Every contract carries the possibility of a dispute, and the choice of resolution method shapes cost, speed, privacy and the chance of preserving the commercial relationship. Organisations across East Africa and beyond increasingly write arbitration and mediation into their agreements, yet many of the people who must operate those clauses have never practised the process.

The Professional Arbitration, Mediation & Dispute Resolution Training Course walks experienced practitioners through the full spectrum of options. It begins with the theory of conflict and negotiation, moves through the design of dispute resolution clauses and tiered escalation, and then takes mediation and arbitration in turn. Participants study how tribunals are constituted, how procedural orders and evidence are managed, how awards are written and challenged, and how they are recognised and enforced across borders.

Learning is highly interactive. Participants rehearse mediation sessions, draft a statement of claim and a response, cross-examine a witness in a mock hearing and critique a model award. The aim is for each delegate to leave with the judgement to advise on process, represent a party or act as a neutral at a basic level.

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Compare negotiation, mediation, conciliation, adjudication and arbitration and select the right one for a dispute.
• Draft clear multi-tier dispute resolution and arbitration clauses.
• Plan and conduct a mediation using recognised stages and techniques.
• Prepare pleadings, witness statements and document bundles for an arbitration.
• Explain the powers, duties and ethical obligations of an arbitrator.
• Present and test evidence effectively at a hearing.
• Evaluate the form, content and challenge grounds of an arbitral award.
• Outline how domestic and foreign awards and settlement agreements are enforced.

The course is designed for professionals who advise on, manage or resolve disputes, including:

• In-house counsel and legal officers
• Advocates and paralegals building an alternative dispute resolution practice
• Contract, procurement and commercial managers
• Engineers, quantity surveyors and project managers handling claims
• Company secretaries and compliance officers
• Human resource and employee relations practitioners
• Public sector officials, procurement and review board staff
• Insurance and banking dispute handling officers

Participants leave the programme with:

• Model dispute resolution clauses they can adapt to their own contracts.
• A mediation session plan with scripts for each stage of the process.
• A structured template for a statement of claim and defence.
• A checklist for managing evidence, witnesses and hearing preparation.
• A decision guide for choosing between mediation, arbitration and litigation.
• Practice in negotiating settlements that parties will honour.

The course favours rehearsal over lecture, combining:

• Role-played mediations with observers and structured feedback
• Mock arbitration hearings built from realistic claim bundles
• Clause drafting clinics using participants' own contract templates
• Case discussions on awards and challenge decisions
• Brief expert input at the start of each topic

A CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion from Vision Reach Global Consultancy is issued to every participant who attends the programme and takes part in the practical exercises and simulations.