Professor Michael N. Schmitt, Professor Wolff Heintschel von Heinegg, Dr Louise Arimatsu and Professor Sean Watts received yesterday the honorary title of NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence’s Senior Fellow for their contribution to the legal projects undertaken by the Centre. The four experts were all involved with with the Tallinn Manual project and are continuing their cooperation with the Centre on a Tallinn 2.0, a project which looks at options in international law for States during cyber attacks which stay below the armed attack threshold.
Senior Fellow is an honorary title for a highly accomplished and respected senior scholar or practitioner involved with a major or long-term project of the Centre. The concept was adopted by the Centre earlier this year and so far five persons have been given the title – the four aforementioned experts and Mr Jaan Priisalu from the Estonian Information System’s Authority for his outstanding contribution to the Centre’s technical exercises and other activities.
Newly appointed Senior Fellows:
Prof. Michael N. Schmitt served as the Director of the Tallinn Manual project and as of 2013, has made a following three-year commitment to the Centre to direct Tallinn 2.0, the follow-on project of the Tallinn Manual. Prof. Schmitt is a regular invited speaker at CyCon and through the United States Naval War College, also cooperates with the Centre in conducting the International Law of Cyber Operations Seminars at NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany.
Professor Wolff Heintschel von Heinegg was a key contributor to the Tallinn Manual project as a member of the International Group of Experts as well as the Editorial Committee. He has agreed to extend his commitment to the Centre by becoming one of the four external experts on the Tallinn 2.0 project. Prof. Heintschel von Heinegg has also been an invited speaker at CyCon and the International Law of Cyber Operations Seminar.
Dr Louise Arimatsu was a member of the International Group of Experts in the Tallinn Manual project and she has made a further commitment to the Centre by serving as one of the four external experts on the Tallinn 2.0 project. Dr Arimatsu has also been an invited speaker at CyCon and the International Law of Cyber Operations Seminar.
Prof. Sean Watts was a key contributor to the Tallinn Manual project as a member of the International Group of Experts as well as a Legal Group Facilitator. He has agreed to extend his commitment to the Centre by becoming one of the four external experts on the Tallinn 2.0 project. Prof. Watts has also been an invited speaker at CyCon and the International Law of Cyber Operations Seminar.
NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is an International Military Organisation located in Tallinn, Estonia. It is not an operational centre and does not fall within the NATO command structure; it is guided and financed by the nations participating in its work. Centre’s mission is to enhance the capability, cooperation and information sharing among NATO, its member nations and partners in cyber defence by virtue of education, research and development, lessons learned and consultation.