On 22–25 June, SIPRI hosted an in-person course on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) non-proliferation and disarmament in an era of technological convergence. Organized and funded through the European Union Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC), the course brought together 19 graduate and postgraduate students and early-career professionals from 11 countries.
Sessions were led by experts from SIPRI and other European research centres, universities and think tanks, as well as Dr Stephan Klement, EU Special Envoy for Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
The course introduced participants to the scientific, technical and political foundations of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as the international treaties, institutions and verification mechanisms that govern them. Participants considered how emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence, advanced biotechnology and autonomous systems—are creating challenges for WMD risk assessment, compliance, verification and governance.
An interactive scenario exercise asked participants to assess an ambiguous dual-use case under conditions of technical uncertainty, competing institutional priorities and incomplete information. The exercise highlighted the challenges of distinguishing concerns from evidence, identifying proportionate policy responses and making difficult decisions in complex circumstances.
SIPRI’s role within disarmament and non-proliferation education
The course forms part of SIPRI’s recurring contribution to the EUNPDC. Among other activities, SIPRI hosts two EUNPDC training courses each year, one virtual and one in person, to support education and capacity-building for the next generation of disarmament and non-proliferation practitioners. The programme is designed in part to help bridge the gap between scientific and technical education and arms control policy by introducing students and early-career professionals to the legal, institutional and practical tools used to address WMD-related risks.