Military Sciences in Action:
From Operational Insights to Defence Innovation
Baltic Defence College, Tartu, Estonia
9-12 November 2026
Practical experience from military operations and resulting innovation form an essential dynamic for transformation in contemporary defence. Military sciences must integrate rigorous analysis with cutting-edge research to enhance defence capabilities. Amid rapidly evolving security threats and technological advancements, the discipline needs to offer frameworks for translating operational insights into innovative defence strategies and technologies.
We invite papers examining how contemporary conflicts inform defence transformation and military scientific inquiry. Submissions might explore how war studies reveal evolving operational patterns, including hybrid tactics and multi-domain challenges, or how military history contextualizes current battlefield dynamics alongside information warfare. Authors may consider how military technology adapts under combined kinetic and cyber pressures, or how legal and ethical frameworks address modern warfare and rapid capability development.
Defence economics and resource allocation for emerging threats; transformation of insights from various theatres into military education curricula; security policy evolution in response to hybrid warfare; and armed forces adaptation to societal expectations during conflict all represent potential areas of inquiry. Historical perspectives on military innovation during wartime, alongside contemporary defence management approaches to integrating lessons learned, could also provide valuable insights.
Interdisciplinary approaches are particularly welcome — submissions might examine technology advancement alongside policy adaptation; explore the interface between military forces and society during crisis; or investigate cross-national cooperation in capability development. Questions of how military education incorporates recent combat experience, including resilience against hybrid campaigns, or how defence management implements battlefield innovations in autonomous systems and counter-disinformation efforts, may yield fruitful analysis.
We seek contributions examining military sciences as a bridge between operational experience and actionable defence innovation, recognizing that valuable insights often emerge from unexpected disciplinary intersections.
Outline Program:
- Monday 9 November - arrival, coordination meeting, social event
- Tuesday-Wednesday 10-11 November - plenary and panel sessions
- Thursday 12 November - Council and business meetings
More details will follow here soon about the annual ISMS Conference. Please also consider the conference hosted by our Southern Hemisphere Partners, the University of Namibia School of Military Science and the Faculty of Military Science of Stellenbosch University.
Energy Frontiers and Security: Exploring resources in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape
Windhoek, Namibia, and Virtually
29-30 September 2026
The School of Military Science at the University of Namibia, in partnership with the Faculty of Military Science at Stellenbosch University, proudly announces its 3rd International Conference to be held from 29–30 September 2026. This high-level scholarly gathering brings together military professionals, academics, policymakers, security analysts, and industry experts to critically engage with emerging debates at the intersection of energy, security, and geopolitics. As global dynamics shift due to technological advances, climate pressures, resource competition, and evolving security threats, the conference seeks to provide a platform for evidence-based dialogue and collaborative knowledge production.
Under the theme “Energy Frontiers and Security: Exploring Resources in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape,” the conference will explore how states, institutions, and security sectors navigate the complex challenges posed by both conventional and renewable energy transitions. Discussions will interrogate the implications of energy resources on national, regional, and global security; assess the governance and sustainability dimensions of resource extraction; and reflect on how geopolitical realignments shape defence strategy, diplomacy, and security institutions. Contributors are invited to engage with contemporary debates that cut across environmental resilience, technological innovation, defence economics, military leadership, maritime and aviation security, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence.
In keeping with the School of Military Science and Faculty of Military Science’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary scholarship, the conference welcomes researchers from across Africa and the broader international community. The hybrid format hosted at the University of Namibia Main Campus with a parallel virtual platform ensures broad participation and the free exchange of ideas. Through diverse thematic sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, the conference aims to advance academic collaboration, support policy-relevant research, and contribute to strengthening regional and global security capacities.
