The Hague Academy Centre for Studies and Research of 2026
The registrations for the Hague Academy Centre for Studies and Research of 2026 are open.
The 2026 edition of the Centre will focus on Cyberspace and International Law. The Directors of Research will be Mohamed S. Helal (Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law) for the English-speaking section, and Lukas Rass-Masson (University of Toulouse) for the French-speaking session.
Cyberspace plays a central role in contemporary society. Today, many aspects of daily life rely on digital infrastructure. As a result, maintaining the safety, security, accessibility and stability of cyberspace contributes to international peace and security, the protection of human rights and the pursuit of sustainable development and economic progress. At the same time, the structure and functioning of cyberspace raise questions for established principles, rules and regimes within both public and private international law. Still, international law remains a relevant and effective framework for addressing issues related to cyberspace governance.
The 2026 Centre for Studies and Research of The Hague Academy of International Law will explore how international law – both public and private – may need to be reconsidered in light of developments in cyberspace.
Selected researchers will explore, under the guidance of the Directors of Research, the following topics: Cyberspace as an International Legal Order?; A Primer on Cyberoperations and Cybercrime: The Technology and the Threat Landscape; How is Artificial Intelligence Changing Cyberoperations?; Sea, Space, Cyber: Exploring Interactions, Gaps, and Overlaps of Legal Regimes; Sovereignty and Territoriality in Cyberspace; Due Diligence in Cyberspace; Public and Private Governance of Cyberspace; Cyberespionage: Lawful, Unlawful, Unregulated?; Pushing the Envelope of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter: What is “Force” in Cyberspace; The Application of International Humanitarian Law in Cyberspace: Proportionality, Distinction, and the Definition of “Attacks” and “Objects”; Information Operations in War and in Peacetime; Attribution of Conduct in Cyberspace: Anonymity, Burdens of Proof, and Threshold of Control over Private Actors; Collective Countermeasures in Cyberspace: Questions of Law and Policy; Jurisdiction in and over Cyberspace; Rule of Law and Due Process in Cyberspace; International Contracts in Cyberspace; Dispute Resolution and Alternative Dispute Resolution in and through Cyberspace; Judicial Cooperation and Cyberspace; Competition in the Cyberspace Market; Protecting International Data and Personality Rights in Cyberspace; Human Rights in Cyberspace (Access to the Internet, Freedom of Information, Freedom of Speech, Privacy, Right to be Forgotten etc.); Human Rights Obligations of Big-Tech; Content Moderation and Corporate Due Process? Assessing Meta’s Oversight Board Track Record; The Right to Development and Bridging Digital Divides.
Registration is free of charge. Interested candidates must be researchers and preferably hold an advanced degree (PhD or Doctorate degree). The registration period is from 1 July to 15 October 2025.
The programme of Hague Academy Centre for Studies and Research of 2026 is available here.
More information on the Academy’s programmes may be found here.