• → European Space Agency

      • Space for Europe
      • Space News
      • Space in Images
      • Space in Videos
    • About Us

      • Welcome to ESA
      • DG’s blog
      • For Member State Delegations
      • Business with ESA
      • Law at ESA
      • ESA Exhibitions
      • ESA Publications
      • Careers at ESA
      • ESAshop
    • Our Activities

      • Space News
      • Observing the Earth
      • Human and Robotic Exploration
      • Space Transportation
      • Navigation
      • Space Science
      • Space Engineering & Technology
      • Operations
      • Telecommunications & Integrated Applications
      • Preparing for the Future
    • Careers at ESA

    • For Media

      • Media
      • ESA TV
      • Videos for professionals
      • Photos
    • For Educators

    • For Kids

    • ESA

    • Welcome to ESA

    • History

    • Art & Culture in Space

    • Spacebrains

    • Partnerships

    • All about ESA
    • ESA's Purpose
    • United space in Europe
    • A European Vision
    • Establishments
      and facilities
    • Funding
    • Security at ESA
    • Publications
    • A European agency...
    • ESA and the EU
    • European milestones
    • European Space Policy
    • New Member States
    • European Cooperating States
    • Download
    • ESA Convention
    • Annual Report 2016
    • Annual Report 2015
    • Annual Report 2014
    • Annual Report 2013
    • Annual Report 2012
    • Annual Report 2011
    • Annual Report 2010

    ESA > About Us > Welcome to ESA

    Malta signs Cooperation Agreement

    Signing the cooperation agreement in Valetta
    23 February 2012

    Malta signed a Cooperation Agreement with ESA on 20 February 2012. The objective of this agreement is to allow Malta and ESA to create the framework for more-intensive cooperation in ESA projects in the future.

    Head of ESA Director General’s Cabinet, Karlheinz Kreuzberg, and Chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando MP, signed the agreement in Valletta, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Malta, the Hon. Lawrence Gonzi.

    Discussions with ESA started in 2004 through the Maltese Embassy in Paris. The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), in charge of space affairs and also responsible for the National Strategy for Research and Innovation, was appointed as ESA’s counterpart.

    The priority areas for Malta in research are telecommunications and satellite technology, as well as high-technology engineering (for example, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems and nanotechnology). The Department of Physics at the University of Malta has a number of research interests in space activities.

    On 29 May 2009, Malta joined the Group on Earth Observations. ESA has now a formal cooperation with nearly all EU Member States. The Czech Republic and, more recently, Romania have become ESA Member States. Discussions for accession are taking place with Poland.

    The ESA Director General also initiated in 2011 a series of biannual meetings held at different ESA establishments with the EU Member States that are not members of ESA. Malta also attended these meetings and was given an opportunity to participate in a newly proposed National Trainee Scheme. Malta will send trainees to ESA in line with the capacities and competences of the island.

    Prime Minister Gonzi insisted that his Government would give top priority to education. He said, “This cooperation agreement with ESA would result in new training and research opportunities for Maltese students and researchers, access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, as well as the possibility of networking with ESA researchers.”

    He also underlined that, “Investing in research and innovation would create the right conditions to grow alongside manufacturing and other economic sectors.”

    Rate this

    Views

    Share

    • Currently 5 out of 5 Stars.
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    Rating: 4.8/5 (5 votes cast)

    Thank you for rating!

    You have already rated this page, you can only rate it once!

    Your rating has been changed, thanks for rating!

    2349
    Tweet
    • Plan for European Cooperating States web site
    • Related articles
      • European Cooperating States
        • Hungary and the Czech Republic sign Cooperating State agreements with ESA
          • Malta signs Cooperation Agreement
            • Israel signs Cooperation Agreement
              • Cyprus signs Cooperation Agreement
                • Latvia signs Cooperation Agreement
                  • Lithuania signs Cooperation Agreement
                    • Slovak Republic signs Cooperation Agreement
                      • Estonia signs Cooperation Agreement with ESA
                      • Related links
                      • Malta Council for Science and Technology
    • App Store
    • Subscribe
    • mobile version
    • FAQ

    • Site Map

    • Contacts

    • Terms and conditions