— THE PROGRAM
Curriculum
ACONA Fellows hone their negotiation techniques through immersive exercises, study arms control topics with preeminent experts, conduct joint research on pressing international security issues, and develop professional and interpersonal networks.
10-MONTH FELLOWSHIP TERM · SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 – JUNE 30, 2027
— LEARNING
Before Fellows step into a negotiation exercise, they build the shared grounding to do it well, through direct access to expert practitioners, and a structured body of reading integrated into our boot camps.
01
Expert Engagement
Fellows engage directly with the people shaping the field: lectures, briefings, and panels with Q&A, led by both the ACONA team and guest speakers drawn from arms control policy, diplomacy, and academia. A dedicated research group advisor guides each team through the collaborative research process, and group discussions — during Design Thinking workshops and in debriefs after negotiation exercises — turn practice into shared reflection.
02
Reading & Preparation
Structured readings anchor the program: foundational texts on the global nuclear order, arms control, and negotiation theory; regional-perspective modules on the USA & Europe, Russia & China, and the Global South; practical guidance on writing memos and policy briefs; and readings tied to the cohort's focus topic — recent cohorts have focused on Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technology and Arctic Security & Cooperation.
— PRACTICE
Three boot camps and one collaborative research project — the immersive half of the fellowship, where Fellows put the foundation to work.
01
Three Boot Camps
Each boot camp builds on the last, culminating in Reykjavík.
BOOT CAMP 1 · SEP. 2026
Foundations
The Evolution of the Global Nuclear Order
What Is Arms Control? Its Role within National Security and Strategy
Negotiation Masterclass
National and Regional Motivations and Perspectives on Arms Control
Negotiation Exercises
Additional topical briefings
BOOT CAMP 2 · FEB. 2027
Midpoint
Presentation & Discussion of the Four Research Group Projects
Negotiation Exercise
Additional topical briefings
BOOT CAMP 3 · MAY 2027
Culmination
Negotiation Campaigns
Design Thinking
Negotiation Exercise
Fellowship Award Ceremony
ACONA Conference Reykjavík
02
Collaborative Research
Four groups of Fellows collaborate outside the boot camps on an original research project in arms control negotiation, matched by complementary interests and expertise. Work in progress is presented and discussed at the second boot camp, with the final, co-authored policy brief due at the end of the ten-month term.
— FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION
Train to become the arms control negotiator of tomorrow. Click for eligibility requirements and the application procedure.
Former Fellows carry the program's impact into government, military, think tanks, and international organisations around the world.