Faculty Development Programme in Conciliation

Faculty Development Programme in Conciliation (FDPCON) 

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

The Faculty Development Programme in Conciliation (FDPCON), developed by the Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI), is an advanced pedagogical and professional training program designed to prepare educators, legal scholars, corporate trainers, and dispute resolution practitioners to teach, research, and institutionalize conciliation. As global legal and regulatory frameworks increasingly prioritize consensual alternative dispute resolution (ADR), academic institutions and corporate training academies require faculty who possess both doctrinal mastery and experiential training capabilities in non-adversarial conflict settlement.

FDPCON addresses the critical gap between traditional adversarial legal pedagogy and modern consensual dispute resolution. While conventional classroom instruction focuses primarily on litigation strategies, case laws, and appellate advocacy, effective conciliation education requires clinical teaching methodologies, structured role-play simulations, and behavioral conflict analysis. This program trains educators on instructional design tailored specifically for conciliation and settlement advocacy, enabling them to construct outcome-based curricula, design objective clinical rubrics, and mentor the next generation of dispute resolution professionals.

Participants examine statutory frameworks, including Part III of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, procedural developments under the Mediation Act, 2023, the UNCITRAL Conciliation Rules, and cross-border settlement instruments such as the Singapore Convention on Mediation. The curriculum moves beyond statutory mechanics into the psychological underpinnings of party negotiation, communication protocols, de-escalation models, and consensus-building frameworks. Educators gain practical insights into running mock joint sessions, managing private caucusing, and guiding students through drafting legally binding, judicially enforceable settlement agreements.

In addition to pedagogical and simulation mastery, FDPCON emphasizes scholarly output in dispute resolution. The program equips faculty members to formulate research proposals, publish in indexed peer-reviewed legal journals, organize ADR clinical workshops, and design institutional conciliation centers within academic universities. Backed by the professional credibility of the Indian Arbitration Institution, FDPCON prepares educators and practitioners to serve as institutional pioneers, master trainers, and thought leaders in alternative dispute resolution education.

Course Structure and Modules

The tentative modules are as follows:

Module 1: Advanced Jurisprudence and Institutional Frameworks of Conciliation

• Doctrinal evolution of conciliation: distinctions from mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law.

• Legislative architecture: Part III of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and interaction with recent dispute resolution legislation.

• International legal instruments: UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Conciliation and the Singapore Convention.

• Ethical guidelines, codes of conduct, neutrality, impartiality, and confidentiality standards for conciliators.

Module 2: Pedagogical Design and Curriculum Development in ADR

• Formulating outcome-based course syllabi and Bloom's taxonomy applications for conciliation training.

• Designing experiential clinical dispute courses: moving beyond lecture-based instruction to clinical models.

• Integrating multidisciplinary perspectives: behavioral psychology, negotiation theory, and organizational behavior.

• Creating rubrics for evaluating qualitative practitioner competencies, active listening, and neutrality.

Module 3: Clinical Simulation Design and Experiential Learning Methodologies

• Structuring realistic dispute simulation problems: commercial, workplace, banking, and community disputes.

• Facilitating multi-stage simulations: party briefs, opening joint statements, and caucus management.

• Fishbowl exercises, interactive debriefing models, and giving actionable constructive feedback.

• Video-assisted simulation analysis: reviewing body language, tonal shifts, and tactical questioning techniques.

Module 4: Negotiation Dynamics, Psychological De-escalation, and Conflict Analysis

• Core negotiation frameworks: distributive bargaining versus integrative interest-based bargaining.

• Psychological barriers to settlement: cognitive biases, reactive devaluation, and anchored positions.

• Techniques for reality-testing, managing emotional volatility, and overcoming party impasse.

• Power balancing mechanisms and protecting vulnerable parties in conciliation proceedings.

Module 5: Settlement Agreement Drafting, Pedagogical Review, and Enforcement

• Essential drafting components of an enforceable Conciliation Settlement Agreement (CSA).

• Teaching precision drafting: release clauses, non-disparagement, indemnity, and contingency triggers.

• The legal status of conciliation settlements as arbitral awards on agreed terms (Section 74).

• Designing drafting assessment exercises, peer-review frameworks, and identifying fatal drafting ambiguities.

Module 6: Academic Research Methodologies and Scholarship in ADR

• Identifying contemporary research gaps in statutory, comparative, and institutional conciliation frameworks.

• Empirical and qualitative legal research tools: survey design, case-study analytics, and court-referral data.

• Structuring articles for submission to indexed, peer-reviewed international law and ADR journals.

• Securing research funding, institutional grants, and leading policy consultancies for statutory bodies.

Module 7: Establishing and Directing Institutional ADR Centers and Clinics

• Setting up student ADR cells, university-affiliated dispute clinics, and community conciliation bureaus.

• Organizing national and international conciliation competitions, client-counseling rounds, and clinical bootcamps.

• Developing industry-academia collaborations with arbitral institutions, industry chambers, and consumer panels.

• Managing institutional cases: registrar operations, panel appointments, case management, and secretarial logistics.

Importance of Doing this Course

Legal education and corporate professional development are undergoing a structural pivot toward consensual dispute resolution. With courts and regulatory authorities mandating pre-institution settlement mechanisms, academic institutions urgently require qualified educators capable of teaching conciliation effectively. The Faculty Development Programme in Conciliation (FDPCON) equips scholars and professionals with the specialized credentials needed to address this pedagogical shift.

First, FDPCON elevates teaching effectiveness by providing proven experiential toolkits. Traditional lecture approaches are inadequate for teaching negotiation and conflict settlement. This course equips educators to design multi-party case studies, run immersive dispute simulations, and offer structured behavioral feedback, substantially raising the standard of clinical ADR instruction in their home institutions.

Second, the program accelerates academic advancement and career growth. Faculty members must satisfy continuing professional development, publication, and specialized faculty development requirements for promotions, tenure, and institutional leadership roles. FDPCON delivers a rigorous, recognized qualification that enhances an academic portfolio, demonstrating specialized subject expertise and instructional innovation.

Third, the curriculum empowers educators to contribute high-impact scholarship. Understanding emerging legal trends—such as the international enforcement of cross-border settlements and statutory court-annexed mediation—enables faculty to conduct rigorous research, publish in indexed journals, and influence policy discussions.

Finally, an institutional certification from the Indian Arbitration Institution validates practical competence alongside academic rigor. It equips faculty, corporate trainers, and senior legal professionals with the operational frameworks necessary to launch institutional dispute clinics, establish ADR boards, and train future legal counsel.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the Faculty Development Programme in Conciliation gain credentials that open avenues across academic leadership, executive training, and institutional dispute management:

• Professor, Reader, and Assistant Professor of Law: Qualify for senior faculty appointments and promotions within university law faculties, business schools, and specialized dispute resolution departments.

• Director of ADR Centers and Legal Clinics: Lead institutional dispute clinics, student mediation cells, and university ADR departments, overseeing curriculum development and clinical programs.

• Corporate ADR and Negotiation Trainer: Deliver high-level executive training on workplace conflict de-escalation, managerial negotiation, and dispute mitigation for corporate enterprises and industry bodies.

• Academic Curriculum Consultant: Advise universities, state judicial academies, and bar councils on designing syllabus guidelines, clinical assessment schemes, and faculty benchmarks in consensual ADR.

• Institutional Arbitral/Conciliation Panelist: Strengthen credentials to sit as a certified neutral, conciliator, or mediator on panels of domestic and international dispute resolution bodies.

• Legal Policy Analyst and Research Scholar: Conduct funded research projects, draft policy papers, and advise governmental ministries on court-annexed settlement programs and judicial reforms.

Necessary Details

The Indian Arbitration Institution delivers the FDPCON through an accessible, flexible digital architecture built for full-time academics, researchers, corporate trainers, and working professionals.

Eligibility Applicants must hold:

• Any Basic Qualification or Formal Education with Graduation (undergraduate degree in any discipline), along with prior teaching or professional work experience.

This ensures a cohort of mature professionals, including university faculty, research scholars, advocates, corporate executives, human resource managers, and educational administrators.

Total Fees The all-inclusive fee for the program is Rs. 8,000/-. This single fee covers the complete program lifecycle: admission registration, complete digital study material, access to the learning portal, examination fees, and the physical printing and courier delivery of the final completion certificate. There are no renewal charges, subscription fees, or hidden costs.

Mode and Study Material The program is delivered entirely Online. Upon enrollment, participants receive unique login credentials to the IAI Learning Dashboard/Portal. Comprehensive Study Material—including instructional design guides, simulation manuals, case scenarios, grading rubrics, statutory compendiums, and research references—is accessible directly through the portal.

Learning Type and Duration The program follows a Self-Paced learning methodology. While designed with a recommended study timeline of 3 Months, candidates maintain complete schedule autonomy. The coursework and evaluation may be completed as quickly as the candidate finishes the modules and completes the examination.

Enrollment Enrollment remains open Any Time throughout the year. There are no rigid enrollment cycles, batch dates, or application cutoffs. Applications are reviewed and processed in real time, granting immediate portal access upon confirmation.

Examination Structure The course concludes with One Online Exam carrying a total of 100 Marks:

• Question Format: A balanced combination of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Subjective/Pedagogical Analytical Questions.

• Passing Marks: 40%.

• Re-attempt Policy: Candidates who do not secure the passing threshold on their first attempt receive up to two additional attempts at no extra cost.

Step-by-Step Procedure

1. Fill out and submit the official Apply Now Form on the IAI portal.

2. Complete the payment of Rs. 8,000/- by clicking the Pay Now button.

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

4. Log into the Learning Dashboard to access study modules and begin the program.