Summer School in Strategic Studies: “Thinking About Conflicts in the 21st Century”

This event was held in French

The first edition of the Summer School in Strategic Studies, “Thinking About Conflicts in the 21st Century,” was held in Paris from June 8 to 13, 2026.

Over the course of six days, 35 students from France and Canada participated in an intensive program focused on the major strategic challenges of our time. Discussions centered on the evolution of transatlantic relations, the return of power politics, the broadening scope of conflict, the resurgence of nuclear issues, conventional rearmament, and the pursuit of greater European strategic autonomy.

This French-language summer school is the result of a collaboration between several leading institutions in the field of strategic studies. It brings together the Institute for Strategic Research at the École Militaire (IRSEM), the centers of excellence “Organizing Strategic Surprise” and “Strategy and Conflicts Bordeaux Campus,” as well as Laval University and the Strategic Analysis Network.

Through lectures, workshops, and discussions, participants were able to deepen their understanding of international security issues while forging lasting ties with their counterparts across the Atlantic.

Held alternately in France and Quebec, the Summer School will continue to grow with a second edition scheduled for 2027 at Laval University’s École supérieure d’études internationales (ESEI) in Quebec City.

Photo credit: momo11353