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Southern Hemisphere
Space Studies Program

Your Gateway to Space

The Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program (SHSSP) is conducted by the University of South Australia (UniSA) in partnership with the International Space University (ISU).

Since 2011, the SHSSP provides a cutting-edge space education as well as a re-skilling and up-skilling training for the space workforce. The SHSSP is an intensive, four-week program providing a multidisciplinary understanding of the key activities and areas of knowledge required by today’s space professionals. The program is based on a unique international, intercultural and interdisciplinary (3-I) learning experience for which the ISU is renowned and connects professionals with the international space sector.

“ISU has been a career-altering endeavor for me, opening up incredible opportunities and connections with like-minded individuals. It has instilled in me a passion for the endless cosmos where space is now an integral part of my life.”

AMANDA SATHIARAJ, SHSSP18, INDIA, STRATEGIC OPERATIONS ENGINEER

Adelaide, Australia

13 January - 7 February 2025

The program provides a multidisciplinary understanding of the key activities and areas of knowledge required by today’s space professions, including:

Space applications and services

Human spaceflight and life sciences

Space humanities, communications, art and culture

Space policy, economics and law

Space science and exploration

Space business, project management and entrepreneurship

Space systems engineering and technologies

The Southern Space Studies Program (SHSSP) has been running since 2011, provided in partnership by ISU and the University of South Australia. The program is designed with a particular eye to the southern hemisphere space environment and is built around the themes of space exploration, space policy and space services, while giving a well-rounded exposure to the principles and concepts involved in space science, space systems engineering and technology, space business, project leadership and space legal and regulatory issues. The program is designed to be a catalyst to boost the role of space for countries in the southern hemisphere and those cooperating with them, and to build human capability and capacity.

SHSSP Structure​

The program uses the interdisciplinary educational method for which ISU is renowned, and includes core lectures from international and Australian experts, workshops and ‘white paper’ team projects lead by faculty and invited experts. It will take the form of an intensive four-week program, providing the International, Intercultural, and Interdisciplinary ISU experience in a format and schedule suited to the Southern Hemisphere.

As in other ISU programs, participants will benefit from the shared experience of an international, interactive working environment with other professionals, graduate researchers and postgraduate students. Successful completion of the program can lead to a graduate qualification or credit towards undergraduate programs in Australia and internationally. Program graduates will become part of the professional networking forum of ISU alumni, faculty members and visiting lecturers.

The SHSSP’s interdisciplinary program delivers an expertly designed curriculum suited to the space education needs of professionals seeking additional knowledge of international space systems and services, graduate researchers in all fields seeking a broader understanding of the context of their work, and undergraduate students seeking exposure to the International, Intercultural, and Interdisciplinary aspects of space that are not available in their home institution studies.

The SHSSP’s core lecture series will comprise one third of the program, presenting 33 lectures covering the world’s space activities with a focus on space applications, services and policy. A broad understanding of the role of space, the current status of our capacity to use it and future directions, opportunities, and challenges for the space sector will be presented in a manner clearly understandable to participants from a broad range of backgrounds.

Another one third of the program will be allocated to hands-on workshops, public space events, and professional visits in the area. Workshops will often be linked with lectures, with hands-on activities using local remote sensing data, GPS field exercises, collecting satellite data, and other topics. There will be several public events with invited speakers and we will make several professional visits to space-related facilities in the local region.

The final one third will be the group White Paper Team Project assignments to be completed in week 4. Each year the assignments will focus on selected themes or application areas. The participants will, in groups, research an issue of interest to the Southern Hemisphere nations and then jointly author a Team Project report on the subject which will be suitable for sharing with interested organizations and agencies or for submission to international professional conferences.

SHSSP Admissions

The full fees for SHSSP25 (in-person) are:

AUD 17,000 for 4 weeks, including all tuition fees, accommodation and meals.

Deadline for scholarship application
31 October 2024

Final application deadline
29 November 2024

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ISU SHSSP25