2023 Summer Academy on the Continental Shelf

 Singapore, 7-13 May 2023

POST EVENT

From 7 to 13 May 2023, the University of the Faroe Islands and the Centre for International Law (CIL) of the National University of Singapore (NUS) co-organized the 2023 Summer Academy on the Continental Shelf (SACS). The event took place within the classrooms of the NUS Faculty of Law, located at the NUS Bukit Timah Campus in Singapore.

The 2023 SACS featured a distinguished ensemble of trainers, including a judge from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), members of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), experts on international law and geology, and a seasoned international practitioner with extensive experience in matters related to the continental shelf. For a list of speakers and the agenda, please see here and here.

Representing 22 countries, the cohort of 37 participants was carefully composed to achieve a balanced representation of diplomats, lawyers, hydrographers, and geologists. The University of the Faroe Islands generously sponsored a significant number of these participants. It is noteworthy that the 2023 SACS was the first of its kind held in Asia, following previous sessions convened in the Faroe Islands and Tanzania.

In addition to lectures and stimulating informal discussions held during lunch and coffee breaks, participants were divided into groups and fully immersed themselves in the intricate art of litigating inter-state conflicts pertaining to the outer limits of the continental shelf.

At the end of the program, over half of the participants took part in the exam, which encompassed both the legal and technical dimensions of the continental shelf. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Khaira Binti Ismail from Malaysia, who emerged as the recipient of the Best Student Award.

PRE EVENT

The University of the Faroe Islands and the Centre for International Law (CIL) of the National University of Singapore (NUS) will be co-organizing the 2023 Summer Academy on the Continental Shelf (SACS) from Sunday to Saturday, 7-13 May 2023 at NUS Bukit Timah Campus, Singapore. SACS is designed for government officials, researchers, practitioners, and advanced graduate students with particular interest for scientific and legal aspects relating to the continental shelf. It will be tutored by judges of international courts and tribunals, members of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, professors of international law and international practitioners with lengthy experiences in continental shelf matters.

PURPOSE

SACS aims to disseminate scientific and legal knowledge relating to the regime of the continental shelf, in particular the area beyond 200 nautical miles. For this purpose, SACS will confer particular focus on the intricate legal and technical conditions governing the entitlement to and establishment of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, and on the delimitation of overlapping entitlements to such areas. Emphasis will therefore be given to Articles 76 and 83 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and Annex II thereto.

FUNDING

SACS is funded by a generous voluntary contribution provided by the Government of the Faroe Islands, thereby making a significant contribution at the dissemination of knowledge of the law of the sea.

COURSE CONTENT

The one-week academy will give a comprehensive overview and examination of the technical and legal aspects of Article 76:

• the interrelation of scientific and legal concepts inherent to the regime of the continental shelf;
• the function of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf;
• the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf;
• the delimitation methodology of the continental shelf; and
• the demonstration of entitlement to the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.

METHODOLOGY AND TRAINING MATERIAL

The training will be conducted in the form of interactive seminars, workshops, and discussions to allow a maximum exchange of views. A comprehensive set of training materials will be provided for each participant at the beginning of the training course. Certificates will be awarded to those participants who will have completed the training seminar in its entirety.

QUALIFICATIONS OF APPLICANTS

SACS is intended for researchers, practitioners, civil servants, and advanced graduate students. It will be limited to 30 attendees from all continents with particular interest for scientific and legal aspects relating to the continental shelf. It welcomes participants from a broad geographical representation with various professional and academic backgrounds. An academic background corresponding to a Bachelor degree or higher is required, and applicants are requested to submit their Curriculum Vitae, copies of academic certificates, a Personal Statement and two Reference Letters. The course is susceptible to qualify for 5 ECTS points.

SELECTION PROCESS

When selecting participants, due consideration will be given to the candidates’ qualifications, the scope of their professional duties, the relevance of the training to their professional duties as well as geographic and gender balance of the participants.

COURSE LANGUAGE

The academy will be conducted in English.

APPLICATION FEE

A participation fee of €700 per participant is inclusive of lessons, lunch, and dinner throughout the weekdays during the seminar.

SCHOLARSHIPS

A limited number of scholarships are available for citizens from developing countries. Participants with special financial needs can apply for funding covering their participation fee, travelling costs, accommodation, and meals throughout the week.