BUT rector at the launch of space project: Young people need to dream

Before the summer holidays, representatives of the government, educational and research institutions and industry met at a joint press conference at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences to present the Czech Journey to Space project to the public. Among the speakers was also the rector of Brno University of Technology Ladislav Janíček, who in his speech emphasized the importance of the mission as an inspiration for the study of technical and natural science fields in the Czech Republic. The next Czech Journey to Space press conference will take place on 2 September at 11:30 at Brno Observatory and Planetarium.

The Czech Republic has decided, after more than four decades, to support the sending of a Czech citizen into space once again. The candidate for this mission is Aleš Svoboda, a military pilot who was selected from among 22,000 applicants for the European Space Agency's ESA reserve astronaut team.

Right at the beginning of the press conference, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala explained that the planned mission is not a one-off affair, but its goals are long-term. "The aim is to contribute to the transformation of the Czech economy into an economy based on high added value activities through space activities and their further development."

He also highlighted the uniqueness of Aleš Svoboda’s achievement. “It’s a success that we can embrace and stand behind as an entire society. Czech Journey to Space is a national mission. Aleš Svoboda's mission to the very limits of human capability is also a mission for the Czech Republic to achieve even better education, science, and cutting-edge industry.”

The Prime Minister's words were followed by the rector of Brno University of Technology, which, thanks to its study focus, ranks among the leading European universities providing prestigious higher education in the field of aerospace technology, which allows university experts to participate in the development of new technologies and building the space industry.

An example of this direction of the university is the Master's degree programme Space Applications, which is the only programme of its kind in the Czech Republic offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication. The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FME) also participates in teaching the programme. As rector Janíček mentioned in his speech, this year the first graduates of this programme have passed the state final examinations. Additionally, the Institute of Aerospace Engineering at FME provides another Master's degree programme – Aerospace Technology.

Despite the fact that the industry has a great tradition in the Czech Republic and contributes to the GDP, it fails to provide a sufficient number of much needed technical experts. This is also true for the Czech aerospace industry, where technologies for space applications in particular are developing extremely dynamically. Therefore, the rector sees Czech Journey to Space as an opportunity to encourage young people to study technology, including aerospace technology. "I think the inspiration that this project can generate is exactly what can take us further."

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) studies have a low share of the total number of students at universities in the Czech Republic. At just 26%, it is below the EU27 average and 11% lower than the share of students in for example the neighbouring Germany. This in turn leads to the aforementioned shortage of technical specialists. "Let us think about the image of these studies among the public and in the families of future applicants. In Germany, a survey shows that up to 40% of young people today choose non-STEM studies precisely because their families recommend them as a less demanding path, despite the fact that they have all the prerequisites to manage these studies," said Janíček during his speech.

In addition to explaining the importance of engineering and science studies for the needs of the national economy, Rector said it will help to explain the opportunities open to applicants in industry. "We need to work on presenting a picture of how engineering and science graduates are employed and how interesting it is to work in the world of technology, which is now experiencing a renaissance and shaping the future. In collaboration with our industry partners, we need to demonstrate more clearly to university applicants how the modern engineer works."

Young people need role models, and the second Czech astronaut could be one of them. "The Czech journey into space can be an excellent inspiration for young talents. We need to spark dreams in our young people. I studied aircraft design because I dreamt. I think that this project can be a great inspiration for all those who believe that a person can do anything if he wants and desires. I am glad that BUT is part of this project. In cooperation with our industrial partners, we will do everything in our power to promote interest in technical and scientific studies and thanks to their graduates move our country towards a prosperous economy built on knowledge and innovation," concluded the rector of BUT.

A recording of the press conference in Czech on YouTube