Since its inception, the IBA-VIAC CDRC Mediation and Negotiation Competition has rapidly grown to secure a prominent place among the world’s most prestigious mediation and negotiation competitions. Now in its 9th year, the competition was held from July 5-10, 2024, in Vienna. ADR Istanbul’s co-founder, Ferda Canözer Paksoy, was invited to this competition as one of the distinguished expert mediators to evaluate the competitors, thanks to her extensive coaching and evaluation experience in international mediation competitions and her advanced mediation skills. Held annually in Vienna, this competition brings together young talents from the world’s most prestigious universities to compete and enhance their skills in mediation and negotiation. The participants work on case studies inspired by real international commercial disputes and receive valuable feedback from some of the most experienced and renowned evaluators in the field. It offers a new and sustainable perspective on the “Consensual Dispute Resolution with Party Consent” method.
Record Participation and High Performance
CDRC Vienna 2024 offered the highest participation and one of the most qualified competitive environments to date. A total of 170 students from 42 teams across five continents gathered in Vienna. The competition saw 28 negotiator teams and 14 mediator teams evaluated by 76 distinguished CDRC assessors from around the globe. This year’s competition was a true cultural mosaic, with participants representing North and South America, Europe, Central and East Asia, Africa, and Australia. The diversity enriched both the mediation and negotiation techniques and provided a wide range of perspectives, making the competition truly unique.
Observations from ADR Istanbul
Just as remarkable as the size of the competition was the high caliber of the participants. CDRC Vienna provides a global platform for students preparing to enter the ADR field, giving them the opportunity to develop their professional skills and interact with experts from various disciplines. This competition is a vital event for young professionals to develop their mediation and negotiation skills, produce innovative solutions, and showcase themselves on an international stage.
As the founder of the ADR Istanbul platform, which prioritizes both global and local work in the “Developing Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods” axis and focuses on training experts in the field, Ferda Canözer Paksoy emphasized that last year she participated in this competition as a coach for Istanbul Bilgi University, the only university representing Turkey, and this year she participated as the only expert assessor from our country. In addition to the competition, she noted the immense value of the conferences, master classes, workshops, and panels hosted by renowned law firms throughout the week, where future trends and current practices in ADR were evaluated from various national perspectives and discussed by experts well-versed in practice. She expressed her honor at being part of an ecosystem that provides invaluable knowledge and vision. She emphasized how the sessions she attended and the cases she observed offered a close-up look at the various techniques used in international ADR practices, particularly noting the inspiring experience of witnessing innovative negotiation strategies and mediation approaches from students of different cultures. Our founder stated that the interactions and learning opportunities offered by the competition provided valuable lessons and opportunities that could be applied to future projects. She also mentioned that her participation in this event, which greatly contributed to ADR Istanbul’s vision, will continue with various collaborations in the future.
Success of NLS, Charles University, and Universita Bocconi Teams
In this competition, where universities meticulously selected after meeting the high standards set by the competition committee, university teams from various corners of the world delivered incredible performances across different categories. Following rounds of intense positive competition and creative problem-solving, we witnessed the remarkable success of the team from National Law School of India University (NLSIU), one of the most prestigious law schools in India. The NLSIU team emerged victorious in the negotiation category, outperforming 32 negotiator teams this year. Their impressive performance was a significant achievement in this prestigious competition, reflecting the high level of competition and team spirit at the event.
In the mediation category, Charles University’s ever-improving performance over the years helped them surpass their rivals, with a particularly stellar performance in the final. In the category of mediation process management, the students from Universita Bocconi in Italy, who have guided many countries, including ours, in mediation and system development, won first place with a clean and meticulous process approach.
Countdown for Next Year Begins
In conclusion, IBA-VIAC CDRC Vienna 2024 painted a promising picture for the future of ADR. Celebrating its 10th anniversary next year, this important and valuable event offers a significant opportunity for Turkish law students interested in alternative dispute resolution methods. This prestigious competition provides an unmatched platform to gain international experience, engage with leading experts, and develop negotiation and mediation skills. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in next year’s competition and get detailed information by clicking this link. University representatives can contact us for more information.
