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Coordinated by  
Framework Partnership Agreement on Copernicus User Uptake (FPCUP)Framework Partnership Agreement on Copernicus User Uptake (FPCUP)

Copernicus4Schools – The Great Disaster Challenge

Point of contact
Petter Evju  Skanke
Norwegian Space Agency
Drammensveien 165
0277 Oslo
Phone: +47 48113351
URL: www.romsenter.no/eng

Implementing Partner: CUNI, CUT, DLR, FFG, IHCantabria, INTA, ISPRA, Meteo Romania, NOSA, PT Space, SRTI-BAS, TO
Implementing Country: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain Primary Topic: Copernicus Data, Emergency Primary Target Users: Schools Primary Target Region: Europe Europe: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain Type of Action: National and multi-national information/training events
Action No.: 2021-2-8
Duration: Last Update:



The Great Disaster Challenge is an educational activity using Copernicus earth observation data for disaster management. It is created by a consortium spanning eleven European countries, and will be carried out simultaneously in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Spain. The objective is to inspire pupils (age approx. 13-16), as well as teachers, to use and better understand the Copernicus programme and the possibilities of earth observation.

Several national curricula are increasing the focus on subjects related to climate, development, and sustainability. Therefore, understanding how to use satellite images in the classroom for monitoring our planet will be valuable for the daily teaching and to complement many learning objectives.

The Copernicus programme is currently not used for educational purposes in secondary schools to a large extent, so this action has the potential of reaching a relatively new user segment.

This action will demonstrate the use and benefits of Copernicus in disaster management for pupils and teachers across Europe. It will also teach pupils about emergency management and civil protection in their own and other countries. The collaborative nature of the challenge will create a network of young citizens connected at international level. The teaching material prepared for the event and use cases developed by pupils can later be re-used for educational purposes. The impact on user uptake has both an immediate and long-term component: Familiarising teachers with Copernicus data will create many new users during and after the activity, and the attending pupils will carry the knowledge into future projects at universities and later in their careers.

Outputs and Results:

  • 1 Great Disaster Challenge event
  • 1 data pack based on Copernicus data
  • All the material, data and videos made available on the FPCUP homepage
  • 5-6 educational videos explaining the scope of the event and the Challenge
  • 1 training course for teachers existing of 2-3 webinars and 8 teaching modules
  • 1 tutorial explaining the Challenge, the methodology, and guides to use the tools
  • 1 summary session after the event with following report
  • 1 final report