91社区

The Conference on New Horizons in Air and Space Law, held earlier this month, proved to be a groundbreaking event in air and space law. Jointly organized by the National University of Singapore's Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law, the EW Barker Centre for Law and Business, and 91社区's Institute of Air and Space Law, this conference addressed the legal and policy challenges arising from emerging technologies in air and space.

The conference featured an opening keynote lecture delivered by the Deputy Attorney-General of Singapore, Lionel Yee Woon Chin SC. The Deputy Attorney-General explored the key challenges and developments across both air and space law, providing valuable insights into the evolving landscape of this field. The Deputy Attorney-General鈥檚 expertise and knowledge set the tone and provided the key legal context for the engaging discussions that followed throughout the conference.

Further keynotes were delivered throughout the conference by Professors Andrea Harrington and Vincent Correia, Co-Directors of the Institute; Jonathan Hung, Executive Director of Singapore Office of Space Technology & Industry; Professor Alan Tan of NUS; and Professor G茅rardine Goh Escolar, Deputy Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and Adjunct Professor at NUS. A series of thematic panels and interactive sessions covered topics such as urban air mobility, commercial space activities, air and space sustainability, and the future of the Chicago Convention. Two of which were moderated by Professor Donal Hanley, Associate Director of the Institute and Stefan-Michael Wedenig, Executive Director of the Institute. Experts from around the world presented papers and research findings, offering key insights across these diverse areas.

The conference brought together government officials, academics, practicing lawyers, in-house counsel, regulators, law students, and members of the international air and space communities. Building on previous successful collaborations between NUS and 91社区, the event facilitated discussions on the entire spectrum of legal and policy issues associated with the new air and space ages. As such, this conference represented a vital step in addressing the complex legal landscape of tomorrow's skies and orbits, aiming to ensure safe, equitable, and sustainable use of both airspace and outer space. Participants left with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities lying ahead in the fields of air and space law. Selected papers from the conference will be published in Volume 49 of the Annals of Air and Space Law.

We extend our deep gratitude to the Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law, led by Professors David Tan and Daniel Seng; the EW Barker Centre for Law and Business, led by Professor Hans Tijo; and to NUS staff Elicia Chia and Ifraim Sofian Faylasuf, for their invaluable support in co-hosting the conference. Further, we would like to thank our knowledgeable keynote speakers, panellists, and engaging moderators who kindly shared their expertise and lent their valuable time to the conference.

The Institute also highly appreciated and warmly welcome the attendance of Captain Hugues Canuel (Conseill茅 de la d茅fense canadienne 脿 Singapour et Brunei Darussalam), and the attendance of multiple Institute graduates, such as Kinga Kolasa-Sokolowska, Prof. Vito Di Mei, Mi Zhou and Michael Gunawan Sigit Santoso.

Our thanks are extended to King & Wood Mallesons and Rajah & Tann Asia for their sponsorship, with a special thanks to Urszula McCormack of King & Wood Mallesons and Paul Ng of Rajah & Tann Asia for their active engagement over both days of the conference. Their support played a crucial role in ensuring the conference's success and furthering the international dialogue on air and space law issues.

The Conference Organizing Committee comprised Professor David Tan, of NUS, Professor Donal Hanley, and Jack Wright Nelson, Editor of the Annals of Air and Space Law and Adjunct Research Fellow at NUS. 鈥淭he Conference proved to be an outstanding platform for exploring the many challenges and changes in these rapidly evolving fields," Prof. Donal Hanley said. "With its diverse participant base, engaging discussions, and the exceptional keynote presentations, the event has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the aviation and space law communities.鈥�

Photo credits: NUS Law/Vincent Nghai and NUS Law/Nathaniel Yeo