INSTITUTE OF SPACE LAW AND POLICY
Eötvös József Research Centre

Our team

DIRECTOR

 

Dr. Balázs BARTÓKI-GÖNCZY

Balázs Bartóki-Gönczy is a lawyer, he obtained a Hungarian law degree from Pázmány Péter Catholic University, a French law degree from Panthéon-Assas Paris II and Paris Saclay universities, specializing in telecommunications and space law at the latter. He earned an MBA degree at the University of Lyon III and a PhD degree at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University School of Law. He is the Vice-Dean of Academic Affairs of the Faculty of Public Governance and International Studies of the Ludovika University of Public Service (Budapest), associate professor director of the Institute of Space Law and Policy. His field of research is electronic communications and space law, which he teaches in Hungarian, English and French. On December 14, 2021, the Hungarian Parliament elected him as a member of the Media Council of Hungary.

 

RESEARCHERS

 

Diána DACZI

 

András EDL

András Edl is a historian, an East Asia analyst and a space security and defense advisor. He is currently a researcher at the Institute of Space Law and Policy (LUPS), and a lecturer of the UNISPACE program, while also completing his studies as a PhD fellow at the European Security and Defense Collage and the LUPS Doctoral School of Military Sciences. He is also enrolled as a psychology student at the Fernuniversitat in Hagen. He enjoys supporting new talent, therefore he regularly gives lectures, trainings and participates in mentoring.  His research focuses on the security aspect of space activity, including the space programs of the biggest geopolitical actors, deterrence and decision-making, supply chain security and critical minerals, the Moon programs and disrupting technologies in the field. 

 

Dr. Mónika GANCZER

Mónika Ganczer is an international lawyer conducting research on nationality of space objects and private companies in space law and regulation, responsibility and liability issues concerning space activities of non-governmental entities. She has been involved as a lecturer in the UniSpace postgraduate specialist training program since 2023. She is an associate professor of international law and assistant coach of the IISL Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition team at Széchenyi István University. Her research is conducted at the HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences Institute for Legal Studies as a research fellow and at the Ludovika University of Public Service Institute of Space Law and Policy as an external researcher. Her academic interests also include nationality in theory and practice, creation and succession of states in international law, history of international law and international protection of human rights.

 

Barbara HORVÁTH

Barbara is currently a PhD student at Széchenyi István University of Győr. Her research focuses on space law, in particular the legal aspects of the protection of dark and quiet skies. Her main areas of interest are space law and international law, therefore she has participated in several conferences and courses on the subject, such as the ECSL Summer Course on Space Law in 2022 and twice in the international Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition. She is also actively involved in various international organisations such as the ILA, ECSL, SGAC and IAU CPS. In addition to her university studies, she gained experience in international law and space law as an intern at the Department for Space Activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs. She is currently a researcher at the Institute of Space Law and Policy.

 

Don KOULAOUZOS

Don Koulaouzos has over 35 years of international business and technology experience in the telecommunications and aerospace industries holding executive management and consultancy positions including Non-Executive Director on the Board of two global satellite communications providers (Inmarsat and Satellite Aircom). He played a key role in the strategic planning phases of two civil and two military multi-billion dollar geostationary satellite constellations. In addition to his corporate career, Don’s entrepreneurial ventures began with making and selling electronic equipment, aerial photography/charter pilot, creating a social networking platform, and now leading a business management consultancy. He also shares his knowledge and expertise by helping startups with training and mentoring support. Don has an MBA from the University of Sydney as well as Australian and American commercial pilots’ licenses.

 

Boudour MEFTEH

Boudour is a PhD candidate in the field of space law, working on the current situation of EU space law with a particular focus on the aspects of fragmentation and unification within its legal framework. Beyond the scope of her PhD, she is interested in a wide range of legal issues in the sector. She is actively involved in various international organisations in order to further her understanding of space law and its development, and strives to make a significant impact in this field.

 

Dr. Attila SIPOS

Attila Sipos, PhD. (ELTE), Adv. LL.M. (Leiden), is currently a researcher at the Ludovika University of Public Service in the Institute of Space Law and Policy. He was a faculty member of the Master’s Program in Air and Space Law at the University of Sharjah (UOS) in the UAE (2021–2024). He worked as a Bar Association Advisor at the Aviation Division of the Ministry of Defence (MoD – HM EI Ltd.) (2018 –2021). He worked for HungaroControl (ANSP) in various positions, such as Legal Director, Alliance Director and Advisor to the CEO (2008–2014). He was the Permanent Representative of Hungary on the Council of ICAO (2004–2007) and the Vice-President of the Council of ICAO (2006–2007). He worked for MALÉV Airlines in various positions, such as Flight Operation and Navigation Officer, Chief Advisor and Legal Director (1989–2004). He is a committee member of the European Air Law Association (EALA) since 2004 and member of the International Law Association (ILA) Space Law Committee since 2020.

 

Prof. Dr. Gábor SULYOK

Gábor Sulyok is a full professor of international law at Széchenyi István University Deák Ferenc Faculty of Law and Political Sciences in Győr, a senior research fellow at HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences Institute for Legal Studies, and an external researcher at Ludovika University of Public Service Institute of Space Law and Policy in Budapest, Hungary. He is also involved as a lecturer in the UniSpace postgraduate specialist training course, and as a faculty advisor/coach at the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition. His academic interests include the prohibition of the threat or use of force, humanitarian intervention, the sources of international law, the history of international law and space law. His research in space law focuses, inter alia, on the military use of outer space, space resource utilization and space debris mitigation.

 

Devid TAGLIA-LÁZÁR

Devid is a space policy expert and lawyer who is starting his PhD in European Space Policy at the Ludovika University of Public Service. He became actively involved in space law and policy after attending the UniSpace program in 2023, which deepened his understanding of the legal frameworks and challenges shaping the future of space activities. Through his research, he aims to contribute to the development of coherent and effective policies that address the unique needs and opportunities of the European space sector.

 

Borbála TELEK-HUSZÁR

Borbála TELEK-HUSZÁR is an International Relations expert and is currently the coordinator of the Institute of Space Law and Policy of the Ludovika University of Public Service. Her research interests include diplomacy, China's international relations and space and air law.

 

Krisztina TILINGER

Krisztina Tilinger is an international space lawyer and maritime law expert, advisor at the Institute of Space Law and Policy of the Ludovika National University of Public Service. She has more than two decades of international experience in the field of European Union’s public service and legal consulting. She regularly gives lectures and publishes on international law topics. Her research work currently focuses on the analogical application of the law of the sea in outer space law, but she is interested in new technologies, such as blockchain as well. She is a regular mentor in EU and NASA hackathons and she was a lecturer at the European Space Agency's "ECSL Summer Course 2023", where she was also a judge.

 

VISITING SCHOLARS

 

Jordi SANDALINAS BARÓ

Jordi Sandalinas Baró is a lawyer, speaker and environmentalist. He holds a degree in Law (University of Barcelona, SP), LL.M. in European Business Law (University of Nijmegen, NL). His areas of expertise are Space and Drone Law and Policy, Satellite Remote Sensing, Marine Environmental Law, Maritime Spatial Planning, Marine Strategy Framework, and Intellectual Property. He is a lecturer at the Open University of Catalonia and the University of Madrid (UDIMA). He is a member of the International Institute of Space Law, the RADA Association of Environmental Lawyers, the Instituto Iberoamericano de Derecho Aéreo y Espacial, the IUCN Environmental Law Commission and the GEO Climate Change Working Group, the GEO Data Working Group and the GEO AquaWatch Initiative. He is also a visiting lecturer at our Institute since 2024.