The 2020 Summer Course is cancelled due to covid-19
Impact of Covid-19 on the 09 June 2020
Following the announcement for the opening of the application window for the 2020 Summer Course, it is with deep regret that the ECSL has ultimately decided to cancel its annual Summer Course on Space Law and Policy, initially set to take place in Lisbon, Portugal from 17 - 28th August 2020.
Unfortunately, the evolution of the situation in Lisbon specifically, and in Europe in general does not allow the Course to take place under what we consider to be safe conditions.
An envisaged way-forward was to organise an online version of the Summer Course. However, and after a thorough assessment and consideration of the situation, it was decided that having an online version of the Summer Course would not fit the purpose of the Course and will consequently affect the high-level training we intend to provide participants with - since almost 30 years now.
Despite our willingness to make everything possible to host the Course with Nova Law School, it is also our moral responsibility to think of the health and safety of our community.
We would like to thank yet again the University of Nova Law School for their great collaboration and for the great work they already did, especially with the exceptional measures taken in light of the obvious logistical challenges this pandemic has brought upon the organisation of the Course. We hope and look forward to be able to come to Lisbon in-person next year !
Nevertheless, the ECSL remains committed to ensure that we provide our members and wider community with interesting resources despite the circumstances. In this regard, we are happy to announce that the ECSL will be organising a series of ECSL Summer Webinars, which will take place online from the 24 - 28th of August 2020.
These webinars do not constitute an alternative to the Summer Course and will be open to the public, but we hope that our community will enjoy the access to high-level topics and speakers invited. I will revert to you with more information on this new format in the coming weeks, so you can share it with your respective national section.
We understand this outcome might be disappointing for you as much as it is for us, but we trust you will understand that the safety of all participants, as well as the quality of the Course are of crucial importance for the ECSL.