Post-Doctoral Research in Award Writing

Post-Doctoral Research in Award Writing (PODRAW) 

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

• Eligibility: Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education with Ph.D. or completed Doctoral Research Skill with any research or work experience.

• Total Fees: Rs. 9,000/-
  (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 culmination of every arbitral proceeding is the delivery of an arbitral award. An award is not merely a statement of disposition; it is an enduring, legally binding instrument that must withstand intense scrutiny before enforcement courts and challenge petitions across jurisdictions. Poorly drafted, ambiguous, or legally vulnerable awards undermine years of complex arbitral proceedings, leading to prolonged litigation, reputational harm, and setting aside under statutory review. The Post-Doctoral Research in Award Writing (PODRAW), designed and delivered by the Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI), is an elite, high-level skill training program established to transform advanced researchers, senior scholars, and seasoned professionals into authoritative masters of arbitral drafting and jurisprudence.

This specialized program operates at the intersection of rigorous research, legal theory, and judicial craftsmanship. Recognizing that award writing requires far more than procedural compliance, PODRAW immerses scholars in the intricate mechanics of legal synthesis, evidentiary analysis, and cognitive fairness. Candidates examine how the world's most renowned commercial tribunals evaluate conflicting oral and documentary evidence, articulate issues with surgical precision, address jurisdictional objections, and structure unshakeable judicial reasoning.

Scholars are guided through the core elements of the draft: establishing the procedural history, mapping out competing claims and counterclaims, handling evidentiary admissibility and burden of proof, calculating complex damages, interest, and costs, and formulating the operative dispositive sections (dispositif). Critical emphasis is placed on preempting grounds for annulment, such as patent illegality, procedural unfairness, or violations of public policy under domestic regimes and the New York Convention.

Administered under the auspices of the IAI Board of Skill Studies, PODRAW is tailored specifically for individuals with doctoral-level discipline who wish to direct their investigative acumen toward high-level adjudicatory drafting. By cultivating institutional rigor, analytical balance, and drafting precision, the IAI equips participants with the capability to craft authoritative arbitral awards that set jurisprudential benchmarks, protect arbitral integrity, and reinforce finality in domestic and international dispute resolution.

Course Structure and Modules

The tentative modules are as follows and are subject to continuous updates based on guidelines issued by the IAI Board of Skill Studies:

Module 1: The Jurisprudential Anatomy of an Arbitral Award

• Typology of awards: Interim, partial, final, consent, and additional awards.

• Mandatory statutory requirements and formal requisites across arbitral seats.

• The doctrine of functus officio and limits of post-award tribunal correction.

Module 2: Jurisdictional Determinations and Preliminary Objections

• Drafting reasoned determinations on Kompetenz-Kompetenz and scope of reference.

• Resolving challenges related to arbitrability, non-signatories, and group of companies.

• Structuring preliminary determinations vs. reserving matters to the final award.

Module 3: Synthesizing Evidence and Factual Findings

• Principles of judicial fairness, equal treatment, and evaluating conflicting records.

• Assessing credibility, expert testimonies, and handling digital/documentary evidence.

• Techniques for articulating findings of fact clearly, chronologically, and without ambiguity.

Module 4: Logical Formulation and Judicial Reasoning (Ratio Decidendi)

• Translating complex statutory interpretations and contractual terms into coherent logic.

• Writing clear, cogent, and transparent lines of reasoning that justify each conclusion.

• Avoiding fatal drafting errors: contradictory reasoning, non-speaking awards, and conjecture.

Module 5: Quantification of Damages, Interest, and Costs Allocation

• Methodologies for drafting rulings on complex damages claims and financial modeling.

• Statutory and discretionary principles governing pre-award and post-award interest.

• Formulating reasoned directions on institutional costs, legal fees, and cost allocation.

Module 6: Drafting the Operative Text (Dispositif) and Redundancy Minimization

• Crafting precise, unambiguous, and immediately executable dispositive clauses.

• Cross-border enforceability checks and multi-currency award structuring.

• Managing dissenting and concurring opinions within multi-member tribunals.

Module 7: Insulating Awards Against Annulment and Challenge

• Comparative analysis of annulment standards under Section 34 and UNCITRAL Model Law.

• Navigating grounds of public policy, natural justice, and patent illegality.

• Pre-release institutional scrutiny mechanisms and quality control procedures.

Module 8: Capstone: Complex Award Drafting Simulation and Research Thesis

• Simulated multi-party, multi-contract dispute case record evaluation.

• Drafting an exhaustive, fully reasoned Mock Final Arbitral Award.

• Comprehensive research review and submission on emerging award writing paradigms.

Importance of Doing this Course

The strength and validity of any arbitration rest entirely on the craftsmanship of its award. In an era where domestic and cross-border commercial disputes involve multi-million-dollar exposures, tribunals are subjected to unprecedented judicial review. The Post-Doctoral Research in Award Writing (PODRAW) offers the specialized training required to master this delicate balance between legal theory, procedural accuracy, and persuasive judicial prose.

First, this course teaches the art of creating "bulletproof" decisions. While many legal minds can advocate or negotiate, relatively few know how to write an award that seamlessly survives rigorous challenges in appellate or enforcement courts. Participants develop the critical skill of drafting transparent, unassailable lines of reasoning, closing procedural loopholes that disgruntled parties routinely exploit to delay execution.

Second, the program builds an exceptional level of intellectual discipline. Candidates learn how to navigate vast volumes of evidence, reconcile contradictory expert reports, and formulate clear conclusions on intricate questions of commercial law. This research-oriented approach ensures that findings of fact and determinations of law are presented with absolute clarity and coherence.

Finally, for scholars and professionals holding doctoral or equivalent advanced research credentials, PODRAW provides immediate professional distinction. It bridges academic intellect with high-stakes commercial realities, signaling to arbitral bodies, senior practitioners, and international institutions that the holder possesses the refined adjudicatory judgment and drafting mastery demanded by top-tier arbitral tribunals.

Career Prospects

The advanced training provided in PODRAW positions graduates at the vanguard of the ADR community, opening pathways to specialized and highly respected roles:

Arbitrator and Co-Arbitrator Appointments: The direct and immediate application of this qualification is service as a sole arbitrator, panel member, or presiding arbitrator. Institutional bodies, chambers of commerce, and commercial parties actively seek adjudicators who are formally trained in drafting reasoned, challenge-resistant awards.

High-Level Tribunal Secretaries: Prominent international arbitrators and arbitral panels routinely engage dedicated legal researchers and tribunal secretaries to organize hearing transcripts, synthesize complex factual matrices, and prepare first drafts of procedural orders and arbitral awards. This role offers unparalleled frontline experience alongside global arbitral leaders.

Institutional Scrutiny and Case Counsel: International arbitral institutions (such as SIAC, LCIA, ICC, and domestic centers) employ specialized legal counsel to scrutinize draft awards before release. PODRAW equips graduates with the exact analytical framework necessary to review awards for structural defects, statutory compliance, and international enforceability.

Judicial Clerking, ADR Research, and Advisory Roles: Senior commercial court judges, international appellate panels, and elite dispute advisory practices value professionals with specialized award drafting acumen. Graduates are uniquely positioned to serve as judicial clerks, commercial adjudicatory consultants, and directors of institutional research within ADR institutes.

Necessary Details

The Indian Arbitration Institution ensures that this advanced post-doctoral level training is administered through an accessible, flexible, and completely transparent digital workflow.

Eligibility This advanced program is structured for individuals with high academic and research competence. The eligibility criterion is:

• Any Basic Qualification or Formal Education with a Ph.D. OR completed Doctoral Research Skill along with any relevant research or work experience.

This ensures that all enrolled candidates possess the scholarly maturity, analytical foundation, and critical discipline needed to undertake high-level adjudicatory research.

Total Fees The all-inclusive fee for the PODRAW program is Rs. 9,000/-. The IAI follows a strict zero-hidden-fee policy. This single payment encompasses everything required from enrollment to certification: application processing, unrestricted platform access, all instructional and reference materials, examination fees, and the physical delivery of your Certificate to your registered address upon successful completion.

Mode and Study Material The entire program is conducted Online, providing scholars around the world complete geographical flexibility. All Study Material—including procedural guidelines, annotated award templates, comparative case studies, statutory compendiums, and judicial precedents—will be made available systematically via the personalized Learning Dashboard/Portal.

Learning Type and Duration The training is delivered as a Self-Paced program to accommodate the professional obligations of senior scholars and practitioners. The recommended study period is 3 Months; however, candidates enjoy total schedule flexibility and may complete the coursework and take the final assessment anytime as soon as they feel fully prepared.

Enrollment Enrollment is open Any Time, with no fixed intake dates or deadlines. Candidates may register at their convenience, and their enrollment is processed in real time, granting immediate digital access to course materials.

Examination Structure Certification requires completing One Online Exam comprising Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and Subjective Type Questions totaling 100 Marks.

• Passing Marks: 40%

• Re-attempt Policy: If a candidate does not meet the passing threshold on the initial try, they are granted two additional attempts at no additional fee.

Procedure

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

2. Pay: Remit the program fee of Rs. 9,000/- via the secure Pay Now button.

3. Confirm: Click on the Payment Confirmation button and fill in your transaction and personal details.

4. Access: Log in to your personal Learning Dashboard and commence your research.