4 May 2026

Space & Tech: The Grenoble Contribution

As part of the "Space & Tech Unite!" initiative, the University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA) and the Grenoble University Space Center (CSUG) have transformed a space engineering course into a blended-learning experience.

Supported by the Unite! Seed Fund and industrial expertise from Air Liquide, "Space & Tech Unite!" sets a new standard for international educational cooperation in the high-stakes space sector.

Quality Assurance (QA) and Product Assurance (PA) are the invisible backbones of the space industry. In an environment where a single component failure can jeopardise a multi-million euro mission, these disciplines are critical. However, they are often underrepresented in standard academic curricula. 

To bridge this gap, a team from Grenoble—led by Professor Erik Kerstel (CSUG) and expert Mylène Bouzat (Air Liquide)- leveraged the Unite! Seed Fund to reimagine how these complex technical topics are taught to the next generation of European engineers. 

A Radical Pedagogical Transformation

The project titled "Quality assure and product assurance in space activities" represents a significant shift from traditional teaching to a flexible, multi-modal format. What was once a 3-hour conventional lecture delivered in French has been entirely redesigned into a comprehensive English-language programme featuring three distinct pillars:

• Asynchronous online training: A series of 13 professionally produced videos (totaling 2 hours) available on the Metacampus platform. Using "microlearning" principles, these 7 to 20-minute modules allow students to learn at their own pace.

• Synchronous remote sessions: A 2-hour interactive digital meeting designed to clarify key concepts and assess student knowledge.

• Hands-on in-person workshops: A 3-hour practical session where students apply their skills to real-world scenarios, such as the one recently held during the Unite! Research School in Autrans.

Scalability and Future Impact 

The first trial run of the Space & Tech course, conducted in late 2025 with 23 international participants, was a resounding success, achieving a satisfaction rate of over 80%.

The course is now poised for wide dissemination across the Unite! alliance, with an expected reach of over 25 students annually across the nine partner institutions. Furthermore, the modules will be integrated into COMETES (Compétence et Métiers pour le Spatial), a major French educational programme involving 15 universities and 5 space centers, projected to reach over 100 students per year.

By combining the flexibility of self-paced digital learning with the depth of hands-on workshops, this Grenoble-led initiative serves as a blueprint for how specialised technical fields can transcend geographical and institutional boundaries through the power of the Unite! network.