ContextThe spectacular progress of space exploration during the last 30 years has allowed the development of Planetary Geosciences, characterised by an increasing involvement at the international level, of specialists of the Earth in understanding evolutionary processes of other planets. GeoPlaNet-SP project addresses the needs of structuring and internationalise the research training in Planetary Geoscience in European Higher Education Area (EHEA), strengthening excellence, increasing cooperation with industry and training young students to address the future challenges of space exploration in a fully multidisciplinary environment. PartnershipThe partnership was born from the GeoPlaNet project (2017-19 locally funded by Région Pays de la Loire (France)) and led by the Laboratoire de Planétologie et de Géodynamique of the University of Nantes, which successfully build up a world-wide training and research consortium of 20 partners in 16 countries, combining teaching establishments, research institutions and space agencies deeply involved in planetary geosciences, some of which having been collaborating for more than twenty years through their joint involvement in space missions.GeoPlaNet-SP is based on a partnership of 5 European Universities with complementary expertise in Astrophysics and Astronomy, in Planetary Geology and in Planetary and Earth Sciences: Nantes (France) coordinator of the project, Coimbra and Porto (Portugal), Padova and Chieti/Pescara (Italy) and a start-up VR2Planets (France) specialised in Virtual Reality (VR). Activities will be held in 3 European countries. Associated partners are start-up in Portugal specialised in space instrumentation and the 15 other GeoPlaNet Institutions including the European Space Agency.Project objectives1- Structure and enrich the training offer in Planetary Geosciences in Europe by:-Strengthening cooperation between partners and develop new collaboration with private companies,-Allowing the realisation of synergies and exchange of good practices inside a network of excellence, with joint activities and intellectual outputs, sustainable for future training courses,-Allowing participants to develop a multicultural European approach that will be very valuable for their careers in an intrinsically international sector.2- Transfer the research collaborations, expertise and cutting-edge disruptive technologies used in research field into the training field:-Increase knowledge about employers needs in the space exploration sector to adapt training offers,-Foster Innovation through testing and implementing innovative practices in the field of education such as VR and new interdisciplinary modules in planetary geosciences that will enrich existing international degrees. Target groupsThis project is meant for:•The 500 researchers and Master1, Master2, PhD and post doctorate students in Planetary Geosciences from the Partners Institutes, •The 20 Institutions of the whole GeoPlaNet Consortium,•Students and researchers from other Universities and broader audience benefiting from the results that will be made public on the project website.Activities & resultsThanks to a dynamic governance, the partners have gathered in 4 work packages a programme of new education modules, innovative tools and intellectual outputs based on their joint and complementary expertise.1. Employability: Surveys on employability in the space exploration sector, and a dedicated workshop gathering private companies and academic.2. Innovative training practices: overview on existing educative practices and a focus on VR technologies applied to the educative field in Planetary Geosciences with an international meeting for exchange of good practice, training for trainers and a video of the use case of VR applied in training.3. Habitability: intensive week with international experts and educative material with the latest results on this hot topic.4. Planetary Mapping and Analog surface: summer school and field trip experience with specific outputs related to comparative planetology, digital mapping and numerical modelling.ImpactImpacts are expected at local, national and international levels: enriching existing education programmes will boost the attractivity of Universities, foster partnership with private companies and benefit to the excellence of the education offer at European level.Potential longer term benefits All the existing Master Degrees in Partners Institutes will benefit from the joint international activities organised in this project. To further address the need of research training in Planetary Geosciences in EHEA, the next step will be to jointly design with the Partners a full International Master Degree. The sustainability of the outcomes of this Strategic Partnership is therefore ensured with an application to an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree between the partners within the next three years.