ESPI’s Summer School 2025 was held from August 25-27 in the picturesque hills of Florence, at the European University Institute (EUI). Organised as a training school, it was primarily designed for executives, though a limited number of spots were reserved for students. The program targeted individuals with a background in space who sought to gain insights into policy, as well as those with a policy or international relations background looking to deepen their understanding of space.
The school was attended by over 30 participants made up of space agency staff, diplomats, students, researchers and civil servants originating from more than 20 countries across five continents.
The programme consisted of three days of interactive content related to the theme “Closing the Competitiveness and Resilience Gap: The Role of Space”, and featured sessions related to the fundamentals of space policy and strategy, and the integration of space with other domains such as energy, agriculture, transport, and security & defence. Guest speakers included lecturers from EUI, and representatives from ESA, the European Commission, ELIAMEP the World Economic Forum, PSSI, and ESPI’s industry partners:
- Eric Morel de Westgaver, Director of Strategy, Legal and External Affairs, ESA
- Isabella Poldrugo, Deputy Head of Unit, Space Policy, European Commission
- Nikolai Khlystov, Lead, Space Technologies, World Economic Forum (WEF)
- Jana Robinson, Managing Director, Prague Security Studies Institute (PSSI)
- Juan José Montero Pascual, Director of the Transport Area, EUI
- Fabio Gaetano Santeramo, Part-time Assistant Professor, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, EUI
- Mariella Graziano, Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development – Science, Exploration, and Transportation, GMV Systems
- Piero Messina, Senior Policy Advisor, ESA
- Markus Fritz, Managing Director and Owner, ADVISORIO
- Flora Seube, Head of European Affairs, EUTELSAT
- Elena Lazarou, Director General, Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy
- Sara Dalledonne, Research Fellow and Lead on EU Relations and Regulatory Affairs, ESPI
- Lina Pohl, Research Fellow seconded by DLR and Germany & Austria Relations Officer, ESPI
“A fruitful week of debates, lectures, and activities on the political, industrial, and societal dimensions of space. I’m leaving with fresh insights, new skills, and a network of inspiring peers who are as passionate about the future of space as I am.”
Day 1
Day 1 took us through the fundamentals of space and space policy; from the relevance and scope of space (why does space matter?) to the technical (there are how many satellites in orbit?!) to the big picture (where does European space fit geopolitically?), all whilst exploring themes such as economics, sustainability, and regulation.
Day 1 Key Takeaways
- Space: the 1.8 Trillion USD opportunity.
- Space is already present in many aspects of everyday life and becoming increasingly relevant for security and connectivity.
- Although political will and financial ambitions are increasing, Europe still lags behind major space powers
- Regulation vs Deregulation: how can Europe remain competitive and resilient in a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment? How to identify the use cases that make the most (economic) sense for Europe?
“The ESPI Space Policy Summer School was a fantastic experience that opened up the world of space policy in a way that’s accessible, inspiring, and deeply enriching – even for those of us without a space background. It sparked a whole new perspective and transformed complex space policy topics into something exciting, relevant, and empowering.”
Day 2
The start of Day 2 took us through a deep dive of transversal space domains with our EUI colleagues; we learned how regulation related to agriculture, transport and energy compares to space regulation, and the wide variety of space applications related to the three domains. We then discussed space for security & defense, and space for connectivity and the digital economy – two topics that are highly relevant and important in today’s shifting geopolitical climate.
The day ended with an interactive group activity based on one key question – how can Europe become a strong partner to the world by embarking on a bold European Space Exploration programme? Where would we go? With whom? Why?
Day 2 Key Takeaways
- Space is inherently intertwined with other domains but all of these domains have their own solutions. The space sector should continue to challenge and initiate new avenues of cooperation with these various actors. There are many common areas of opportunity and gain!
- Threats to European security are growing, and are often times hidden in plain sight. Here is the “wake-up call” for Europe to strive for greater strategic autonomy and to strengthen its capabilities in critical areas.
- The space ecosystem in Europe is…complicated. Multiple stakeholders brings many different interests!
“A truly inspirational and invaluable course for anyone interested in understanding the prospects and challenges of building a competitive European space sector across all aspects of society. It has inspired me to go “racing in the street!””
Day 3
Day 3 brought some new perspectives. We discussed the potential of industry, and its responsibilities, before endeavouring to understand how to consolidate everything we had learned into coherent European space policy, with the help of industry and policy experts. The day ended with an interactive debate aimed at exploring big picture questions and problems within the European space sector. For example, how much control should governments keep in comparison to private individuals, and should we be more rationale or more inspirational in our approach?
Day 3 Key Takeaways
- Space is the ultimate cross-industry platform.
- Digital transformation drives demand for connectivity and global coverage exponentially. If you don’t scale, you fail!
- European industry must lead in global standards and ethics, with sustainability, security, and resilience as defining pillars
- Empowering the next generation of leaders in the space sector is crucial.
