Selection for 2026 competition| Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Team
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore will be selecting students to represent the University in the 2026 edition of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition.
The team will be led by Dr. Giorgio Cardile and Dr. Riccardo Ricchetti, under the supervision of Prof. Francesca Benatti, who will act as professor in charge.
The Competition
Organised annually by the International Institute of Space Law, the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is one of the most prestigious moot court competitions in the world. Founded in 1992, every year dozens of student teams take part from five regions around the world.
The competition is based on a hypothetical case of international and space law, drafted annually by experts in the field.
The Programme
The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is divided into three main stages.
During the written stage, participating teams draft two memorials, one for the applicant and one for the respondent. The memorials must meet the drafting criteria set by the International Institute of Space Law and must be submitted by the end of February.
Once the memorials have been submitted, teams take part in regional rounds, usually in April. The winners are announced at the end of the regional rounds, and they then advance to the world finals.
The final stage takes place during the Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space, organized within the International Astronautical Congress. The finals are judged by three sitting members of the International Court of Justice.
Credits
Students participating in the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition will be eligible for 5 credit points.
Further information
The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition section of the official website of the International Institute of Space Law provides a great deal of information about the competition. General information about the European round is available here.
For any further information, please contact Dr. Giorgio Cardile (giorgio.cardile@unicatt.it) and Dr. Riccardo Ricchetti (riccardo.ricchetti@unicatt.it).
Selection procedure
A maximum of 3 students enrolled in the Master's Degree in Law will be selected.
Selection will be undertaken via an interview and on the basis of the following criteria:
- CV and academic merit;
- knowledge of the fundamentals of international law;
- English language level (minimum recommended level: B2).
How to apply
Applicants must email Dr. Francesca Sironi De Gregorio and Dr. Riccardo Ricchetti by Friday 13 June 2025, using the subject line “Manfred Lachs application – [your surname and first name]”, with the following attachments:
- CV (with specific detail of course year; profile selected, if applicable; and the international area exams taken);
- any other document containing information relevant to the selection.
The selection interviews will be held on Wednesday 18 June 2025, in line with the instructions given by the organisers in the days immediately leading up to the interviews.
Cost
Participation in the competition will entail the following costs:
- €200 team registration fee, to be divided between the participants;
- travel expenses, accommodation and meals for the European round.
Members of the team will have to settle the above costs themselves.
Università Cattolica will reimburse the registration fee in full.
The costs of participating in the European round will be partially covered by the University. Reimbursement is subject to submission of relevant supporting documentation and will have an amount of € 270 for each member of the team.
Should the team qualify for the final, the International Institute of Space Law will cover the full cost of travel, food and accommodation expenses of the final stages as well as enrolment fees for the International Astronautical Congress.