Photos: Stéphane Caron
1. Lab-to-Policy (L2P) Program
A flagship program that supports students, researchers, professionals, and Indigenous youth in transforming scientific results into governance tools, public policies, protocols, and decision-support frameworks.
The program includes:
- Training in technological and socioenvironmental assessment models
- “Technolegal” and “techno-diplomatic” analyses
- Production of policy notes, strategic briefs, and regulatory frameworks
- Capstone projects codeveloped with partners
This program aims to create true change agents at the science-technology-policy interface.
2. International Summer School – Next-Generation Techno-Diplomats
A bilingual (Fr/En) annual summer school, rotating between:
- Polytechnique Montréal
- Science Diplomacy Center, Boston
- Université Paris-Saclay
- UNU-INWEH
Core modules:
- Science diplomacy and informed decisionmaking
- Governance of the Arctic and extreme environments
- Space law and policy
- Technological sovereignty (SMRs, microgrids, critical resources)
- Indigenous methodologies and decolonial frameworks
- Diplomatic simulation exercises and negotiation scenarios
The summer school includes major participation of Indigenous youth leaders.
3. Scholarships and Fellowships in Science Diplomacy
The Chair offers several forms of support:
- Excellence scholarships for MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral students
- Professional fellowships for government actors, NGOs, and space agencies
- Scholarships for Indigenous students to support leadership and innovation in northern communities
- International internships across the global network (UNU, ParisSaclay, Boston, etc.)
4. Co-Developed Research Program with Indigenous Communities
This program places Indigenous peoples at the heart of research and governance priorities:
- Inclusive codesign of research questions with community priorities
- Integration of Indigenous knowledge, protocols, and methodologies (FPIC, OCAP®, NISR)
- Projects in critical infrastructure, energy, water, climate adaptation, and food security
- Student mobility and field immersion in northern communities
5. Arctic-Space Techno-Diplomacy Forum
A major annual event bringing together the representatives of:
- Governments
- Indigenous nations
- Space agencies
- Researchers, engineers, lawyers, and diplomats
- International organizations
- Youth leaders
The objective is to position Québec at the center of a global science diplomacy hub for dialogue on Arctic and space governance, generating concrete outcomes: reports, recommendations, charters, thematic coalitions, and roadmaps.
6. Knowledge Mobilization Program
The Chair is committed to translating research into clear recommendations for the following political actors, through:
- Governments
- Indigenous communities and organizations
- Other stakeholders
The team will contribute to bilingual policy briefs (UNU briefs, white papers, foresight reports), participate in workshops and consultations with governments and Indigenous organizations/representatives, and take part in training sessions and public conferences. The team will also share the results of its work with the media through podcasts, articles, educational content, exhibitions, and other outreach activities.
