Q: What is the language of the Competition?

A: The official language of the Competition is English. All oral and written parts of the Competition are in English.

Q: What is the cost for participating?

A:  Each selected Team must pay a € 500 of registration fee which covers the costs of the Team and Coach’s attendance at the Competition (held at ICC) and related social events in Paris. All personal travel, lodging, and meal costs are not included in the registration fee.

Q: Can ICC help with funding?

A: As a non-profit organization and organizer of the Competition, ICC cannot assist Teams with covering their personal costs of attending the Competition which are not included in the registration fee. Students must seek outside sponsors or scholarships.

Q: Can ICC help with finding accommodations for Teams, Judges and Mediators?

A: The Organizing Committee shall provide Teams as well as Judges and Mediators with a list of hotels, restaurants and bars to facilitate their travel to and stay in Paris during the Competition. However, it is ultimately up to the participants to make their arrangements and reservations.

Q: Is it possible to attend the Competition and social events without being a member of a Team or a Judge or Professional?

A: Only the two (2) to four (4) students participating in a Team, the Coach, Mediators and Judges are permitted to attend the Competition. Any person who is not a Mediator or Judge selected by the Organizing Committee, a Team member or a Coach will not be permitted to attend the Competition or Mediation Sessions, unless invited by the Organizing Committee. Due to logistical restraints, exceptions will not be made to this rule.

Q: Is it possible to sponsor the Competition?

A: Yes, ICC welcomes new sponsors. A brief description of sponsorship opportunities is  available here .

Q: How can I get a copy of the 2009 Mediation Competition DVD? 

A: Please click here  for more information on how to order your copy of the 2009 Competition DVD.

Q: Will I receive a Certificate for participating in the Competition?

A: Yes, all Team members will receive personalized Certificates after the Competition.

 Q: Will my Team receive its ranking in the Competition, even if we have been eliminated during the Preliminary Rounds?  

A: Yes, the ranking for the top 30 universities will be available after the Competition.

FAQ about participants

Q: Who can participate?

• As a member of a Team? The Competition is open to all full and part-time university students (to the exclusion of post-graduate students) registered in the university during the academic period during which the Competition is held. Persons who are entitled to practice law in any jurisdiction, by having passed a bar exam or otherwise, are NOT Eligible Students. However, students who have gained their qualification to practice law automatically with the completion of their undergraduate law studies (i.e. without a further bar exam or similar) and who certify that they have not yet practiced as lawyer (i.e. provided legal advice to clients) are Eligible Students provided they are currently registered in a Law School.
  
  
• As a Judge or Mediator? The Organizing Committee will select professionals with diverse backgrounds, who have demonstrated experience in commercial mediation and who are independent and impartial from the students they are judging.

Q: What are the criteria used to select Teams?

A: Although universities will use their internal selection process to choose individual Team members, they are subject to final approval by the Organizing Committee according to the following criteria:

• Preference will be given to universities which have already participated in the Competition before;
• Preference will be given to universities which have an ADR curriculum;
• Representation of cultural and regional diversity amongst the selected universities.

Q: How many people can be on a Team?

A: A Team is composed of a minimum two to a maximum of four students. Each Team may be accompanied by only one Coach. A Team is permitted to consist of 4 students so that the students can rotate during the oral participation between the various Mediation Sessions during the Competition. The role of the Counsel in the mediation session must be taken by a law student.

Q: How do they participate during the Mediation Sessions? 

A: In any mediation session, only 2 students per Team may participate orally. One Team member will act as “Client” and the other will act as “Counsel”. Moreover, during any mediation session, one Team will act as Requesting Party and the other Team will act as Responding Party.  

Q: Does the Team’s Contact Person in the application form have to be a professor or university official?

A: No, but the application form must have name and e-mail address of a university professor or official and the Team must have been selected by the university's internal selection process.

Q: What is the Coach’s role? 

A: The Team’s Coach may advise the Team in its planning and preparation for the Competition, including the Preliminary Rounds and Final Rounds. Coaching prior to the Competition can be given regarding mediation representation, i.e. advice on the opening statement, how to use listening skills to create more options and how to determine their BATNA and WATNA.

Q: Do professionals have to participate during the whole 5 days?

A: Professionals can attend one or several sessions and are not expected to attend the whole Competition. Professionals may specify their availabilities directly to the Organizing Committee.

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Q: How can we learn more about what happens during a Mediation Session at the Competition?  

A: Video excerpts of past Competitions are available online through the ICC ADR website at: http://www.iccwbo.org/court/adr/

Q: Are Teams allowed to bring their Confidential Information to the Mediation Sessions?  

A: Yes, Teams can bring both the General and Confidential Information to the Mediation Sessions. However, please be advised that any Team which shares its Confidential Information with a non-Team member will be immediately disqualified.

Q: Can Teams attend Mediation Sessions in which they are not participating?  

A: Teams and Coaches may attend all Mediation Sessions during the Competition, unless otherwise prohibited. The Organizing Committee will give instructions with regard to access to the Mediation Sessions. Teams and Coaches are prohibited from attending the Mediation Session of a Team against which they know in advance their Team will compete. Teams and Coaches are prohibited from attending a Mediation Session during which a Competition Problem is discussed that has not yet been acted out by that Team.