Dubai is hosting an international Moot Court for space disputes.

The inaugural Courts of Space Moot Court, a joint initiative between the Dubai Future Foundation and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts, recently launched a hybrid competition. Fifteen university teams participated in the four-day preliminary and quarter-final rounds. The semi-final rounds and final were conducted at the DIFC Courts.

By participating in the moot, students gained valuable insight into the DIFC Courts Rules regarding conflict on matters such as breach of contract and regulation regarding space tourism. At the same time, scenarios were developed to better understand the cases that might emerge in this relatively novel environment.

Hamad Bin Khalifa University and the Gujarat National Law University competed in the final round, with Qatar's Hamad Bin Khalifa University emerging as the eventual winners in a closely contested finale.

Moot Court event partners from Middlesex University, Webnyay, and Space Monitor Middle East joined the Dubai Future Foundation and DIFC Courts to recognize and award the winning team and individual outstanding performances during the competition.

Justice Omar Al Mheiri, Director of DIFC Courts, said, "While the court will convene firmly on the ground in Dubai and not in space, our judges are acquiring the specialist skills to be able to hear space economy-related disputes. Training, development of guides, and best practices will be key to ensuring that the space courts in Dubai become the courts of choice.

"These competing teams in this year's Moot Court represent the next generation of potential space lawyers, and we are proud to be helping shape their future knowledge and expertise through this Moot Court exercise."

Launched in 2021 in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation, the Courts of Space project joined the Courts of the Future, which was established in 2017 with a mandate to explore diverse legal technology topics and provide research and thought leadership on promoting and encouraging contemporary methods of greater accessibility and efficiency to court users worldwide.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said, "As a leading hub for innovation, Dubai is the ideal platform for addressing complex issues in key areas that are still being shaped, such as space law. Dubai Future Foundation is committed to transforming Dubai into a city of the future and driving initiatives to foster a dynamic environment for innovation and collaboration. The Courts of Space Moot Court is an important initiative underlining Dubai's role as a sandbox for developing, piloting, scaling ideas and a leading destination for high-caliber talent, a platform where collaboration and innovation go hand in hand. The Moot Court stimulates healthy competition among these talents, nurturing their skills, and encouraging them to think beyond traditional borders and look to new horizons in their field.