ESPI Space Policy Summer School 2025

Overview

ESPI’s Space Policy Summer School is an annual space policy training programme, with the first edition taking place in collaboration with European Forum Alpbach in 2024. The main objectives of the summer school are to:

• Provide detailed, impactful training on space policy and strategy;
• Nurture an interest in the space sector for young and established professionals;
• Raise awareness of the importance of space in addressing wider societal issues; and
• Facilitate a connection/networking point between space and non-space sector professionals.

We are delighted to announce that the ESPI Space Policy Summer School 2025 will take place in the beautiful and historic city of Florence from 25-27 August 2025. The school will be organised as an Executive Summer School in collaboration with the Florence School of Regulation’s Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies of the European University Institute (EUI). The centre is a cutting-edge research centre focusing on major challenges facing Europe and the world, specialising in connecting academia with the public and private sector.

Photos of the seminar room and the beautiful campus of EUI, in the heart of Florence, can be seen below:

ESPI’s 2040 vision understands the criticality of this link – the full impact of space in addressing real-world challenges is not yet fully understood, but has the potential to be a transformative force for all aspects of our daily lives, economies, and digital futures. Space will be a crucial tool in closing the competitiveness and innovation gap within Europe, but only if the use of space is firmly embedded and understood within other domains.

Objectives

The objectives of this year’s Summer School are:

• To provide a detailed overview of the current picture of space policy and strategy, including the foundations, assets and policy impact of space, space economy, and an overview of European and global space policy.
• To raise awareness of the importance of space in addressing wider strategic issues.
• To nurture an understanding, through case studies, and interactive seminars, of how space can facilitate competitiveness and innovation within other policy domains.
• To facilitate a connection point between space and non-space sector professionals.
• To provide an open space for experts to connect with other like-minded professionals, share perspectives, and learn from the experiences of other domains.

Format

The format will be highly interactive, consisting of seminars, use-cases, interactive content exchanges, and group exercises, chaired by lecturers from ESPI and EUI, including ESPI Director Hermann Ludwig Moeller, and EUI Professor, Leonardo Meeus.

The course will also welcome several guest lecturers, from the space, policy, and space policy spheres.

The summer school will take place from 9:00 – 17:00 on the first two days, and will conclude at 15:30 on the final day.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

The course is intended for the following profiles:

• Parliamentarians and civil servants;
• Professionals working in industry;
• Staff of international organisations and diplomats;
• Researchers and members of think tanks; and
• Consultants.

Five spots will also be made available for graduate and post-graduate students.

Preference will be given to applicants with one of two backgrounds:

• A STEM space background, hoping to gain knowledge of the policy dimension.
• A non-space background in policy, international relations, or a related field, hoping to gain knowledge of the space dimension.

In the case of graduate students, preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated potential for future excellence in the policy sphere, and who have communicated clearly how they will benefit from participation in the Summer School.

Programme

Please check soon for a detailed programme.

Costs, Accommodation & Travel

Cost

• The summer school will have a baseline fee of €3.000.
• A registration fee of €100 will also apply.

Note

• The baseline fee will be waived for public sector applicants and students.
• FSR Donors will benefit from regular EUI discount rates.
• Applicants who apply before 31 May will receive a 10% early bird discount.

Accommodation & Travel

Participants are kindly requested to arrange their own accommodation and travel.

For further information please follow this link.

Deadlines & Application Submission

Applications will be open between 6 May until 15 June.

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis, and successful applicants will be notified as soon as possible. All successful applicants will be notified by the end of June. Please note that your place is not confirmed in the course until you have paid the course and/or registration fee.

Apply for the Summer School here.

Course Directors

In addition to the two course directors, the Summer School will feature several experts as trainers, who will be announced in due course.

Learn more about the ESPI Summer School in 2024 here.

For more information about the Summer School, please contact:

• ESPI: Elizaveta Shashkova at <Elizaveta.Shashkova@espi.or.at>
• EUI: Daniela Bernardo at <Daniela.Bernardo@eui.eu>