NORDIS International Summer School: SCIENCE DIPLOMACY FOR OUTER SPACE AND ARCTIC
1st edition, 22–26 June 2026, Paris

PROGRAMME

DAY 1 — Monday, 22 June
Science & Techno Diplomacy: Concepts and Typologies

9:00 am — Welcome allocutions – presentation of the Chair & the course
9:30–10:10 am — Science diplomacy concepts
Prof. Paul Arthur Berkman, Science Diplomacy Center

10:45–11:45 am — Techno diplomacy concepts
Prof. Paul Arthur Berkman, Science Diplomacy Center

12:00 pm — Science and technology in extreme environments: Arctic and Outer Space
Prof. Pooneh Maghoul, Professor of Civil Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal

1:00 pm — Lunch

2:30 pm — Geopolitical tensions: Arctic territories and resources
Mikaa Blugeon-Mered, Researcher, UQTR (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières)

3:30 pm — Understanding the Commons through the Law of the Sea
Prof. Niki Aloupi, Professor, Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas

4:30 pm — Presentation of the final exercise and constitution of the groups

DAY 2 — Tuesday, 23 June
Diplomatic Forums and International Legal Principles regarding Space and Arctic

9:00–10:00 am — Diplomacy for Space
Rosanna Hoffmann, Project Lead, Space and Policy, UNOOSA – United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

10:15–11:15 am — Space for Diplomacy
Matej Sijet, Programme Manager Assistant, UNOOSA

11:30 am — Space Law Principles
Prof. Philippe Achilleas, Professor, Université Paris-Saclay

1:30 pm — Lunch

1:45–2:45 pm — Indigenous Peoples, Knowledge and Global Issues
Alexandra Lavrillier, Associate Professor, UVSQ – Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

3:00 pm — Water, Climate, and Cooperation: Rethinking Science Diplomacy for a Changing World
Miriam Aczel, Researcher, UNU-INWEH – United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health

4:00 pm — Arctic Governance
Eda Ayaydin, Researcher, University of London

5:00 pm — Work on exercise

DAY 3 — Wednesday, 24 June
Crossed Diplomacy: Arctic for Space and Space for Arctic

9:00–10:00 am — Monitoring climate and environment in the Arctic with satellites and the Copernicus programme
Alexis Foussard, Programme Manager, Copernicus, Ministère de la Transition écologique, de la Biodiversité et des Négociations internationales sur le climat et la nature

10:15–11:15 am — Space and Arctic exploration: going beyond limits, preserving sanctuaries
Prof. Jan Borm, Professor, UVSQ – Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
Mustapha Meftah, Researcher, LATMOS – Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales

11:30 am — Space connectivity for Arctic territories
Chehineze Bouafia, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Space and Telecommunications, Eutelsat

1:30 pm — Lunch

1:45–2:45 pm — Using Arctic territories for space activities (launchpads, ground stations…)
Gunes Karabulut Kurt, Researcher, Polytechnique Montréal

3:00 pm — Stratospheric ozone issues with ground and space observations and protocol issues as an example
Prof. Philippe Keckhut, Professor, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, LATMOS, UVSQ

4:00–5:00 pm — Time slot to prepare the exercise with teachers

DAY 4 — Thursday, 25 June
Strategic Dimensions and Resources

9:00–10:00 am — Commercial exploitation of space resources
Charline Coudry, PhD Candidate, Université Paris-Saclay

10:15–11:15 am — Tensions around resources and navigation in the Arctic
Louise Beaumais, Researcher, Sciences Po Paris

11:30 am — The role of ITU in the regulation of the spectrum-orbit resource
Véronique Glaude, Radiocommunication Engineer, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

1:30 pm — Lunch

1:45–2:45 pm — Militarization of space and peaceful uses of outer space: how are States facing this new challenge?
Xavier Thorange, Legal Adviser, French Space Command (CDE)

3:00 pm — Is an arms race in space inevitable?
Xavier Thorange, CDE

4:00–5:00 pm — Time slot to prepare the exercise with teachers

DAY 5 — Friday, 26 June
Science Diplomacy in Practice

9:00–10:00 am — Institutional presentation – ESA’s role and functioning
ESA – European Space Agency speakers

11:15 am–1:30 pm — Science diplomacy at UNESCO
UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization speakers

Afternoon — Presentation of group projects: final group exercise

ORGANISERS

Co-organisers:
• Université Paris-Saclay (France)
• Polytechnique Montréal (Canada)
• Science Diplomacy Center (United States)
• United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)

With the support of: Académie Spatiale d’Île-de-France