A Holistic Education Curriculum for Capacity-Building in Space Law

The national regulatory system of any State will have a tremendous impact on how space science, technology and applications are developed and used. Therefore, capacity-building in space law should be pursued at the same time when efforts are being made to enhance capacity in space science and technology. Education and training of specialists in space law and regulation could follow standard/model curricula, like the “UN Education Curriculum on Space Law” (2014). However, it is also important to keep in mind that constitutional and legislative systems as well as political realities in different countries often vary – sometimes significantly. As space activities can bring tremendous benefits to global development and humanity, the teaching and study of space law and policy must be contextualised within the complex national environment, and take into account the challenges and the myriad of emerging space activities and actors that characterise the realm of outer space. Given that a holistic world view and approach to the teaching and study of space law is unmissable, a suitable curriculum for capability-building in space law ought to be custom-made to meet the unique requirements of each country. This article describes the McGill Model of distinctive curriculum for capacity-building in space law.