Participants will engage in a curriculum featuring lectures from academics and practitioners from both international and national space institutions, as well as technical experts. While topics vary annually, the focus is generally on the international, regional, and domestic legal and policy frameworks that govern space activities and applications. The primary objective of the summer course is to spark participants’ interest in space law and policy, providing a foundational knowledge base to enhance their professional careers or support further academic research.
Participants will have the chance to interact with leading experts, benefit from their insights, and visit companies and intergovernmental bodies active in the space industry, along with other entities in the space sector. This year’s course will cover:
- International Space Law
- International Space Diplomacy
- National Space Legislation
- EU & ESA Space Programmes
- Legal Aspects of Space Applications
- Legal Regime of Space Resource Exploration, Exploitation, and Utilisation
- Careers in the Space Sector
- Sustainable Uses of Outer Space Activities
- Export Control
For students who are citizens or residents of ESA Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States, there is a course fee of €200, which will contribute to the accommodation organised and covered by ECSL. Students will receive accommodation covered, as well as breakfast and lunches.
Since 2024, the application consists of an electronic form which you have to fill out as well as save your response and provide it alongside a copy of your CV (2 pages max) to the NPOC (npoc.space.law@univie.ac.at) as outlined above. Applications are not complete by only submitting the form.
Further information regarding the Summer Course can be obtained through: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/ECSL_-_European_Centre_for_Space_Law/ECSL_Summer_Course_on_Space_Law_and_Policy
Additionally, this year, the ECSL and the National Kapodistrian University of Athens are co-organising a young scholar's conference to take place on 9 September 2024, after the summer course. A call for papers is currently open until 20 June 2024.