Teaching Method
The Swiss Arbitration Academy aims to provide the highest quality of education in international arbitration for practitioners.
In today's global economic environment, international arbitration is establishing itself as the preferred means to resolve disputes between parties from different jurisdictions. Arbitration practitioners face the challenge of dealing with diverging legal systems and business practices, cultural differences, language barriers, and the demand of fast-paced decision-making. Consequently, international arbitration should be taught pragmatically and based on international best practices. Future arbitration practitioners should learn from prominent practitioners with whom they are able to personally interact.
The SAA aims to teach participants all relevant aspects of arbitral proceedings from preparation and client handling to the final award, its challenge and enforcement. All aspects are analyzed from the counsel's as well as the arbitrator's perspective.
In order to provide participants with an international approach to arbitration, all lecturers and guest speakers are arbitration practitioners experienced in international arbitration in and outside of Switzerland. The SAA believes in the Socratic Method and ensures that all courses have a distinctive practice-oriented approach. In addition to the head lecturers, more than 30 guest practitioners participate in the different modules to assist and coach students in practical exercises. The maximum number of participants is limited (approx. 20 - 30 participants) that each participant benefits to the greatest extent possible from the lectures, discussions, mock scenarios and exercises.
During the SAA courses, participants are not only taught about arbitration, but will also meet arbitration practitioners from all over the world, allowing them to further expand their own networks.
“I had the honour and privilege to be invited for teaching assignments to the SAA courses over the last 5 years. Whilst this was only a 1-day engagement each, I was positively surprised by the interaction and the feedback from the students that I got acquainted with on this very day. Each group is diverse. However, each group and the student are challenging. The SAA format with practitioners giving their insight on various aspects is probably the most important factor for choosing the SAA for a continued education.”
