Certified Arbitration Policy Professional

Certified Arbitration Policy Professional (CFAPP)

A Professional Specialized Skill Training Program by Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI)

• Eligibility: Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education with any relevant noteworthy work or research experience.

• Total Fees: Rs. 10,500/-
  (Everything Included from Admission, Course Fees and Delivery of Certificate, no additional Fees Apart from it)

• Mode: Online

• Study Material:  Will be provided through Learning Dashboard/Portal

• Learning Type: Self Paced

• Duration:  3 Months (Preferably, but can be completed anytime as soon as you give the Exam)

• Enrollment:  Any Time, there is no Fixed Enrolment Date or Day. A candidate can choose any time and the enrolment will be processed real time.

• Exam: One Online Exam, MCQ and Subjective Type Questions of 100 Marks. Passing Marks 40%. If unsuccessful, you can give additional two attempts.

• Procedure: Fill the Apply Now Form →  Pay the Requisite Amount of Fees by Clicking Pay Now Button → Then Click on Payment Confirmation button and fill the form with all the Details → Then login to the Dashboard.

Course Overview

The Certified Arbitration Policy Professional (CFAPP) program, developed by the Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI), is an advanced credential designed to build expertise in dispute system design, international arbitration policy formulation, and statutory reform. While conventional arbitration courses concentrate purely on courtroom advocacy, arbitral tribunal procedures, and award drafting, the CFAPP focuses on the macro-level policy architecture, institutional frameworks, and economic considerations that govern domestic and international dispute resolution ecosystems.

As global economies shift toward establishing specialized dispute hubs and easing judicial backlogs, governments, international trade bodies, and institutional arbitration centers require professionals capable of drafting institutional rules, formulating legislative amendments, and auditing dispute risk architectures. This program addresses that specific gap by bridging public international law, legislative drafting, comparative dispute resolution, and public-private conflict management. Participants examine the political economy of commercial dispute enforcement, sovereign immunity standards, Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), and international conventions such as the New York Convention and the ICSID framework.

Throughout the course, learners analyze how arbitral institutions design rules to balance party autonomy, tribunal discretion, cost efficiency, and procedural integrity. The curriculum delves into statutory review methodologies, sovereign dispute management, and public policy exceptions to award enforcement across common and civil law jurisdictions. In addition, the program explores modern regulatory pressures transforming arbitration policy, including the governance of third-party funding (TPF), automated and algorithmic dispute resolution, institutional diversity initiatives, and transparency mandates in investor-state arbitration.

Delivered through an interdisciplinary model combining statutory analysis, regulatory case studies, and policy research techniques, the CFAPP equips candidates to evaluate system-level bottlenecks and propose viable institutional remedies. Graduates develop the technical fluency needed to advise legislative committees, direct institutional arbitration policy, conduct high-level policy advocacy, and guide multinational corporations in establishing global dispute mitigation and institutional seat-selection policies.

Course Structure and Modules

The tentative modules are as follows:

Module 1: Foundations of Modern Arbitration Policy and Regulatory Paradigms

• Jurisprudential foundations of commercial arbitration and the theory of dispute system design (DSD).

• The interplay between national court intervention, state sovereignty, and arbitral autonomy.

• Comparative models of arbitration legislation: The UNCITRAL Model Law framework vs. national derogations.

• Economic analysis of arbitration policy: transaction costs, FDI inflows, and judicial backlog relief.

Module 2: Institutional Architecture and Rule-Making in Arbitral Centers

• Structural administration, governance models, and financial sustainability of arbitral institutions.

• Drafting institutional arbitration rules: appointment mechanisms, expedited procedures, and emergency arbitrations.

• Scrutiny of awards, quality-control protocols, and tribunal oversight models.

• Comparative institutional policy analysis: LCIA, ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, and emerging domestic chambers.

Module 3: International Trade, Investment Treaties, and Investor-State Arbitration Policy

• Public international law foundations of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

• Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) policy debates: sovereignty vs. investor protection.

• The ICSID arbitration system, multilateral investment courts (MIC), and reform proposals under UNCITRAL Working Group III.

• Regulatory chill, expropriation doctrines, and fair and equitable treatment (FET) standards.

Module 4: Statutory Frameworks, Sovereign Disputes, and State Immunity

• Legislative drafting of national arbitration statutes and statutory harmonization strategies.

• State contracts, sovereign immunity against suit and execution, and waiver protocols.

• Public policy exceptions: defining and delineating domestic vs. international transnational public policy.

• Judicial referral doctrines, court-ordered interim measures, and non-arbitrable subject matters.

Module 5: Global Enforcement Policy and Transnational Award Regimes

• The 1958 New York Convention: global enforcement architecture and treaty reservations.

• Grounds for non-enforcement and setting aside arbitral awards: procedural irregularities and excess of mandate.

• Cross-border asset tracing, sovereign enforcement strategies, and post-award settlement negotiation dynamics.

• Harmonization of enforcement standards across common law and civil law seats.

Module 6: Ethics, Integrity Systems, and Regulatory Governance of ADR Actors

• Conflicts of interest, disclosure standards, and the IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest.

• Regulating arbitrator conduct, institutional sanctions, and immunity of adjudicators.

• Ethics in arbitration advocacy: IBA Guidelines on Party Representation and local professional conduct codes.

• Governance mechanisms for addressing corruption, fraud, and illegal contracts in arbitral proceedings.

Module 7: Frontier Policies: Third-Party Funding, Diversity, and Emerging Technologies

• Regulation of Third-Party Funding (TPF): disclosure mandates, cost-shifting rules, and capital requirements.

• Policy initiatives for diversity, regional inclusion, and gender representation in tribunal appointments.

• AI, predictive analytics, and automated decision-making in arbitration policy.

• Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dispute resolution design and climate-related treaty arbitration.

Module 8: Policy Formulation, Regulatory Impact Assessment, and Legislative Drafting

• Methodologies for drafting institutional white papers, law commission submissions, and policy briefs.

• Conducting Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) for dispute resolution reforms.

• Drafting institutional dispute resolution clauses for complex multi-party and sovereign contracts.

• Capstone research: Formulating an institutional policy framework or statutory reform proposal.

Importance of Doing this Course

The Certified Arbitration Policy Professional (CFAPP) qualification addresses a growing global need for experts who understand the structural, institutional, and policy mechanisms of alternative dispute resolution.

First, statutory frameworks and dispute resolution rules are undergoing active reassessment worldwide. National governments, commercial hubs, and multilateral organizations are revising arbitration acts and institutional rulebooks to attract foreign investment and establish trusted arbitral seats. CFAPP provides the specialized understanding of comparative jurisprudence and regulatory policy needed to guide these legislative reforms, moving beyond traditional litigation tactics.

Second, modern international commercial practice requires dispute architects who can design comprehensive risk mitigation policies. Transnational corporations, sovereign wealth funds, and state-owned enterprises no longer rely solely on ad-hoc litigation strategies; they design institutional dispute portfolios that preempt jurisdictional vulnerabilities, manage sovereign immunity risks, and secure enforceable outcomes across multiple jurisdictions.

Third, the program offers specialized training in investor-state policy and multilateral dispute administration. With the current restructuring of investment treaties and the debate surrounding the future of ISDS, legal professionals, policy researchers, and government legal advisors must master both public international law and institutional design to represent sovereign interests effectively.

Finally, earning an advanced credential under the auspices of the Indian Arbitration Institution signals subject-matter mastery to think tanks, regulatory authorities, arbitral chambers, and multinational organizations. It equips candidates to participate in regulatory consultations, draft institutional guidelines, and lead the modernization of domestic and international dispute resolution ecosystems.

Career Prospects

Holders of the Certified Arbitration Policy Professional credential possess interdisciplinary expertise suited for high-level regulatory, advisory, and institutional positions:

• Arbitration Institution Registrar and Policy Director: Manage case intake policies, formulate revised procedural rules, oversee tribunal appointment panels, and run institutional dispute chambers.

• Government ADR Policy Advisor and Legal Researcher: Advise law commissions, ministries of law and justice, and legislative drafting committees on statutory amendments and judicial capacity-building initiatives.

• In-House Dispute Portfolio and Risk Manager: Formulate corporate dispute resolution guidelines, negotiate dispute clauses with sovereign counterparties, and oversee international dispute portfolios for multinational enterprises.

• ISDS Policy Analyst and Treaty Negotiator: Work alongside foreign affairs and commerce ministries, intergovernmental organizations, and international economic think tanks evaluating trade agreements and Bilateral Investment Treaties.

• Specialized Arbitral Practice Consultant: Advise top-tier international arbitration practices on institutional seat selection, sovereign immunity defenses, third-party funding compliance, and cross-border award enforcement risks.

• ADR Think-Tank Fellow and Academic Policy Researcher: Produce scholarly research, conduct regulatory impact assessments, and publish policy monographs on dispute system design, tech integration, and arbitration economics.

Necessary Details

The Indian Arbitration Institution offers the CFAPP program on a flexible digital platform designed to accommodate researchers, legal practitioners, policymakers, and corporate professionals.

Eligibility Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Any Basic Qualification or Any Formal Education (undergraduate degree, diploma, or postgraduate qualification in any discipline).

• Relevant noteworthy work or research experience (in law, policy, corporate governance, judicial administration, management, public affairs, or related fields).

This policy ensures that cohorts possess practical context, enabling candidates to connect regulatory theory with real-world dispute administration and policy execution.

Total Fees The all-inclusive program fee is Rs. 10,500/-. This fee covers the entire educational offering: application processing, enrollment fees, complete curriculum access via the learning dashboard, digital study resources, examination administration, and the physical printing and courier dispatch of the final certificate. There are no additional or hidden platform charges.

Mode and Study Material The course is delivered Online. Candidates receive individual credentials to the secure IAI Learning Dashboard/Portal. Complete Study Material—including institutional policy frameworks, comparative legislative analyses, model arbitration acts, regulatory guidelines, and research papers—is provided through the portal for continuous reference.

Learning Type and Duration The program operates on a Self-Paced learning model. The recommended duration of study is 3 Months, but participants retain full control over their study timetable. Candidates can complete the modules at an accelerated pace or take additional time, appearing for the examination whenever they are prepared.

Enrollment Enrollment remains open Any Time throughout the year. There are no fixed batch start dates or academic semester cut-offs. Applications are processed in real time, granting immediate portal access upon confirmation of fees.

Examination Structure The course concludes with One Online Exam evaluated out of 100 Marks:

• Format: A balanced mix of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Subjective/Policy Case Study Questions.

• Passing Marks: 40%.

• Re-attempt Policy: Candidates who do not pass on their first attempt are entitled to two additional attempts at no additional cost.

Step-by-Step Procedure

1. Complete and submit the official Apply Now Form on the IAI website.

2. Pay the requisite fee of Rs. 10,500/- by clicking the Pay Now button.

3. Click the Payment Confirmation button and complete the verification form with your transaction details.

4. Log into the Learning Dashboard to access study materials and start your course.