Partners
Background
The European Space Agency (ESA) is organising an Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing with the focus on Agriculture in collaboration with the University of Thessaloniki. This course is dedicated to train the next generation of Earth Observation (EO) scientists and experts, working in the domain of agriculture, in using data from Copernicus Sentinels and other satellite missions for science and applications development. The course is part of the EO Science for Society element of ESA’s FutureEO programme.
Objectives
The Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing for Agriculture aims at:
- Training the next generation of scientists and professionals in remote sensing for agriculture
- Explaining the theoretical principles, processing algorithms and data products from multiple sources including optical, thermal and microwave
Topics
The training will include theory and hands-on sessions on the following topics:
- Crop mapping and monitoring (biophysical variables, phenology, evapotranspiration)
- Nutrients and carbon monitoring
- Monitoring of management practices
- Monitoring abiotic and biotic crop stressors
- Extreme weather impact
- Yield prediction
- Applications to farm management, policies and industry/business
The course will cover the use of SAR, multispectral, hyperspectral and thermal satellite data, as well as in-situ data sampling and accuracy assessment, crop growth models, data driven models and hybrid models. An overview of the status of relevant EO missions in operation and under development will also be provided.
A field excursion is foreseen (more details will follow).
Participation
The 5-day course will be held from 29 September to 3 October 2025 at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Postgraduate, PhD students, post-doctoral research scientists and professionals from European countries and Canada interested in the applications of Earth Observation for agriculture are welcome to apply for the course. Research scientists, students, EO professionals from all other countries are also welcome to apply, subject to availability of space.
Application
- Create a user account in the ConfTool portal and fill in the online application form
- Enter a title and short abstract (mandatory) presenting your current work/research topic, possibly related to the main theme of the course
- Upload a reference letter from an academic referee or employer (mandatory). The reference letter should be on the official University/Company letter head paper
- Participants will have the opportunity to present their work/research (short presentation) during the event. Additional guidelines will be provided in due course
- The application submission will close on 12 June 2025.
Important Notes
- The application will be considered complete once the abstract and reference letter have been submitted
- Number of participants is limited to a maximum of 50 students and is subject to a selection procedure by the scientific and organising committees
- Your academic referee will be notified once the application has been submitted
- Notification of acceptance will be sent by early July 2025
- No participation fee is foreseen. If allowed to travel, participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses (financial support is not available)
- Participants are expected to bring their own laptop
- The official language of the training course is English
- At the end of the course, all participants will be given a certificate of attendance. No ECTS credits will be directly awarded although a document including the completed training course activities and relevant hours can be provided upon request. This document can eventually be used to serve in a process of validation and recognition of ECTS by the participants with their university.
Programme
The training course programme will be available soon.
Venue
The 14th Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing will be held at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Schedule and Deadlines
| Application submission opening | 15 May 2025 |
| Application submission closure | 12 June 2025 |
| Notification of acceptance | Early July 2025 |
| Training Course | 29 September – 3 October 2025 |
Organising Committee
Magdalena Fitrzyk
RSAC c/o ESA
Antonios Mouratidis
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Irene Renis
Serco c/o ESA
Espen Volden
ESA
Lecturers
The course will be taught by leading European senior scientists and specialists in remote sensing for agriculture.
Contacts
For information regarding the applications and the programme, please contact eotraining@esa.int
For logistics and technical information, please contact amourati@auth.gr