Hold the mandate
in your country.
A National or Regional Organizer is the local institutional anchor of GFSSM: the link between the International Committee and schools, teachers, students and families.
What an organizer
does.
The International Committee holds the academic framework. The organizer holds the relationship with schools — and adapts delivery to the local calendar and education system.
The organizer localizes communications and briefs schools and teachers, recruits and registers teams, guides submissions and provides local academic support. It selects and registers the national or regional delegation, coordinates passports, visas and travel, and appoints the accompanying adults.
Every registration goes through the organizer. A school or team cannot register with the International Committee directly, and a country or region takes part only once an institution holds the authorization — so the first step is not a form, it is this conversation.
At the end of the season the organizer reports participation, feedback and observations that inform the next cycle.
- The annual RFP and the proposal template
- The evaluation rubric and the international review
- Results, certificates and official awards
- The Global Finals programme in Beijing
| Role | What it carries |
|---|---|
| Lead coordinator | Authorization, the relationship with the International Committee, policy decisions |
| School liaison | School briefings, registration support, teacher communication |
| Academic liaison | RFP interpretation, course access, submission readiness |
| Delegation manager | Member lists, parent documentation, transport, hotel and safeguarding |
| Finance and administration | Budget, records, receipts and reporting to schools and families |
In a first year, one or two people usually hold several of these roles. What matters is that each is named before the season starts.
Who can apply,
and how.
Authorization is issued to an institution through an official Letter of Authorization, normally for a two-year term, specifying the territory, the appointed coordinator and the permitted use of the brand.
- Schools and school networks
- Education foundations
- Science centres and museums
- Universities and research institutions
- Youth and STEM education organizations
An individual educator may serve as the named coordinator, provided an eligible institution holds the authorization. Organizers are welcome to recommend suitable institutions in other countries or regions.
Submit the organizer application with the institution’s profile and the proposed territory.
Meet the International Committee for a programme and operations discussion.
Receive the Letter of Authorization and the organizer resource pack.
Or write to info.gfssm@gmail.com with the name of your institution and country or region.
What the International
Committee provides.
Everything a coordinator needs to brief schools, support teachers and run a credible first season.
| Resource | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Official RFP | The annual task brief: mission, technical constraints, deliverables, submission rules and the evaluation criteria |
| Proposal template | Follows the RFP structure, with prompts for the diagrams, quantities and references students must produce themselves |
| Video course | An introduction to space-settlement design and the proposal-development process |
| Past project examples | Shows teachers and students the expected depth and presentation standard |
| Review and feedback | Independent international evaluation of every accepted submission, with written feedback |
| Outreach material | Slides, programme films and a coordinator contact for registration and delegation questions |
Duty of care,
not paperwork.
The organizer carries responsibility for every student who travels. These six things are settled before departure, not in July.
- An adult delegation leader. Appointed before the delegation is confirmed, with the supervision arrangement written down.
- Parental consent. Consent forms, emergency contacts and any required medical or travel declarations, collected under applicable law.
- Travel documents. Passports, visa needs, insurance coverage and airline conditions verified with time to spare.
- Data handling. Student personal data held securely and shared only where the programme requires it.
- Pre-departure briefing. Schedule, conduct, emergency contacts — and what a demanding English-language week actually feels like.
- Escalation. Incidents and any change in a participant’s status go through the official channels, promptly and in writing.
What schools
usually ask.
If your question is not here, write to the organizer for your country or region, or to the International Committee.
Is the International Qualifying Round compulsory?
No. A country or region may register a delegation for the Global Finals without taking part in the online round, and a result in the online round does not affect entry. The round is strongly encouraged because it gives a team the method and expert feedback before Beijing. All registrations are made through the organizer.
Can a school take part without prior space-science experience?
Yes. The video course, the RFP and the official resources are designed to support new teams. English-language teamwork and sustained effort matter more than prior subject knowledge.
Can a student enter individually?
The international round accepts teams of six to twelve students. Individual entry is not part of the international online format, though organizers may run separate local activities.
Is the pitch video required?
Yes. Teams submit an English-language proposal and a short pitch video. Length, format and delivery method are set out in the official submission instructions.
Can a country or region run its own selection?
Yes. Organizers may arrange local selection under their authorization and applicable local rules, using the official RFP and criteria. A delegation may also be registered for the Global Finals without a local selection and without the online round — always through the organizer.
Can a new organizer start with the online round only?
Yes. One or two schools joining the online round is a practical first-year approach, with a delegation added as the local school network grows.
Who arranges visas and travel?
The delegation. The International Committee provides invitation-letter support once the required delegation details have been received.
Can I apply for a country or region that already has an organizer?
The programme works with one partner institution per country or region. If one is already authorized, write to the International Committee and we will put you in touch — schools, science centres and school networks often join the same territory as delivery partners rather than as a second organizer.
Start with
the brief.
The 2027 Galileo brief, the rules and the calendar are published for the season. The next cohort of teams begins with a single school.
