Human Educational Institutions

The Orion Spur is filled with scholarly institutions that are highly acclaimed, cultivating the minds of the next generation... For a hefty price tag. Of course, for the particularly lucky or intelligent student, the megacorporations offer lucrative scholarships and grants on the condition that the student signs up for the corporation on the completion of their degree. Here is a catalogue of the most populated and acclaimed schools in human space, organized by nation. While it is not necessary to make a character who studied at one of these schools, they may provide a jumping-off point for character development.

Sol Alliance

Solis Cognito University

Founded in the year 2310 by Professor Dennis Goodley, Solis Cognito University remains one of the most ambitious projects in the Sol Alliance’s history. It is a sprawling space station in a loose orbit around the star Sol, in between Earth and Mars. Late-Soviet in design, the station still expands to this day, with relatively new residential wings and a small commercial area raising questions about the University becoming a dependency of the Alliance, with a population nearing 9,000 to support this. Despite this reasoning, the government has never taken the prospect seriously.

Solis Cognito University is in heavy competition with Nralakk Federation academics. This is no small task, especially given the innate advantage of long lifespans the Skrell have, allowing them to acquire much higher GPA averages than the average human student from experience alone. Regardless, Solis Cognito often comes out on par with some Federation institutions, but not above any in particular at the same time. Of special note is that graduates of Solis Cognito’s robotics program often seem to be employed by either Bishop Cybernetics or Hephaestus Industries within six months of graduation, though there are no official agreements or indications that would lead to this. Anyone not following this trend is often employed by Einstein Engines.

In recent years, Solis Cognito University has taken extra steps to compete with Nralakk Federation institutions, with harsher curriculum and more prestigious graduates as a result. This has led to a common belief among staff - and to an extent students - that humans are superior intellectually to those of other species, though they do not admit so publicly. The university has a large focus on the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence, further contributing to a vague anti-Federation sentiment. Their competitive nature also tends to leave students to think less of graduates of other institutions, leading to their reputation for being dismissive and snobbish.

The Solarian Collapse and the Violet Dawn disaster on nearby Mars caused a profound effect on Solis Cognito, with lowering grade averages and lower student applications across the board. This is believed to have been caused by students losing focus on their academic work due to the turbulent circumstances on their various home planets, particularly those that now lie in the Human Wildlands. The University’s current dean is Bogdon Wernstrom. Deans for Solis Cognito are often short lived, and regularly change as academic demands are altered.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Solis Cognito as a qualified Machinist, Scientist, or Engineer.

Lunar University

One of the first higher education institutes constructed beyond Earth, the Lunar University of Medical Sciences was founded in 2115 by Dr. Donald Hypatia. Focused specifically on medical sciences and research and development, the campus was constructed underneath Harmony City’s main commercial district to save space in an increasingly crowded habitation dome. The Lunar University quickly developed a reputation for high standards and even higher tuition fees, being an institute primarily for the rich expatriates from Earth who fled the planet's climate crisis.

Today, Lunar University of Medical Sciences continues this practice of bringing on the best and brightest of the Spur into its staff team, many of these esteemed doctors coming from Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. This trend has resulted in something of a bias towards Zeng-Hu on the campus, with students being encouraged to pursue internships and employment with the company during and after their education. The university is extremely exclusive, only accepting roughly 4% of the total applicants. While they primarily favor Lunarian applicants, this favoritism certainly does not permit poor academic performance from anyone.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate the Lunar University as a qualified Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Psychologist, or as a Medical Intern gaining practical experience on the Horizon.

Mars University

Founded in 2171, Mars University, or MU for short, was renowned for its extensive scientific research programs. Before this prestigious university came to be, they were one of the first research outposts on the red deserts of Mars; Outpost Alpha. Many of the scientists and researchers that manned Outpost Alpha became the first professors to staff the university; giving it an air of scientific excellence. The university also hosted a wide variety of sports teams, collectively known as "The Olympians" after their arcology. Their mascot was "Greenman", a stereotypical green alien.

During the Martian World War, Mars University was structurally damaged to such a level that the campus had to be shut down from 2281 to 2289. After it was repaired, the university became the leading force behind the post-war reconstruction effort and began hosting the leading researchers for robotics and prosthetics as part of its contributions. The goal was to focus its resources on the creation of synthetics designed with Mars’ climate and the ability to safely operate within disaster areas in mind, as well as improving upon existing prosthetic designs to help the victims of the war. Mars University offered primarily degrees in applied robotics and engineering fields, both practical and theoretical.

In 2462, the Violet Dawn explosion destroyed the arcology of Olympia, Mars University alongside it. The Provisional Government of Mars singled out those lost on Mars University’s campus specifically when they acknowledged the victims of the Violent Dawn incident, but so far there has been no mention of relocating Mars University to a new arcology.

Relevant Jobs: You could have graduated Mars University as a qualified Machinist, Scientist, or Engineer.

Ceres University

Located on the satellite of Ceres, Ceres University is an institution primarily centered on industrial engineering, logistics, and material refinement. While originally a nondescript public college designed to help the local mining communities become self-sufficient with local skills, it has grown to become a renowned institution accredited for supply chain managers and industrial engineers. Recently, Ceres University has re-opened its medical program from the early days of the Ceres mining colony, allowing graduates to become licensed physicians or paramedics.

All graduates from Ceres University are also trained extensively in EVA; Ceres offers small shuttlecraft piloting courses and EVA courses outside of its degree programs.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate from Ceres University as a qualified Machinist, Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Shaft Miner, Physician, or First Responder.

APEX Military Academy

APEX was established in 2181 on Eridani I, in the city of Tokura. It serves as a major training center for the Army and Navy of the Eridani Federation, and houses many facilities dedicated not just to training native soldiers, but also to training potential recruits for the Private Military Contracting Group. The two groups often overlap, and work tourists from around the Spur mingle with the top officer candidates in the Federation. APEX's primary focus is in weapons training, large space shuttle piloting, and asset protection, as well as some courses in forensics and criminal psychology.

APEX is a highly competitive environment, and has a high turnover rate of students even among the suit population. Reinstated dregs are rare but not unheard of, though they tend to wash out due to the very high requirements and standards needed to enter APEX in the first place.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate APEX as a Security Officer, Warden, or Bridge Crewman.

Helios City Institute of Botanical Sciences

Established in 2265 by the Helios City council, the “Heliodome” (as the institute is commonly called due to its massive dome-shaped greenhouse building) is one of the most well-known and prestigious universities in the entire Sol Alliance. The Heliodome is located in Silversun’s capital, Helios City, and caters to both its Originate and Expatriate populations; a stance that has resulted in it and its faculty becoming increasingly politically isolated as the divide between these populations has gradually grown wider and wider. Many Skrell that opt to study abroad find themselves studying at the Heliodome due to its strong focus upon the natural sciences, though this number has dropped significantly since the Solarian Collapse of 2462. The loss of its Skrellian student body has damaged Heliodome’s income, which has long profited from alien patronage.

Despite the planet’s increasing domination by Idris Incorporated the Heliodome has managed to stay relatively Idris-free thanks to its President, Frederick “Freddy” Campbell, who convinced the megacorporation that it was better to keep the Heliodome as an independent. After all, the tourism brought by having an independent educational institution well-known throughout the Spur for its majestic botanical gardens has a definitive spillover effect for the megacorporation: tourists that go to see the Heliodome’s gardens stay at Idris hotels, eat at Idris restaurants, and often by kitschy Idris merchandise that (allegedly) celebrates the culture of Silversun’s Originals. Whether Freddy Campbell can hold onto the Heliodome’s independence as it approaches its bicentennial remains to be seen, though many note that the anti-corporate Solarian Corporate Authority has stated its interest in the venerable university.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Helios City Institute as a qualified Scientist, Xenobotanist, or Xenobiologist. Those from Silversun working less academic positions, such as Botanists, will have often participated in the Heliodome’s community classes.

Atmospheric Learning Institute of Kho Nang

The Atmospheric Learning Institute of Kho Nang, or ALIKN, is the main institute in New Hai Phong's Cua Song University District. It was founded in 2342, with heavy funding from Hephaestus Industries continuing to keep the university alive and flourishing today. ALIKN’s students are often jokingly called “aliens” as a fudging of the acronym’s spelling. Many atmospheric technicians, engine technicians, and researchers come out of ALIKN, which also holds a small but steady group of airborne virologists.

Unsurprisingly, many graduates from the university are snatched up by Hephaestus who offers scholarship-to-employment programs to the gifted. Other corporations such as Einstein Engines also snipe graduates for their relevant departments. One notable graduate is Elisa Tung, inventor of the Shok-Free Protected Atmospherics System integrated into most high-end combat exosuits.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate ALIKN as a qualified Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, or Scientist.

Nowa Bratislava Xenosciences Research Institute

The Nowa Bratislava Xenosciences Research Institute is Visegrad's most esteemed university, and generally considered to be one of the finest universities to be found in the Sol Alliance outside of the Jewel Worlds. Visegrad was a natural destination for Soviet and Warsaw Pact researchers and students interested in the study of alien life, as it was the only Pact colony on a planet possessing a native biosphere. After Pact control ended, the Institute became the recipient of generous funding in the form of donations and grants from Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, with the megacorporation taking a special interest in supporting the education of the university’s students. By the time of the Solarian collapse, Zeng-Hu’s influence with the Institute had grown so pervasive that it was largely accepted as being essentially under the keiretsu’s control, with many staffers having previously been employed by Zeng-Hu or otherwise having their careers made by corporate money.

It was for this reason that when Fleet Admiral Szalai’s First Middle Ring Battlegroup took control of Visegrad, the university was ordered to cease operations while navy personnel investigated the depths that corporate corruption managed to reach. In the following months, a significant portion of the Institute’s professors were imprisoned or forced to resign under allegations of being on Zeng-Hu’s payroll - and the resulting losses to the university’s staff threatened to shut the facility’s doors indefinitely. It was only with the establishment of the Southern Solarian Reconstruction Mandate on Visegrad that the Institute made any form of recovery, as the Alliance took up the slack left behind by Zeng-Hu - with the Autumn semester of 2465 set to be the first since the Solarian collapse occurred.

While it was founded as a university to further study the intricacies of Visegrad's peculiar florae and faunae, over the years the school's fields have expanded to bluespace research, applied phoronics, and anomalistic studies, though the field of anomalistic studies is often derided by other Solarian academics as being unmoored from the scientific method, and based too much on flights of fancy.

Notably, the Institute is responsible for a one-of-the-kind development in the spur - a tentative attempt to investigate the viability of uplifting the planet’s native skriatoks, a remarkably intelligent species of arboreal bipeds, with the project focusing on attempting to teach the creatures sign language or another form of communication. While results have so far been mixed, the research team responsible remains adamant that it could see success in time.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Nowa Bratislava as a qualified Scientist, Xenobotanist, Xenobiologist, or Xenoarcheologist.

Naval Academy of Nueva Isabela

The Naval Academy of Nueva Isabela, located in the capital city of the same name, is San Colette's finest military institution. The Academy, as it is often simply known, has trained all Civil Guard officers since the Guard’s founding without exception. Prior to the Collapse it occasionally hosted officers from other Solarian militias and was very rarely visited by the Solarian Navy itself. The Academy has an attached AI research facility where new drones are produced for use by the Civil Guard or export beyond the Republic’s borders and is most recently known for producing the Navaja type semi-autonomous drone, which is itself a variant on the earlier Albatros type semi-autonomous drone. Traditionally, Civil Guard officer candidates officially graduate from the Naval Academy of Nueva Isabela on June 22nd, also known as Civil Guard Day.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate the Naval Academy as a qualified Bridge Crewman. Keep in mind that only San Colette characters are permitted to attend the Naval Academy.

Montblanc Institute of Research

The Montblanc Institute of Research, or MIR, is arguably the most prestigious university on San Colette. Its students and graduates have produced many of the designs the Civil Guard now uses, with its most famous product assuredly being the Albatros type semi-autonomous drone. Due to the sensitive nature of much of its research, the MIR only accepts students from San Colette itself and does not permit those from other Solarian worlds, or foreigners, to attend. While this has proven to be a controversial stance, the government has always sided with the MIR, citing reasons of national security as their motivation.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate MIR as a qualified Scientist or Engineer. Keep in mind that only San Colette characters are permitted to attend MIR.

Republic of Biesel

NanoTrasen Academy

The NanoTrasen Academy is a corporate training centre and recognized university located within District 12 of Mendell City, Biesel. Its sister institute, the NanoTrasen High Academy, is located on the NTCC Odin. The academy provides training and diplomas for work across all levels of NanoTrasen's corporate structure. The High Academy facility based on the Odin is a smaller and much more elite place of learning with only those with exceptional skills, recommendations, and references being given admittance.

"The Miranda Trasen Scholarship" allows students to attend the NanoTrasen Academy for free and is therefore largely an award granted to prospective students who wish to enter the college but cannot afford to do so. It requires three written recommendations from NanoTrasen command-level staff or from corporate executives. The most common use of this scholarship is to allow low-level workers from poorer backgrounds a chance to study into a higher tier field - be it medical, service or science - which they would not normally be able to pay. The staff members who provide the recommendations and references are held responsible for any time wasters or dropouts who "waste" the scholarship, usually being fined for the credits spent on the individual. These fines can enter into hundreds of thousands of credits, and are shared over the three recommenders. Due to this, Miranda Trasen Scholarships are given out sparingly.

The NanoTrasen Academy is also heavily involved in the collegiate sports scene. Its mascot is Bob the Cyborg, a clerical unit transferred from the Odin. Because of his status as a cyborgification subject, Bob is a very divisive topic on the campus; some argue that the mascot is gruesome and should be retired, while others believe that he is an essential part of the college's history. The college has a historical rivalry with the New Gibson University.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate the NanoTrasen Academy as a qualified Bartender, Chef, Scientist, Xenobotanist, Xenobiologist, Xenoarcheologist, Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Psychologist, or First Responder.

Biesel Institute of Medical Sciences

The Biesel Institute of Medical Sciences was founded in 2185 and is dedicated to the education of medicine and its application in all forms. In particular, it is accredited with being the premier institution studying cryotube technology and undoing the symptoms of genetic damage. The university also offers supplementary first aid and CPR certification courses, first responder training, and other courses of training that are outside the typical degree program structure. The campus is situated near the heart of Mendell City and is considered to be the oldest and most prominent medical university on Biesel.

Scholarship programs are commonly awarded to people belonging to species other than humans that go to these institutions. These scholarships intend to cover costs for university tuition, housing, and other generous benefits and are funded by medical-focused corporations like NanoTrasen and Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. However, these come at a price; people that take these scholarships are always agreeing to work for their sponsor megacorporation for a set amount of time, usually a decade or longer. Additionally, breaking the prerequisites for getting the scholarship will mean incurring a debt equal to the amount of money paid for the tuition.

Similar to New Gibson University and NanoTrasen Academy, the Biesel Institute of Medical Sciences partakes in the collegial sporting scene across Tau Ceti. A large portion of the students at the institute have also been given megacorporate sponsorships thanks to their victories in the Eos Sporting Tournaments, which has led to resentment building among other teams across Tau Ceti due to many being convinced of the institute "buying" their players. The institute's collegial team, the Biesellite Boulders, are represented by an anthropomorphic beaker mascot known as Beaky.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Biesel Institute as a qualified Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Psychologist, or First Responder.

Lixiuan Institute of Artisinal Arts

Established in 2393 by Xia Liuxian, and later acquired by Idris Incorporated in 2452, Lixiuan Institute is focused on the service industry. The college is located within Mendell City’s district 7, known for the numerous casinos, clubs, bars, and other high-end entertainment.

The institute was created to supply the growing entertainment industry in Mendell City at the time. Most of the famous casinos, bars, and restaurants in the metropolis were founded by Liuxian's students and faculty. After the independence of Tau Ceti, Idris purchased the college in an attempt to monopolize the entertainment industry within District 7, which has been largely successful. Through loans, the corporation makes sure that most of its students remain connected to the institute as much as possible.

The institute possesses a restaurant, called Baoshi's, and is usually staffed by students during their practical education. To be selected to serve at Baoshi's is among the highest measures of a student's ability, and many spend long hours perfecting their cooking, waiting, and serving in the hopes of being placed in a staff position. Lixiuan's campus also hosts a nightclub, Nebula, known for its diverse, pan-species menu. Like Baoshi's, undergraduates will usually be selected to serve here in the hopes of perfecting their service skills and mixology to an Idris standard.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Lixiuan Institute as a qualified Bartender or Chef.

Hongsun Park Engineering Institute

Hongsun Park Engineering Institute was founded in 2419 in Phoenixport, Biesel. Established by veteran engineer Seong-ja Park, its mission was to educate engineering students on the emergent applications of the phoron. The school was funded by corporate and government interests, contributing what they believed would prove to be an important piece of the puzzle to solve the Alliance's energy crisis. Park and her trustees have since striven to stay at the forefront of applied phoron technologies, using the relevance of the field to survive the century's economic and political crises. When NanoTrasen effectively bought the system in 2452, the board moved quickly to closely integrate itself with the megacorporation.

Though young by the measure of more prestigious universities, the university sets itself apart on Biesel for its aggressive marketing and pursuit of emerging, high-risk fields. In no small part thanks to a close partnership with NanoTrasen, they are one of the few educational institutions in Tau Ceti to participate in the megacorporation's bluespace, xenobiology and exotic particle research programs, offering invaluable experience to their most promising students. The university once catered to job fields entirely dominated by NanoTrasen within Tau Ceti, limiting students' employment prospects within Tau Ceti to the megacorporation. Since the acquisition of Phoenixpoint by Einstein Engines in 2462, NanoTrasen's influence in the university has started to waver, with both megacorporations competing for student employment prospects, offering competitive wages and scholarships.

The campus itself is notable for being a sprawling locale on the southern edge of Phoenixport, accommodating a network of lecture halls, dormitories, service buildings, a retail outlet, a recreational complex, and multiple laboratory complexes. While there is no accredited athletics program, the school hosts several recreational leagues for activities ranging from association football to e-sports. The school's mascot is a friendly, fictional, labcoat-clad IPC named QUARK, but the recent political climate has prompted a review to potentially replace it.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Hongsun Park Engineering Institute as an Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Machinist, Scientist, Xenobiologist, or Xenoarcheologist.

New Gibson University

Founded in 2310, New Gibson University is a multi-disciplinary university focusing on engineering, logistics, biology, and botanical sciences. Initially having their campus in Fallanland, New Gibson University was a conglomerate of several community colleges that eventually unified following New Gibson’s recovery from the Crisis of 2294. It now has campuses throughout both Ovanstads and Undirstads, with its primary facilities housed in the Hengsha Biodome following its construction shortly after the independence of the Republic of Biesel in 2452.

Most of the collegiates at New Gibson University are from New Gibson, with very few interstellar students having ever actually attended. It is due to this that the university has developed a somewhat unwelcoming attitude to non-locals attending, with most of them dropping out after a few months. While outwardly the New Gibson University advertises an enjoyable campus life, social media portrays it in a much different light - with informal exposes on the bullying of non-locals.

New Gibson University is the home of the Gibsonite Greimorians - a sports team that has risen to prominence since it began involving itself in inter-collegial sports. At sports events, supporters of the team will chant "Grei-grei-morians!" as the unofficial cheer. The Gibsonite Gremorians are represented by their mascot, Gabby, an anthropomorphic greimorian with four arms and a big smile. Supporters of the Gibsonite Greimorians will wear gblue face paint, matching varsity jackets, and toy greimorian "antennae" at events.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate New Gibson University as an Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Scientist, Xenobiologist, or Xenobotanist.

Xoikko Technical Institute and Community College

Founded in 2360, the Xoikko Technical Institute and Community College has become the primary university within the Xoikko biodome on New Gibson. The college focuses on offering vocational courses related to careers in logistics, hospitality, engineering, and mining. The university also offers more general education programmes that are catered towards adult learners and non-human immigrants to Tau Ceti.

The Xoikko Technical Institute offers courses for students both local and living elsewhere within Tau Ceti, promoting flexible remote learning classes for lower-level qualifications. These classes are aimed towards those living on Biesel or its moon Valkyrie. Non-humans who show an interest in continuing or starting their education in Tau Ceti are also given the opportunity to take these courses, and if they complete the course they are offered a spot with the Institute when immigrating, giving them the opportunity to go on to take higher-level courses in person. The general education provided by the university is mostly done via the extranet and primarily aims to improve the education of non-humans in Tau Ceti, with the most popular classes being its Tau Ceti Basic class and its general literacy programmes.

The institute is heavily influenced by its Skrell founder Kaixn Jri’aq and their established views on education; the more higher-level courses offered by the university are considered difficult by Tau Ceti standards, and classroom conditions are often compared to that of a Skrellian university. With this said the college is also known to provide high quality support for their students, and is popular with immigrants looking for opportunities to further their education or those that are looking to learn Tau Ceti Basic as part of their job requirements.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Xoikko as a qualified Hangar Technician, Shaft Miner, Bartender, Chef, Botanist, Engineer, or Atmospheric Technician.

Papiamentu University of Geological Sciences

Located in the Arthezé province of the Union of Port Antillia, the Papiamentu University of Geological Sciences remains a prestigious tertiary education institution across the planet, and within the greater Republic of Biesel. Port Antillia’s reintroduction to the interstellar community has forced faculty to rapidly update and reconfigure their education standards to better adapt to the newfound community they’ve been integrated within. Originally founded on a charter dedicated to studying the volcanic formations, as well as earthquakes across Port Antillia, the university saw its rise to notability during the Fètil Chain earthquakes, where its scholars were the first across the isolated planet to study the causes of the constant tectonic activity.

Colloquially known as Pugs by Antilleans, the institute has a mascot in the form of Pugsley the Pug, who cheers on the collegiate team of the Papiamentu Bulldogs. The school is reputed as one of the more sports-focused campuses on the planet, pushing those that attend to partake in some kind of collegiate activity outside of drinking, partying and studying.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Papiamentu University as an Engineer, Shaft Miner, or Xenoarcheologist.

Carrington Institute of Technology

The Carrington Institute of Technology of Saint Lawrence, Port Antillia, is renowned as one of the top multidisciplinary polytechnics in even the Orion Spur. Having played a critical, key role in the development of the planet since its establishment – and abandonment by the Solarian Alliance – CIT and their researchers were behind the innovations relating to adapting the planet’s architecture to the unique conditions of Port Antillia. Uniquely, they adapted the giant column sponges as shock absorbers for earthquakes that were impacting the Fètil Chain and the province of Saint Lawrence.

Outside of these architectural adaptions, the Carrington Institute of Technology has become one of the louder proponents for artificial sentience; and their introduction to the Union of Port Antillia through either encouraging migration or by beginning production of them on the planet, citing the possible technological advancements that could occur should they be incorporated within the newly-recognised Union. Though many share these opinions, there has been reports of a silent, anti-synthetic sapience minority that actively works at disturbing protests or petitions made by the more vocal majority.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Carrington Institute of Technology as an Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Scientist, Machinist, Hangar Technician, or Shaft Miner.

Mayabeque School of Health Sciences

Located in the Nueva Havana Province of Port Antillia, the Mayabeque School of Health Sciences has become integral to the adaption of Antilleans to the naturally high phosphoric content within their diets. Studies completed by the institution have made strides in creating innovative treatments for the unique health problems that crop up across the planet. Outside of these discoveries, the Mayabeque School of Health Sciences hosts a volunteer program for those studying to assist other Antilleans that find themselves impacted by the frequent natural disasters experienced, where theoretical knowledge can be used in practical applications to assist its students in learning and bettering themselves, as well as their approaches to treatment for various medical issues that they may be confronted with.

It is believed that within the next decade, the Mayabeque School of Health Sciences will eclipse other institutions within the Republic of Biesel and the rest of the Orion Spur. Though its isolation from the interstellar community led to some areas of teaching requiring significant reform, several other areas were strides ahead of other facilities within the Spur, especially its focus on developing the practical application of knowledge of its students relatively early into their academic careers in the health sciences; even more so boasting a majority of the discoveries made by the institution has originated from its alumni.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Mayabeque as a qualified Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Psychologist, or First Responder.

Anemostrovilos College of Pioneers

In the floating city of Anemostrovilos over the surface of Reade, the Anemostrovilos College of Pioneers focuses on diplomas and degrees for all manner of engineering and research and development fields. Founded in 2381, the institute was developed to assist in the education of more engineers that could help maintain the city's hovering platform, and study the unique atmospheric conditions in the swirling gas clouds of Reade. A small but well-reputed school, ACP is usually attended by Bieselites and Tau Ceti residents that cannot afford the very prestigious NanoTrasen Academy, or find themselves reluctant to attend New Gibson University due to its insular culture. Because of this, many students of diverse backgrounds attend Anemostrovilos, not solely humans but aliens of all stripes.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate ACP as a qualified Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Scientist, or Machinist.

Tupac Amaru University

The Tupac Amaru University of Arequipa, Mictlan is a polytechnic largely focused on the medical sciences and research and development. One of Mictlan's most prestigious universities, renowned for its vibrant campus, skilled football team the Amaru Matons, and respected alumni, times have become more scarce for the university since the Solarian Collapse. A lack of funding and the unrest caused by the Peacekeeper Mandate has caused a drop in student registrations, as many young Mictlani travel to receive their education in Biesel or the rest of the Tau Ceti system. In the aftermath of skirmishes between the Tau Ceti Armed Forces and the Samaritans, as well as protests in Arequipa, even the building's exterior, once covered in plant life native to the planet, has begun to show wear, tear, and crumbling.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Tupac Amaru as a qualified Scientist, Xenobiologist, Xenobotanist, Botanist, Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Psychologist, or First Responder.

Coalition of Colonies

D’Cruz Culinary Academy

D'Cruz Culinary Academy is one of the younger schools in Coalition space, located on Xanu Prime, and founded in 2455. Established by the celebrity chef couple Cléophe & Lonnie D’Cruz, the institute aims to provide a comprehensive culinary education for chefs that includes cuisine all over the Orion Spur, from traditional Earth meals to Qerrbalak mushroom soup to Adhomian ras'val pasta. Within its ten years of operation, it has become one of the most prestigious and competitive schools in Coalition space, and graduation expectations for students are extraordinarily high.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate D'Cruz Culinary Academy as a qualified Chef or Bartender.

Point Verdant Terraneus Institute of Technology

The city of Aoyama is home to the Point Verdant Terraneus Institute of Technology, established in the early days of the planet's colonization by research teams from the subsidiary of Einstein Engines, Terraneus Diagnostics. The institute itself is most famed for its AI research and development of positronics, though there exist engineering and non-AI research and development degree programs which students can pursue. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue a career with Einstein Engines after graduation, though in recent years a few students whose grades were found below Einstein standard have come to instead work for Orion Express, and more rarely, Hephaestus Industries.

PVTI's mascot is a (fictional) pink baseline IPC named Candi, who is featured in much of the university's marketing.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate PVTI as a qualified Machinist, Scientist, or Engineer.

Dorshafen School of Mines

Founded in 2284 in the aftermath of the Interstellar War by early members of the United Mineworkers Alliance and the People’s Polytechnic Partnership of Himeo, the Dorshafen School of Mines was established to ensure the United Syndicates were able to train qualified engineers and scientists after the departure of Hephaestus Industries from the planet. In the centuries since it has become one of the Coalition’s most prominent engineering schools, with DSM graduates contributing to major engineering projects across the Coalition.

The DSM accepts students from across the Coalition but only teaches classes in Himean Common, which leads to most of its student body being Himean. Upon graduation, DSM graduates must sign a waiver stating they will never work for Hephaestus Industries. Those who violate this rule will have their degree stripped by the school.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Dorshafen School of Mines as a qualified Shaft Miner, Hangar Technician, Engineer, or Atmospheric Technician.

Makarska University

Established prior to Assunzione's Dimming in 2263, Makarska University is a scientific research university dedicated to the study of the nearby Lemurian Sea and Light’s Edge. It remains the primary research institution for Light’s Edge phenomenon, though it now has a significant medical research wing established in cooperation with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. The University is nominally secular but deeply involved with Luceian faith, with few members of its faculty not being Luceists.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Makarska University as a Physician, Surgeon, Psychologist, Pharmacist, Scientist, Xenoarcheologist, or Xenobotanist.

Sachiko Amaya Institute of Biotechnology

Located in Lintukoto on Galatea proper, it derives its name from its founder: Sachiko Amaya, the first Chief Director of the Federation. Often simply referred to as the Amaya Institute, its graduates have greatly influenced – and arguably created – the field of bioaugmentation in the Federation. Graduates from the Amaya Institute are often destined for leadership roles in a biotechnology research firm. If these graduates travel abroad they often find employment in Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, which shares their intense focus upon perfection and interest in the field of biotechnology.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Sachiko Amaya Institute of Biotechnology as a qualified Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Scientist, Xenobiologist, or Xenobotanist. Keep in mind that only Galateans are permitted to attend this university.

Tsukuyomian Institute of Interstellar Avionics Research

The Tsukuyomian Institute of Interstellar Avionics Research, or TIMAR, is located in the lakeside city of Ketumati on the moon’s only continent, Mu. Originally established in 2350 to train the Galatean Federal Navy’s new generation of naval pilots, TIMAR has since expanded to train the engineers and scientists who design the vessels utilized by the Federal Navy. It is divided into two halves: the Federal Naval Academy and the more academic aspect, which is directly associated with the interstellar avionics research concern. Academic graduates from TIMAR sign a contract which states they will not leave the Federation for the first ten years after they graduate, and those who do depart after this time are often eagerly scouted by foreign naval firms such as d.N.A. on Xanu Prime for service as consultants and researchers.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate TIMAR as a qualified Bridge Crewman, Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Scientist, or Machinist. Keep in mind that only Galateans are permitted to attend this university.

Gojoseon Engineering Research Institution

Located in Jeolla on Galatea, the Gojoseon Engineering Research Institution, or GMBI, is the most prestigious of the Federation’s planetary engineering institutions of higher learning. Originally established in 2280 to assist in training engineers for the creation of Jeolla’s atypical city design, the GMBI now trains the best and brightest engineers in the Federation. Its graduates have gone on to greatly influence planetary construction throughout the modern Federation, and are responsible for both the Sector Plan of Svarog and the Cities of the Future of Galatea proper and its moon, Tsuyukomi. Those that go abroad are often employed as experts or consultants for a variety of large-scale engineering projects or urban planning.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate GMBI as a qualified Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, or Machinist. Keep in mind that only Galateans are permitted to attend this university.

Republic of Elyra

Captain Aslan Değirmenci Polytechnic Institute

Captain Aslan Değirmenci Polytechnic Institute, or CPI, was founded in the city of Erum on Damascus II in 2179. The school was named after who many consider to be the father of colonial Elyra, Aslan Değirmenci, and the original commander-in-chief of the new colony. Değirmenci himself was an aeronautical engineer, and the university has carried on his vocation by offering degree programs in engineering, logistics, robotics, aeronautics, and medical technology, and diploma programs in the service industry.

Owing to its venerable age and status as the first university in the Republic of Elyra, the school has earned a reputation for being stodgy, conservative, and highly exclusive. Despite this reputation, CPI is a public university funded by the state, and its tuition fees are among the most affordable in the Republic and in fact cheaper than most universities within Tau Ceti. Its mascot is Sabu the Lion, who represents the football and basketball teams of the Değirmenci Lions.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate CPI as a qualified Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Hangar Technician, Machinist, Shaft Miner, Bridge Crewman, Pharmacist, First Responder, Bartender, or Chef.

Harun Al-Rashid University of Economics and Humanities

Founded on Damascus II in the city of Erum in 2179, the Harun Al-Rashid University of Economics and Humanities (or HRU, as it is known colloquially) was established to educate a growing colonial populace in matters of business, law, economics, art, design, and media. Owing to its age and prestige, it has become an incredibly well-respected school within the Republic of Elyra, with students from all across the Republic's systems flocking to its doors.

Despite Damascus II's conservative climate, HRU has earned a reputation for its drinking and partying culture. It has its own museum, the Al-Rashid Museum of Arts, which is curated and staffed exclusively by students and faculty. HRU partakes in collegiate football and basketball as the Al-Rashid Antelopes, and their mascot is Abani the Antelope. They enjoy a friendly rivalry with the Aslan Değirmenci Polytechnic, with much of the stereotypes of soft science students versus hard sciences students being exchanged as jokes between the campuses.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate HRU as a qualified Hangar Technician, Chef, Executive Officer, or Corporate Reporter. Consulars of the Republic of Elyra can also be graduates of HARU.

Rumaidair Municipal University

Rumaidair Munipical University, or RMU, was founded in the city of Aemaq in 2367. It is the largest university on Aemaq, often frequented by executives of Aemaq's "Big Three" corporations; Osman Electronics, Elco, and Jewel Aerospace. Many alumni go on to be employed with Elco in its phoron refinery and related manufacturing; these include miners, logisticians, engineers, and chemical biologists. Perhaps because of its corporate funding, RMU is particularly stand-out architecture-wise compared to the neighborhood of Rumaidair it sits in. The campus is made up of tall, mostly-glass buildings set in the midst of squat, practical residences and shops. At certain times of day, light will catch on the windows of the campus buildings and turn the glass a shade of violet and gold, a lighthouse in the midst of Aemaq's stormy seas.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate RMU as a qualified Scientist, Xenobiologist, Xenoarcheologist, Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Surgeon, Physician, Pharmacist, First Responder, or a Medical Intern seeking to fulfill their practicum on the Horizon.

Atatürk University of Sciences

At the heart of the city of New İzmir, Bursa sits the Atatürk University of Sciences, the premier polytechnic of the planet. Though small compared to its counterpart Captain Aslan Değirmenci Polytechnic Institute, it has developed a reputation for producing some of the premier minds of the Republic, including Misha Khouroshi, the lead developer of the magpulse drive. Despite the name, the university has begun to diversify its courses, offering certifications in shuttle piloting and culinary arts along with its main degree courses relating to engineering and research and development.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate AUS as a qualified Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Machinist, Scientist, Xenobiologist, Xenoarcheologist, Xenobotanist, Pharmacist, Shaft Miner, Chef or Bartender.

Khalil Osman Institute for Applied Phoronics

The city of Turaif, Medina, houses the Khalil Osman Institute for Applied Phoronics. Named after the founder of Osman Electronics himself due to being primarily funded by him, students are offered courses relating primarily to phoron mining, handling, processing, and exporting, as well as manufacturing the industrial equipment the planet of Medina uses to mine its bountiful phoron reserves. Scholarships for off-worlders to Medina are usually offered with the stipulation that the receiving student works a certain amount of years for Osman Electronics; due to the cultural expectation that a proper Elyran worker dedicates themself to their company of choice, many KOI students end up entering, graduating, and working for Osman for the rest of their natural lives.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate KOI as a qualified Shaft Miner, Hangar Technician, Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Scientist, Xenoarcheologist, Pharmacist, or Machinist.

Empire of Dominia

Juro School of Genetics and Bio-Sciences

At the heart of Mira Sancta, Moroz is the renowned Imperial University of Genetics and Bio-Sciences of Juro. Sponspored by the Imperial House Volvalaad, it has long served as an institute for the finest of minds to convene and be taught the sciences. While its primary focus is on genetic biology, chemistry, and medical sciences, one can also pursue a degree in Imperial law, physics, and the languages of the Empire and its surrounding nations.

Primaries are not the sole attendees of the distinguished university; House Volvalaad is known to send particularly exceptional Ma'zals to the school, adopting them into their house after they complete a degree. While members of other houses also attend, admission is still rather cloistered.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate Juro as a qualified Scientist, Xenobiologist, Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Psychologist, or Librarian.

Royal Engineering Institute of Nova Rijeka

Founded in 2398 following a donation from House Keeser to the Imperial Mandate of Novi Jadran, the Royal Engineering Institute is the most prestigious university on Novi Jadran. It is the largest university outside of the Imperial Core and remains officially sponsored by House Keeser, with the Empress a major funder of it. Morozian nobles often visit the Institute when they travel to Novi Jadran. These visits are major events for the student body, as making a good impression on a Primary may be the key to securing a well-paying job in the Imperial Core.

The Institute’s student body and faculty are almost all Jadranic Ma’zals, and the Institute allows Jadranic military veterans to attend for no cost. Students who are not veterans can opt to have their tuition added to their Mo’ri’zal. Graduates who go abroad often do so as employees of Zavodskoi Interstellar, which has recently begun to fund the school alongside the royal family.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate from the Institute as a qualified Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, or Scientist.

Valentina Caladius Institute for Gifted Ma’zals

Founded in 2392 in Domelkos, shortly after Novi Jadran’s integration into the Empire, to train particularly loyal Ma’zals as servants for House Caladius, the Valentina Institute — as it is now commonly known — now serves as one of the main training institutes for the Integrated Ma’zals who staff much of the Empire’s colonial bureaucracy and is where most House Caladius service staff are trained and educated. Idris Incorporated has, since the school’s establishment, expressed interest in acquiring a stake in it. But for now, it remains the sole purview of House Caladius.

The Valentina Institute’s student body is exclusively Ma’zals, and it turns away any not deemed sufficiently loyal to the Empire. Above them are the staff — primarily Secondaries or exceptionally talented Ma’zals — who in turn answer to House Caladius nobles. It is, in a way, reflective of the broader Empire’s social structure.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate from the Valentina Institute as a Bartender, Chef, Gardener, or Librarian. Particularly gifted and loyal individuals from it may even represent the Empire as a Consular Officer!

Holy Academy of Our Lady of Moroz

Established by the first Immaculate Hand, Giovanna Caladius, in 2168 to train the clergy of the Moroz Holy Tribunal, the Holy Academy is the Tribunal’s largest seminary, a major medical school, and a central training facility for the Tribunal Investigations Constabulary. The medical wing of the Holy Academy is intended to train non-ordained medical staff while the seminary educates the Tribunal’s priests, priestesses, and provides religious education to the sworn officers of the Tribunal Investigations Constabulary. It is located in Domelkos, Moroz, near the historic resident of Giovanna Caladius.

The Holy Academy’s student body is cross-class, containing everyone from Primaries entering the clergy to Ma’zal’s training to be TIC officers. Its staff is similarly cross-class, though mostly consists of Primaries. Due to its religious nature and the Tribunal’s level of influence in the Empire, no megacorporation has attempted to gain influence in it.

Relevant Jobs: You could graduate from the Holy Academy as a Chaplain, Physician, Surgeon, Pharmacist, Psychologist, Security Officer, Investigator, or Warden.