Space activities are now integral to daily personal and global activities. They contribute to socio-economic and political progress, environmental sustainability, as well as scientific advancement. The World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey project that the global space economy will be $1.8 trillion in about a decade from now. In January 2025, they also released their annual Global Cooperation Barometer, highlighting the state of global cooperation across five pillars, namely: trade and capital; innovation and technology; climate and natural capital; health and wellness; and peace & security. 

Space enables trade and commerce, movement of capital, development of innovations and spinoffs, tackling of climate issues, management natural resources, access to good health through access to health information and telemedicine, as well as serves as a tool for promoting peace and security. As such, organisations and countries need to leverage on space cooperation in order to advance their internal and international interests.

Space is a dynamic and complex mix of competition, conflict and cooperation. It is also described as a congested, contested and competitive domain. Actors include private companies, international organisations and nation-states.

This course is aimed at equipping professionals, policy makers, representatives, and stakeholders, with the knowledge and skills needed for strategic space cooperation and diplomacy.

Participants will learn how to draft policy and governance frameworks to promote responsible, sustainable, and inclusive participation in space activities. They will also understand how to link national space policies with national interests (internal and international) while responding to local and international obligations. 

Beginning with international relations theory, the course explores systems, means and tools of space cooperation and diplomacy.

Expected learning outcomes

• Learn to utilise the tools of space diplomacy

• Learn the principles of space diplomacy

• Understand the nexus between air space and outer space, foreign policy and space policy, as well as space-cyber-nuclear nexus

• Ability to engage in bilateral and multilateral discussions and negotiations

• Enhanced understanding of space policy and law frameworks

Who should attend?

• Government officials

• Council members

• Public servants

• Business development managers

• Foreign service officers

• Science/Space attachés

• Organisation/Team Leads

• Journalists

• Young professionals

• Students

Benefits of participation

• Access relevant space policy, law and governance documents

• Acquire knowledge and skills in space cooperation and partnerships

• Understand rationale, ways and tools of international cooperation

• Gain knowledge about space policy, law and governance

• Three months subscription to Space Diplomacy Newsletter

• Earn a verifiable certificate in Space Diplomacy

• Become part of the ASLI Network

Course highlights

• The outer space environment: what, where, why and how?

• Benefits and applications of space exploration

• Concepts in space cooperation and diplomacy

• International relations theory and applications to outer space

• Space geopolitics

• Industrial economy of space
• Space Innovation Ecosystem

• UN space treaties, principles and resolutions

• Metrics for measuring capability for space partnerships

• Role of visiting missions and embassies

• Tools and means for space cooperation

• Norms, Principles, Guidelines and Standards

• International Space Organisations

• Space-Cyber-Nuclear Nexus

Facilitators

• Prof. Namrata Goswami (John Hopkins University, U.S.A.)

• Davis Cook (Chairman, Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability, South Africa)
• Dr. Valanathan Munsami (Deputy CEO, Saudi Space Agency; and Co-founder, ASLI)
• Dr Sarah-Jane Gill (Head, PNT Department, UK Staff Agency)
• Dr Arnold Agaba (Chair, Research Group on African Air and Space Law, McGill Institute for Air and Space Law, Canada)
• Dr. Taiwo Tejumola (Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, University of Southampton, UK)
• Dr. Itegbeyogene Ezekiel (University College, London)
• Dr. Phylis Makurunje (Bangor University, UK)
• Etim Offiong (Co-founder, ASLI)