Summer school builds future GNSS talent
From 13-24 July, the 17th annual European Space Agency (ESA)/Joint Research Centre (JRC) International Summer School on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) brought together a record 102 students, early-stage researchers and young professionals from 25 countries to broaden their knowledge of GNSS. In Espoo, Finland, they collaborated, built connections and learned from experts from ESA, the European Commission (EC), industry and academia.
Week one
The Summer School was inaugurated by Laurent Jaffart, ESA Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, Georgios Giannopoulos from the EC’s Joint Research Centre and Sakari Puisto, Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs.
Following a warm welcome, former ESA Director General Jean Jacques Dordain inspired participants with his reflections on how the shortest path to the future is often through the lessons of the past. Heidi Kuusniemi, Professor at Tampere University’s Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, then provided an overview of satellite navigation in Finland, showcasing the nation’s achievements in both research excellence and resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) applications.
The opening session concluded with welcoming remarks from Taruanne Lindevall, Senior Specialist in Space Policy at the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, who greeted participants on behalf of Finland, proud host of this year's edition of the Summer School.
In the first days of the Summer School, participants explored how GNSS signals are generated, transmitted and processed, learning from key academic and engineering experts Jade Morton, Chris Hegarty, David Ibáñez and Michel Bousquet.
Later, they put theory into practice during hands-on workshops on GNSS signal processing and precise point positioning.
At the end of the first week, the focus shifted to the future of PNT. From resilient and trustworthy PNT to low Earth orbit-based positioning, future navigation architectures, disruptive technologies that could one day radically change the paradigm of PNT, deep-space navigation and navigation on the Moon, the programme offered a glimpse of how navigation is evolving to support the next generation of services and exploration missions.
Week two
In the second week, alongside the technical programme, participants exchanged ideas with leaders from across the PNT community. Through these discussions, they explored the challenges of major navigation programmes, learned perspectives on strategy within ESA Navigation, reflected on the success story of EGNOS and gained insights into the GNSS sector.
The final days of the Summer School were spent working in teams as participants applied what they learned: from GNSS fundamentals and cybersecurity to resilient PNT, lunar navigation and future space systems.
The result was innovative ideas, fresh perspectives and solutions shaped by the next generation of navigation professionals. Their projects were presented to an international panel of experts, marking the culmination of an intensive journey of learning, collaboration and discovery.
Building connections
Beyond the technical lectures and workshops, the annual Summer School is an opportunity for young professionals to meet people from academia and industry, exchange ideas and discuss common challenges.
Social excursions included a variety of outdoor activities. During a dedicated Women in PNT dinner organised by the Institute of Navigation, women shared advice on achieving careers in PNT and supported and motivated one another.
Participants also discovered opportunities to stay connected and grow within the navigation community through a dedicated session that introduced the Young Navigators network, an initiative in ESA Navigation for building a global community of young professionals in GNSS.
Many thanks to all the lecturers and guests who shared their knowledge during the Summer School, including, Laurent Jaffart, Georgios Giannopoulos, Taruanne Lindevall, Jade Morton, Chris Hegarty, David Ibáñez, Michel Bousquet, Stuart Schofield, José Ángel Ávila Rodríguez, Stefan Wallner, Paul Verhoef, Philippe Michel, Adrià Rovira Garcia, Sophie Damy, Jihye Park, Todd Walter, Matteo Paonni, Javier Benedicto, Didier Flament, Javier Ventura-Traveset, Heidi Kuusniemi, Marco Anghileri, Francesco Menzione, Sonia Toribio, Monica Gotta, and Daniele Borio.
The ESA/JRC International Summer School on GNSS occurs annually and is hosted by a different country each year. Stay updated on the 2027 edition and other open opportunities with ESA Navigation here.