15th Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing: The Water Cycle
September 7 - September 11
University of Perugia, Italy
Background
The European Space Agency (ESA) is organising an Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing with focus on the Water Cycle in collaboration with the University of Perugia. This course is dedicated to training the next generation of Earth Observation (EO) scientists and experts, working with water cycle related topics, in using data from Copernicus Sentinels and other satellite missions for science and applications development. The course is part of the Earth Action element of ESA’s FutureEO programme.
Objectives
The course aims at:
- Training the next generation of scientists and professionals in remote sensing for water cycle
- Explaining the theoretical principles, processing algorithms and data products from multiple sources including optical, thermal and microwave (including altimetry).
Topics
The training will include theory and hands-on sessions on the following topics:
- Precipitation
- Soil moisture
- Anthropogenic water use
- Snow
- Runoff and river discharge
- Evaporation
- Terrestrial water storage
- Water budget closure
The course will cover the use of SAR, multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal and satellite altimetry data. 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 7 to 11 September 2026 at the University of Perugia, Italy. Postgraduate, PhD students, post-doctoral research scientists and professionals interested in the applications of Earth Observation for water cycle related topics are welcome to apply for the course. Most of the students will be selected among candidates from institutions/companies in Europe and Canada, but also a few from other countries may be selected.
Discover more about the application process by visiting the official training course website https://landtraining2026.esa.int/