ESA’s 2025 Big Data Foundations for Earth Observation Training Course

Course Overview

This five-day training course, taking place in Riga, Latvia, offers a foundational exploration of the technologies, workflows, and business applications shaping the Earth Observation (EO) data landscape. Running from 22 to 26 September 2025, it provides a practical springboard for participants attending the Big Data from Space (BiDS) conference the following week (29 September – 3 October).

With the 2025 edition of the 'Big Data Foundations for EO' course, ESA places participants at the forefront of European advances in EO science and technology. The programme covers today’s most relevant topics: AI at scale, high-performance computing for EO, and best practices in reproducibility – illustrated through a comprehensive range of applications and business models spanning the entire EO value chain. It's both an excellent introduction to the EO landscape as it is today, and a window into the future. — Anca Anghelea (Open Science Platform Engineer at ESA and co-organiser of the ESA’s 2025 Big Data Foundations for Earth Observation Training Course)

The course is complimentary and designed to serve a diverse audience, with a primary focus on educators, researchers, and institutional representatives from the Baltic region. It also welcomes industry professionals, start-ups, and innovators seeking to explore EO commercialisation pathways. 

The ‘Big Data Foundations for Earth Observation’ course is a significant opportunity for the Baltic region. By bringing world-class EO expertise to Riga, we are strengthening our regional capacity, empowering our educators, and inspiring the next generation of researchers and innovators. This training directly supports our national and regional ambitions to become active contributors in the evolving space economy, ensuring that our institutions and industries are not just observers, but participants in Europe's space future. — Kaspars Karolis, Head of Latvian delegation in ESA, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia

What to Expect

• Participants will engage in a hybrid programme blending expert-led lectures, hands-on training sessions, collaborative group work, and business-focused lab activities. Each day addresses a specific theme aligned with policy, technical, and innovation priorities:
• Monday introduces EO and big data fundamentals, illustrated through use cases aligned with the Green Deal and security themes.
• Tuesday dives into EO data processing, with practical training in Python workflows, cloud environments, and FAIR data principles.
• Wednesday explores AI and machine learning for EO, including emerging applications such as foundation models.
• Thursday shifts to business and innovation, featuring ESA Business Incubation Centres (BICs), start-up panels, and a Business Model Canvas workshop.
• Friday concludes with a forward-looking session on future technologies, including quantum computing, new space missions, and onboard AI.
• This course is also designed to empower participants as knowledge multipliers – particularly those in teaching roles – as part of ESA’s “Teach the Teachers” approach. Special emphasis is placed on capacity building across the Baltic region.

Expert Contributions

Attendees will benefit from insights delivered by leading voices in the EO community, including experts from ESA, academia, industry partners such as Kuva Space and Baltic EO firms, and contributors from ESA’s InCubed programme.

Program

Below you'll find the provisional program for the event. While most of the schedule is confirmed, please note that there may still be minor adjustments. When filling out the registration form, you'll be asked to indicate the days you plan to participate, so we encourage you to read through the program carefully beforehand.

Registration is now closed.

• Acceptance notifications: 31 July 2025

Please note:

• There are 30 positions available for the 'All Days' option, which includes full access to all lectures and dedicated practical sessions throughout the week.
• For those selecting individual days, there are 30 positions available, limited to lecture participation only on the selected days. This approach ensures smaller, more interactive groups for the hands-on practical sessions. However, please note that some theoretical sessions may still contain live demonstrations or short interactive exercises.
• Important: If any 'All Days' participants choose not to take part in certain practical sessions, available spaces may be offered to participants who have selected individual days and expressed interest in joining the practical sessions.

ESA Academy Scholarship Opportunity

ESA Academy is offering 5 scholarships (€550 each) for PhD students to attend this course. Awards cover travel and accommodation costs for selected applicants, with priority given to Baltic-region applicants. For detailed information about the scholarship, including eligibility criteria and application requirements, please read the full guidelines here.

>> Applications for the scholarship are now closed << 
 

Contact

Programme enquiries: connor.heeney@ext.esa.int

Logistics/technical support: kristof.ostir@fgg.uni-lj.si

The course is organized within the framework of the ERDF project No. 1.1.1.1/1/24/I/001 “More Efficient Implementation and Management of Latvia's Science Policy”.