The international Master in "SpacE Exploration and Development Systems" (SEEDS) started in 2005 following a proposal of Politecnico di Torino addressed to its European partners. SEEDS is focused on the human and robotic exploration of space and on the related missions, systems, and technologies. The purpose of the programme is to provide young graduates with the core applied physics and engineering skills required to develop space systems and missions from initial concept through design, assembly and verification, to launch and operations. To reach these objectives, SEEDS relies on the tight collaboration of three European Higher Education Institutions located in three different countries, namely Politecnico di Torino in Italy, Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et l’Espace (ISAE, Toulouse) in France and University of Leicester in the UK. All three partners share common features, including strong links with space industry, heritage in space research and exploration and inclusion of high-level expertise in the delivery of teaching, based on both the academia and the industry.