Faculty Development Programme in Commercial Arbitration

Faculty Development Programme in Commercial Arbitration (FDPCOM) 

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

• Eligibility: Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education with Graduation and any teaching or work experience.

• Total Fees: Rs. 8,000/-
  (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

Higher education in law, commerce, and corporate governance is undergoing a structural shift toward practical, experiential pedagogy. With the global and domestic surge in commercial disputes resolved outside traditional court systems, universities, business schools, and legal departments face mounting pressure to deliver rigorous dispute resolution instruction. Traditional lecture formats and theoretical readings alone cannot adequately prepare students for the fast-paced, procedural demands of institutional and ad-hoc arbitrations. The Faculty Development Programme in Commercial Arbitration (FDPCOM), formulated by the Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI), equips educators, trainers, and academic researchers with advanced pedagogical strategies and deep substantive expertise in commercial arbitration.

The program directly bridges academic scholarship and professional practice. It focuses on transforming how alternative dispute resolution (ADR) subjects are taught, researched, and structured within academic curricula. Participants explore specialized teaching methodologies, including running simulated tribunal proceedings, arbitral moot court drafting, constructing realistic procedural orders, and managing complex dispute case clinics. By focusing on both instructional delivery and procedural precision, the FDPCOM ensures that educators master the nuances of teaching tribunal constitution, evidence handling under IBA protocols, emergency arbitrator practice, and arbitral award scrutiny.

In addition to classroom instruction, the curriculum explores research methodologies tailored to commercial dispute resolution. Educators examine how to write high-impact peer-reviewed articles, direct postgraduate theses on international commercial arbitration, and curate industry-aligned ADR electives. The program emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach, demonstrating how commercial arbitration interfaces with corporate finance, construction engineering contracts, cross-border supply chains, and technology transfers.

Administered entirely online through the IAI learning framework, the FDPCOM serves as an essential credential for faculty members seeking to align their teaching practices with international arbitration benchmarks. Participants develop pedagogical confidence and institutional acumen, positioning their academic departments at the forefront of modern dispute resolution training and preparing future legal and corporate professionals to handle real-world commercial conflicts.

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 Academic Affairs:

Module 1: Advanced Pedagogical Approaches to ADR and Commercial Arbitration

• Instructional models for dispute resolution: Clinical training, simulations, and problem-based learning.

• Designing outcome-based ADR curricula aligned with national and international regulatory standards.

• Overcoming pedagogical hurdles in teaching substantive law versus private arbitral procedure.

Module 2: Substantive Principles and Arbitral Tribunal Dynamics

• The doctrine of separability and competence-competence: Case study methodologies for classrooms.

• Multi-party and multi-contract arbitration scenarios: Structuring classroom debates on joinder and consolidation.

• Teaching the mechanics of interim relief: Court intervention versus emergency arbitrator orders.

Module 3: Designing Realistic Arbitral Simulations and Moot Exercises

• Crafting dispute problems, witness statements, and document disclosure bundles for students.

• Role-playing exercises: Simulating preliminary hearings and Procedural Order No. 1 management.

• Training students on cross-examination protocols and oral advocacy before mock tribunals.

Module 4: Evidence, Procedural Orders, and Case Management Pedagogy

• Teaching the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration.

• Interactive workshops on drafting Procedural Orders, Terms of Reference, and hearing timetables.

• Virtual arbitrations and AI in ADR: Pedagogical tools for digital case preparation.

Module 5: Teaching the Drafting and Scrutiny of Arbitral Awards

• Anatomy of an enforceable domestic and international commercial award.

• Classroom assessment frameworks for student award-drafting assignments: Facts, reasoning, and operative mandates.

• Common pitfalls in reasoning, cost calculation, and award delivery.

Module 6: Academic Research, Publishing, and Curriculum Development in ADR

• Identifying frontier research themes in commercial, investment, and cross-border arbitration.

• Publishing in international dispute resolution journals: Methodologies, source selection, and peer review.

• Structuring postgraduate and specialized diploma programs in arbitration within law faculties.

Module 7: Establishing and Directing Institutional ADR Centers in Universities

• Setting up campus-based arbitration mediation clinics, arbitration cells, and institutional student committees.

• Collaborating with arbitral institutions, bar associations, and industry bodies for practical placements.

• Ethics, professional integrity, and teaching the IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest.

Importance of Doing this Course

Legal education is transitioning from static textbook lecturing to dynamic, simulation-driven learning. While many educators hold advanced legal credentials, traditional postgraduate curricula rarely provide specialized training on how to teach procedural arbitration effectively. The Faculty Development Programme in Commercial Arbitration (FDPCOM) addresses this critical instructional gap, offering educators a structured pathway to elevate their academic delivery and research output.

First, the program sharpens pedagogical and curriculum-design capabilities. Commercial arbitration is a practice-driven discipline governed by rapid procedural developments, institutional rule revisions, and specialized soft law standards. By completing this program, faculty members learn how to design dynamic mock arbitrations, supervise ADR clinics, and guide students through actual arbitral mechanics rather than abstract statutory provisions. This practical approach significantly enhances classroom engagement and student placement outcomes.

Second, the FDPCOM accelerates professional and institutional profile development. Universities and colleges place high priority on faculty members who have completed accredited development programs that align with modern industry requirements. This credential provides documented proof of specialized training, assisting educators during academic appraisals, promotion reviews, and accreditation audits (such as NAAC and NBA cycles).

Third, the program strengthens scholarly research and institutional leadership. Participants acquire the tools needed to conduct advanced dispute resolution research, secure research grants, and publish in authoritative ADR periodicals. Furthermore, it equips professors to establish university arbitration dispute centers, organize national moot competitions, and build meaningful academic-industry linkages with arbitral chambers and practicing institutions.

Career Prospects

The specialized pedagogical strategies and substantive mastery developed through the FDPCOM open diverse career and institutional opportunities within academia, professional training, and policy advisory networks.

Senior Faculty and ADR Chairs: Law schools and business management institutes actively seek professors who can head ADR departments, supervise moot court societies, and lead commercial law divisions. FDPCOM graduates are positioned to design, launch, and direct dedicated arbitration centers within academic institutions.

Corporate Trainers and Executive ADR Educators: Beyond conventional university classrooms, large infrastructure conglomerates, corporate legal teams, and public sector undertakings require continuous internal training in dispute prevention and arbitration management. Certified faculty can conduct executive development programs (EDPs) and management training workshops for corporate executives and contract administrators.

Curriculum Consultants and Accreditation Advisors: Educational boards, emerging universities, and autonomous colleges frequently engage curriculum consultants to redesign course outlines to match global standards. Graduates of this program have the expertise to structure modernized dispute resolution syllabi and guide institutions in securing specialized accreditation.

Academic Researchers and ADR Journal Editors: With disputes becoming more technically complex, academic institutions, think tanks, and policy bodies require senior researchers to comment on legislative amendments, analyze judicial trends, and edit scholarly dispute journals. Completing this program establishes a proven foundation for publishing authoritative monographs and leading ADR research units.

Necessary Details

The Indian Arbitration Institution has structured this program to balance academic rigor with operational flexibility, making it accessible to busy educators and practicing professionals across the globe.

Eligibility To ensure high-level discourse and applicable pedagogical outcomes, the eligibility criteria are designed for established learners and practitioners:

• Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education with Graduation and any teaching or work experience.

This broad standard accommodates university professors, assistant lecturers, PhD scholars, legal professionals transitioning into academia, and corporate trainers with practical industry experience.

Total Fees The complete, all-inclusive course fee is Rs. 8,000/-. This is a comprehensive, one-time investment with no hidden charges. The fee covers admission processing, complete access to instructional materials, digital learning resources, examination processing, and the physical delivery of the formal Faculty Development Programme Certificate to the candidate’s address upon graduation.

Mode and Study Material The programme is delivered 100% Online. Enrolled participants receive instant access to their dedicated Learning Dashboard/Portal. All Study Material—including pedagogical guides, simulation blueprints, sample procedural orders, reading bundles, and comparative analysis sheets—is available directly through the portal for digital reading and download.

Learning Type and Duration The program follows a self-directed, Self-Paced learning methodology. While the recommended duration is 3 Months, learners have full autonomy over their schedule. You may move through the curriculum at an accelerated pace or take the full term, taking the examination as soon as you feel prepared.

Enrollment Enrollment is open Any Time throughout the calendar year. The IAI operates on a rolling admissions model with no arbitrary cohort dates, application deadlines, or waitlists. Applications are verified and processed in real time, granting immediate portal access.

Examination Structure Certification requires completing One Online Exam designed to test both procedural knowledge and instructional design aptitude.

• Format: Combined MCQ and Subjective Type Questions (100 Marks total).

• Passing Criteria: 40%.

• Retake Policy: If an examinee does not clear the assessment on the initial attempt, up to two additional attempts are provided at no extra cost.

Application Procedure

1. Apply: Complete the Apply Now Form on the official IAI website.

2. Pay: Pay the requisite fee of Rs. 8,000/- by clicking the Pay Now button.

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

4. Access: Log in to your personal Learning Dashboard to begin the program.