Thanks to the now consolidated collaboration with theIstituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF) and the Italian Astronomical Society (SAIT), the Space Academy of SPARKme, the business accelerator promoted by Openet Technologies SpA and dedicated to startups and innovators who intend to launch initiatives in the field of Space Economy, hosts Matera from July 8th to 13th 2019 the IX edition of the Astronomy summer school "At the school of stars”.

Is called "At the school of stars”, and for six days—from Monday, July 8th to Saturday, July 13th, in Matera—it will bring together 30 students selected based on academic merit from the 107 who applied. They are in their first, second, or third year of high school. They come from schools across Italy, from Valle d'Aosta and Friuli Venezia Giulia to Sicily, to attend the Astronomy Summer School.

“At School of Stars” is organized by SAIT, in agreement with the General Directorate for School Systems and Evaluation of the National Education System of the MIUR and in collaboration with INAF.

The School—hosted by Openet Technologies, sponsor of the initiative along with the Italian Astronomical Society (SAIT) and the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF)—will alternate theoretical learning with practical activities. The initiative aims to provide a broad range of scientific and astronomical experiences and study topics, helping students improve their overall scientific knowledge. This will enable them to participate more fully in the Astronomy Olympiad and, at the same time, enable them to make a more informed and thoughtful choice about their future university studies. Another important objective of the School is to help counter the decline in scientific vocations, which, while common to nearly all OECD countries, has inevitably resulted in a loss of Italian competitiveness in science and high technology.