Universities Space Research Association's Council of Institutions Establishes a New Region for International Universities

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council of Institutions (COI) of the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) announces the establishment of a new geographic region for USRA's European member universities. The historic vote establishing this "European Region" marks the first time in USRA's esteemed 55-year history that a new region has been added.

Originally, USRA had nine geographic Regions. The increasing interest from European universities in joining USRA prompted the Council of Institutions to vote in favor of creating a distinct geographic entity: Region X ("ten"), comprising the universities in Europe. USRA now has a total of 18 international members and 102 U.S. members.

The rationale behind the creation of this new region is multifaceted:

• Region X will serve as a platform for USRA to explore new opportunities and foster new collaborative partnerships both within Europe and globally;
• The establishment of a European Region holds the potential to enhance collaborative endeavors with the European Space Agency (ESA); and
• International partnerships play an increasingly pivotal role in driving advancements across various domains, including science, security, exploration, technology development, and education.

The universities in the new Region X are:

• University of Bern
• University of Cologne
• École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• University of Leicester
• University of Padua
• University of Sheffield
• University of Stuttgart
• University of Zurich

"USRA is pleased to establish a new European Region of member universities," stated Jeffrey A. Isaacson, President and CEO of Universities Space Research Association.  "At a time of increasing international collaboration in space, we look forward to fostering new partnerships among universities, governments, and other organizations toward the development and application of space-related science, technology and engineering."

About USRA
Founded in 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advance space-related science, technology, and engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities and conducts other major research and educational programs. It is an association with 120 university members. USRA engages the broader university community, employs in-house scientific talent, and offers innovative research, development, and project management expertise.  For more information, see www.usra.edu.

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SOURCE Universities Space Research Association