GU-Q hosts workshop on energy and maritime security in Athens

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Georgetown University in Qatar held a workshop in Athens on October 9 that gathered regional and international experts to discuss the intertwined challenges of energy and maritime security in the Mediterranean. The event highlighted the importance of a unified approach to regional geopolitical dynamics, energy transitions, and security, underscoring GU-Q’s growing role in facilitating cross-sector collaboration in these critical areas.

Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) hosted a one-day workshop on October 9 in Athens titled “Energy and Maritime Security in the Contemporary Mediterranean and Beyond.” The event brought together experts from academia, policymaking, and industry across the Mediterranean region, the Gulf, Europe, and the United States to address the increasingly interconnected challenges of energy and maritime security.

The workshop took place at the Saint George Lycabettus venue amid ongoing developments such as recent offshore gas discoveries, accelerating shifts in the energy sector, and heightened geopolitical competition in regional waters. Organized by GU-Q’s Energy Studies Programme, the event aimed to explore energy and maritime security as a unified issue rather than separate domains.

The program featured four panel discussions focusing on distinct but related topics: the contested geopolitical dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean; the roles played by smaller maritime states with lessons applicable to the Eastern Mediterranean context; the critical infrastructure and supply chains vital to supporting the energy transition; and the human capital, educational needs, and skill development required to sustain these transformations.

Participants represented a broad array of institutions, including Qatar University; the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI); King’s College London; the University of East London; Texas A&M University at Qatar; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Centre for Energy and Environmental Policy Research; the National Technical University of Athens; NCSR “Demokritos”; and the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO). Industry leaders and senior officials also took part in the discussions.

In opening remarks, Dr. Clyde Wilcox, acting dean of GU-Q, emphasized the importance of addressing energy and maritime security amid times of regional insecurity and instability. Professor Rory Miller, director of GU-Q’s Energy Studies Programme and Small States Research Programme, highlighted the need to view energy, security, and sustainability as interconnected challenges emerging prominently in the Mediterranean region. Dr. Valentini Pappa, director of New Academic Initiatives at GU-Q and organizer of the workshop, underscored the event’s goal of fostering dialogue across scholars, policymakers, and industry figures while maintaining focus on the human dimension behind the energy transition.

The workshop was attended by a notable group of guests, including First Secretary Alanoud Ahmad Al Mohammadi of the State of Qatar to Greece; retired Admiral Stelios Fenekos, president of the Alexander Papanastasiou Scientific Institute; and senior representatives from the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), the Public Power Corporation (PPC Group), and the American College of Greece.

This initiative reflects GU-Q’s expanding role in addressing energy, climate, and security issues of mutual interest to Qatar, Greece, and the broader Mediterranean region, reinforcing its commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between academic, policy, and industry sectors.

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