Thales Alenia Space signs MoU with universities in Bangladesh and Italy for aerospace cooperation

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University (BSMRAAU) of Bangladesh and School of Aerospace Engineering of La Sapienza University of Rome (SIA) for academic cooperation in the field of aerospace on 29 May.

The BSMRAAU has established their grounds as the first aviation and aerospace university in Bangladesh whilst SIA is almost a century old academic institution and has grounded teachings in the aerospace engineering field over the last three decades, reads a press release. 

Thales Alenia Space, as the leader in design and manufacturing of satellite-based systems in Europe with over 50 years of experience and an extensive heritage in building local capacities through technology and competence transfers plans, has partnered with SIA on various initiatives including an academic cooperation programme that aims to develop local competence in the field of Earth Observation. 

Furthermore, Thales Alenia Space is the provider of the Bangabandhu Satellite-1 which is the first Bangladeshi geostationary communications and broadcasting satellite. 

The MoU will aim to identify areas of collaboration on learning, teaching and research and development of space science and technology through collaborative initiatives. It is set to provide quality education in aviation and aerospace studies and to accelerate the expansion of Bangladesh's entry in this field.

The signing ceremony was held in Dhaka, in the presence of Giorgio Spada, director of export sales in Thales Alenia Space in Italy, Professor Paolo Teofilatto of the School of Aerospace Engineering of La Sapienza University of Rome, and Air Commodore Md Monirul Islam, registrar of BSMRAAU. 

Dr Mattia Ventura, deputy head of mission at Embassy of Italy in Bangladesh, and other foreign members of these renowned organisations graced the ceremony via live streaming. 

In addition, Air Vice Marshal ASM Fakhrul Islam, vice chancellor of BSMRAAU, exchanged the MoU with Sajid Abdur Rahman, business development manager of Thales in Bangladesh, and Roberto Sigismondi, export sales manager for Bangladesh in Thales Alenia Space.

"Thales Alenia Space strongly believes in cooperation between industry and academic institutions, as an instrument to grow local capacities and one of the pillars to establish and consolidate local industrial networks for the future space projects," said Giorgio Spada. 

"The roadmap is clearly defined and shared, it will encompass a local capacity building path, supported by an academic partnership, to enable and sustain a progressive deployment of space infrastructures to meet the Bangladesh strategic views and priorities for earth observation."

Benoit Nalin, country director of Thales in Bangladesh, said, "This MoU will strengthen the collaboration between Italy and Bangladesh in the space and aerospace domains through innovation sharing and knowledge transfer. Having delivered Bangladesh's first satellite in 2018, this marks another pivotal moment for Thales as we support Bangladesh's continued space ambitions."