Doctoral Research Skill in International Investment Law

Doctoral Research Skill in International Investment Law (DRSIIL) 

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

• Eligibility: Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education with Masters and any research or work experience.

• Total Fees: Rs. 9,500/-
  (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

International Investment Law (IIL) is one of the most dynamic, heavily contested, and high-stakes disciplines within public international law. Governing the relationship between foreign investors and host sovereign states, it directly impacts global financial stability, public interest policies, and cross-border commercial stability. The Doctoral Research Skill in International Investment Law (DRSIIL), offered by the Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI), is an advanced, specialized post-graduate training program designed to cultivate sophisticated, doctorate-level research competencies tailored specifically to this complex legal regime.

Doctoral candidates, academic researchers, and legal practitioners frequently encounter significant challenges when navigating the decentralized, non-hierarchical world of bilateral investment treaties (BITs), free trade agreements (FTAs), and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) arbitral decisions. Standard postgraduate training often approaches investment treaties with purely doctrinal techniques. In contrast, this program bridges the gap between conventional legal inquiry and rigorous doctoral-level methodology. It trains researchers to synthesize complex multi-jurisdictional treaty frameworks, critique asymmetric procedural arrangements, analyze sovereign regulatory spaces, and employ sophisticated quantitative and qualitative empirical research methods.

The DRSIIL curriculum immerses candidates in foundational legal theories and frontier debates alike—including the modernization of bilateral investment treaties, the tension between investor protections and host-state regulatory autonomy (such as climate change initiatives and public health mandates), human rights considerations, and systemic institutional reforms under UNCITRAL Working Group III and ICSID. Scholars are systematically guided through every stage of doctoral research: from formulating an original, viable research question and critically reviewing treaty jurisprudence to designing an airtight doctoral thesis methodology and constructing persuasive academic arguments.

By deconstructing landmark arbitral awards, jurisdictional objections, and quantum assessments, scholars develop the critical faculties necessary to produce peer-reviewed publications and defend a doctoral thesis. Through the specialized institutional backing of the Indian Arbitration Institution, the DRSIIL provides researchers with the intellectual tools, procedural grounding, and analytical discipline required to produce groundbreaking scholarship in contemporary international investment law and arbitration.

Course Structure and Modules

The tentative modules are as follows:

Module 1: Evolution, Sources, and Doctrinal Foundations of International Investment Law

• Historical trajectory: Customary international law, the Calvo Doctrine, and the emergence of bilateral investment treaties (BITs).

• Sources of IIL: Treaties, customary international law, general principles, and secondary sources.

• Theoretical foundations: Economic liberalism, critical legal studies, and Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) in investment governance.

Module 2: Substantive Standards of Protection in Investment Treaties

• Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) and the evolution of legitimate expectations.

• Indirect and direct expropriation: Drawing the line between state regulatory taking and non-compensable police powers.

• Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) and National Treatment (NT) standards: Scope, substantive versus procedural borrowing, and state exceptions.

Module 3: Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Mechanism and Institutional Frameworks

• The ICSID Convention framework: Jurisdiction (ratione materiae, ratione personae), consent, and annulment proceedings.

• Non-ICSID arbitration: UNCITRAL, ICC, and PCA rules in investor-state arbitral proceedings.

• The enforcement architecture: New York Convention vs. ICSID enforcement mechanisms, sovereign immunity, and asset execution.

Module 4: Systemic Crises, Regulatory Autonomy, and ISDS Reform Debates

• Balancing private investment protection with environmental governance, climate commitments, and public health measures.

• Counterclaims and direct state claims against multinational corporate investors for human rights and environmental violations.

• Reform initiatives: UNCITRAL Working Group III, proposals for an Advisory Centre, and the development of a Multilateral Investment Court (MIC).

Module 5: Advanced Doctoral Research Methodologies in Investment Law

• Doctrinal analysis: Advanced statutory and treaty interpretation using Articles 31–33 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT).

• Comparative legal methodology: Cross-jurisdictional treaty mapping and award analysis.

• Empirical legal research: Quantitative data analysis of arbitral awards, empirical approaches to tribunal composition, and settlement behavioral patterns.

Module 6: Analysis of Quantum, Damages, and Economic Evidence

• Principles of full reparation: The Chorzów Factory standard in contemporary investment disputes.

• Valuation methodologies: Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), market approach, and historical cost methods.

• Critical research on third-party funding (TPF) and its implications for access, frivolous claims, and tribunal independence.

Module 7: Treaty Design, Model BIT Analysis, and State Practice

• Drafting trends: The shift from first-generation BITs to modern, regulatory-protective Model BITs (e.g., Indian Model BIT 2016, Dutch Model BIT 2019, US Model BIT).

• Multilateral and regional frameworks: CPTPP, RCEP, and the EU's investment court proposals.

• State terminations, renegotiations, and systemic treaty withdrawals.

Module 8: Doctoral Dissertation Architecture, Research Proposal, and Scholarly Publication

• Formulating novel research questions, establishing gaps in existing literature, and designing a defensible dissertation structure.

• Research ethics, plagiarism prevention, academic integrity, and standard citation systems (OSCOLA, Bluebook).

• Drafting, revising, and presenting high-impact research papers suitable for submission to indexed, peer-reviewed global journals (Scopus/Web of Science).

Importance of Doing this Course

Pursuing a Ph.D. or undertaking high-impact scholarly research in International Investment Law demands analytical rigor that goes far beyond general legal studies or standard Master of Laws (LL.M.) coursework. The DRSIIL program serves as a dedicated research accelerator, directly addressing the complexities of the discipline.

First, it solves the challenge of finding an original, viable doctoral thesis topic. Because international investment law is constantly shifting—marked by active treaty terminations, renegotiated multilateral agreements, and ISDS legitimacy debates—researchers often struggle to identify gaps that will remain relevant throughout a multi-year doctoral program. This course provides comprehensive immersion into emerging, under-researched areas of the field, enabling candidates to formulate defensible, forward-looking dissertation proposals.

Second, the program instills advanced methodological mastery. Many doctoral applications fail due to unclear or purely descriptive research design. DRSIIL equips candidates with interdisciplinary research tools—such as treaty-mapping, quantitative arbitral data analytics, and socio-legal frameworks—empowering them to produce critical, evidence-based academic inquiry that stands up to doctoral review boards and scholarship committees.

Finally, the program emphasizes publication readiness and professional distinction. Guided under the institutional expertise of the Indian Arbitration Institution, participants learn how to structure arguments for leading academic journals and dispute resolution symposia. This credential confirms to universities, research centers, and international arbitration teams that the researcher possesses deep substantive knowledge alongside refined analytical capabilities.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the Doctoral Research Skill in International Investment Law program acquire specialized analytical skills that open doors across academia, international practice, and policy research:

• Doctoral and Postdoctoral Scholars: Serves as a strong foundation for admission, research grants, and fellowships in Ph.D., S.J.D., and Post-Doc programs at leading universities worldwide.

• Academic and Teaching Faculty: Enhances qualifications for appointments as Assistant Professors, Lecturers, and Senior Fellows in International Law, Dispute Resolution, and International Economic Law departments.

• International Arbitration Practice Groups: Prepares lawyers and legal associates in domestic and global law firms to serve as specialized research associates, tribunal secretaries, and legal analysts in investment arbitrations.

• Government Ministries and Regulatory Bodies: Equips legal advisors and officers within Ministries of Commerce, Industry, External Affairs, and Finance to handle treaty negotiations, Model BIT revisions, and state defense strategies.

• Think Tanks and Policy Institutes: Prepares researchers for roles as Senior Policy Fellows, Legal Analysts, and Program Directors in institutions focusing on international trade, sustainable investment, and global economic regulation.

• International and Intergovernmental Organizations: Opens career avenues for legal officer and consultative roles within institutions such as UNCTAD, ICSID, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), the OECD, and regional development banks.

Necessary Details

The Indian Arbitration Institution delivers the DRSIIL through a completely digitized, self-paced framework designed to support working scholars, advocates, and academic candidates across the globe.

Eligibility To be eligible for the DRSIIL program, a candidate must have:

• Any Basic Qualification or Formal Education with a Master's degree, and

• Any formal research experience (such as dissertation work, published papers, or institutional research) or relevant professional work experience in law, policy, business, or related social sciences.

This multidisciplinary criterion ensures an intellectually mature cohort capable of engaging with advanced research paradigms.

Total Fees The comprehensive program fee is Rs. 9,500/-. This is an all-inclusive fee covering registration, admission, access to digital study materials, learning portal maintenance, examination evaluation, and the physical printing and courier delivery of the final Certificate. There are no hidden fees or supplemental charges.

Mode and Study Material The program is delivered entirely Online. Enrolled scholars receive personalized login credentials to the IAI Learning Dashboard/Portal. High-quality study material—including curated research guides, leading arbitral case analyses, recommended readings, and methodological toolkits—is hosted directly on the dashboard for immediate and unrestricted access.

Learning Type and Duration The program operates on a Self-Paced learning format. While the recommended duration is 3 Months, candidates enjoy complete academic flexibility. A participant may complete the coursework and take the final examination as quickly as their personal schedule allows.

Enrollment Enrollment is open Any Time throughout the year. There are no fixed intake dates, batch schedules, or application deadlines. Candidates may enroll at their convenience, and access is granted in real time upon confirmation of enrollment details.

Examination Structure Evaluation consists of One Online Examination of 100 Marks, comprising both Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and in-depth Subjective Analytical Questions.

• Passing Marks: 40%

• Re-attempt Policy: If a candidate is unsuccessful on their first attempt, they are entitled to two additional attempts at no additional cost.

Application and Enrollment Procedure

1. Fill out the Apply Now form on the official IAI program portal.

2. Complete the course fee payment of Rs. 9,500/- by clicking the Pay Now button.

3. Click the Payment Confirmation button and submit the confirmation form with the required transaction details.

4. Log into the Learning Dashboard to access the research modules and commence the course.