Mark Barr, Independent Director and Consultant: "As a transactional lawyer with a background in Real Estate Law, I found the course to be particularly beneficial. If your practice involves advising on any type of commercial transaction from a house purchase to a multi million euro corporate takeover you are certain to be involved in a dispute at some stage in your career and consequently this course is not just relevant to those involved in litigation/dispute resolution but to almost all practitioners and indeed to non lawyers who operate in the commercial world.
I found the approach to the psychology of parties in dispute to be particularly interesting including the distinction between “positions” and “interests”. The course has undoubtedly armed me with new skills which will benefit me in so many areas going forward and not just in the field of dispute resolution. The ability to be an “active listener” being just one!
I found the online delivery of the course content to be very user friendly and accessible and also the ability to pretty much set your own timelines. The Faculty assembled by the Sutherland School of Law for delivery of the course is most impressive and gives participants access to first rate practitioners in the field of Mediation both Irish and International. Highly recommend!"
Eamonn Hunt, Barrister at Law: "It was clear that the programme at UCD Sutherland School of Law provided a focused and skills-based approach to mediation with the additional benefit of partnering with the Mediator Academy which provided a detailed insight to the work of professional mediators operating in multiple jurisdictions across the world.
Having signed up for the course, the next challenge was that learning online was a completely new experience for me, having been used to the traditional lecture hall environment. However, I discovered that the flexible scheduling that online learning offers is a huge benefit particularly if you are working at the same time. Online learning also has the additional benefits of improving your time management and self-motivation!
The design and development of the course content has clearly benefited from the fact that all of those involved are practitioners and the course carefully balances both “learning” and “doing” which are key elements of mediation. The course offers the opportunity to acquire all the mediation techniques, tools, and frameworks that are critical to evolving your own knowledge and skills. The online sessions with interactive exercises, then allows you to put what you have learnt into practice, together with the positive learning experience through the engagement with fellow students. I would highly recommend the course for those who want to learn and develop the skills and knowledge for managing conflict and supporting parties through mediation."
Jean Anglin, HR Professional, Geneva: “I am no stranger to the subject of mediation, as some aspects of it have arisen in both my academic and professional life. However, the in-depth learning exposure that this programme with UCD Sutherland School of Law & Mediator Academy offers would prove to be 'fantastic' for me.
The programme not only afforded the depth and breadth of material that would provide grounding on the rigours of mediation but there was also a strong multidisciplinary aspect that was presented with such clarity. Added to this dimension was the global reach of information provided through diverse professionals and experts at the pinnacle of this field. Further, the packaging of the lessons and how they were structured offered great flexibility and the ability to organise and manage your time. Being based overseas meant I would be spared the advanced planning and arrangements that in-person learning for such a Programme would otherwise require.
The 'live' zoom sessions were well spaced out and provided a chance to meet the other participants. It has been an enriching time from day one and tailored by the team to draw out our best in a relaxed and frankly fun atmosphere. I unreservedly recommend this programme and encourage you to give it a go!”
Testimonial from a recent participant on the diploma (Barrister-at-Law working 'in-house'): "I had been thinking about doing a course in mediation for some time when I received the alumni email from the Sutherland School of Law at UCD outlining details of the new Professional Diploma in Dispute Resolution (Mediation) being launched by the Faculty of Law in conjunction with the Mediator Academy. I decided to enrol in the inaugural Diploma which started in June 2021, having being very impressed with the comprehensive syllabus for the course, and the fact that UCD were partnering with the Mediator Academy to deliver the course content.
I had slight reservations about undertaking an online course, but any reservations dissipated very quickly as I started to work my way through the course content. Live "zoom classes" are also scheduled as part of the course and these have been great to get to know fellow students (some from outside of Ireland) and the faculty delivering the course.
I have been very impressed with the course content and the manner of delivery of the material. It is set up in a way that is easy to access and all the latest thinking on mediation practice is delivered in an easy to digest way. The faculty is comprised of an impressive line-up of the leading experts in the field of mediation from multiple jurisdictions around the world. The mediation experience of these individuals brings the material to life in a way that simply reading about it could not, and it is fantastic to have access to learning from such experienced individuals.
I would highly recommend this course as it provides an in-depth, comprehensive analysis of mediation theory and practice, together with learnings from voices from the "real world" of mediation. To have access to these leading mediation experts from around the world is a huge plus."
