end of each teaching module, expressing a grade on a scale of thirtieths. The final exam will consist of presenting the activities carried out and the project work developed during the internship period. Participants who successfully pass the final exam will be awarded the first-level Master title in “Earth Observations from Space: Advanced Technologies and Applications (EO-SAT)” released by the University of Basilicata.  

Prof. Carmine SERIO

Prof. Aurelia SOLE

Prof. Vincenzo FIUMARA

Prof. Guido MASIELLO

Prof. Dino ZARDI

Prof. Nicola PERGOLA

Prof. Riccardo LANARI

Prof. Enzo CUOMO

Dr. Raffaele SANTANGELO

Dr. Annibale GUARIGLIA