On January 13 – 17, 2020 the Turība University teachers Ivita Kīsnica, Kristīne Tihanova and Dana Rone worked at Murcia Catholic University in Spain. Starting from 2019 Turība University participates in ERASMUS+ Strategic partnership project “Mediation: training and society transformation/MEDIATS” in cooperation with project leading partner – the Netherland's Business Academy and academic partner – Murcia University . The week in January was devoted to teaching of mediation teachers. Namely, Law faculty teachers from Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukrainian universities were trained. Teachers from universities in Latvia, the Netherlands and Spain, who are academics and experienced professional mediators, trained the trainers from Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine in accordance with specially developed methodology and teaching materials, so that they could teach mediation subject to their students and implement this dispute settlement instrument in their respective countries after completing their training at international level.

This was the 3rd working session for the project partners and the beneficiaries. The 1st session took place in February 2019 in the city of Breda, the Netherlands. The 2nd working week proceeded in December 2019 at Turība University in Riga. The purpose of the 3rd and final study session at the Catholic University of Murcia was to complete the teaching course of mediation trainers from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine, as well as to organize an examination of teachers to determine their professional readiness to conduct mediation classes for university students.

“During the training process, it was possible to ascertain how differently mediation is practised across different countries. This diversity is affected by national legislation, cultural diversity and different development of mediation in each country. Therefore the aim of training of university mediation teachers was to ensure that mediation, as a method of dispute settlement, is understood and practiced in the same way and taught at international level across all partner countries of the project. The training was carried out in accordance with the Programme of the International Master Mediation Federation, established in the Netherlands,” shares experience one of the trainers and lecturer of Turiba University Dana Rone.

Throughout the week in January, teachers learned a number of mediation methods and techniques and participated in mock-mediation sessions in areas such as family law, commercial law, rental rights and community disputes. The learning process involved interactive lectures, group work and video trainings. At the end of the week, an intensive two day exam process took place. Turiba University lecturer Dana Rone was one of the members of the Examining Commission, finally receiving official certificate “International Certified Master Mediator with distinction on train-the-trainer” issued by the International Master Mediation Federation. The results of the examination showed that the three-week working cycle in the MEDIAT project has been very successful and that around 40 excellent specialists from the beneficiary countries have been prepared for academic work as mediation teachers. Currently, the teachers of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine proceed with necessary administrative and academic tasks in their institutions of higher education in order to introduce a mediation programme for master level students.

Turiba University is delighted to be among the best mediation education universities sharing their academic and professional experience with other universities across the globe.

Project is co-financed by Europan Union programme ERASMUS+, project number: 599010-EPP-1-2018-1-NL-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

Project webpage: https://mediatsproject.wixsite.com/mediats