After the cancellation due to COVID-19 last year, the IBA-VIAC Consensual Dispute Resolution Competition (CDRC Vienna) took place for the first time this year as an online competition from July 10th to 14th, 2021; overall, the competition was held for the sixth time.

The Vienna International Arbitral Center (VIAC) and the International Bar Association (IBA) jointly invited students and practitioners from all over the world to exchange knowledge and to negotiate and solve the case of the Willem C. Vis Moot. As an online version, the competition also offered many options for a digital supporting program with workshops and socializing evening events.

The special challenges of the current global situation could also be brought into practice in this competition through the design as an online event. On the first day, seven thematically different workshops were held by internationally experienced mediators and international negotiation experts from all over the world.

The next day the preliminary rounds began. 22 negotiation teams were assigned to 11 mediator teams to negotiate this year's arbitration case of the Willem C. Vis Moot Court in a mediation process. At this point, once again, many thanks to the board of directors of the Willem C. Vis Moot Court!

As part of the evening program, the participants were made familiar with the possibilities of digital socializing. After the preliminary rounds and the quarter-finals, the semi-finalists of the negotiating teams and the finalists of the mediator teams were announced and the special awards were presented. At this point, I would also like to thank the sponsors of our event, especially our headline sponsors CAM-CCBC from Brazil! A successful conclusion to this great event was the virtual closing ceremony on the last evening.

The following prizes were awarded:

Negotiation:

First prize to the National University of Singapore

Second Prize to the University of Sydney

Third prize to the National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Mediation:

First prize to the National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Second prize to the Bucerius Law School, Hamburg/Deutschland

The following special prizes were awarded in the preliminary rounds:

Negotiation:

Special award for the best negotiating strategy – Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”  

Special award for the best advocacy – São Paolo Law School of Fundação Getulio Vargas

Special award for the best teamwork – Singapore Management University

Mediation:

Special award for the best opening address – Charles University

Special award for the best mediation management – Pontifical Catholic University of São Paolo (PUC-SP)

We thank all our sponsors, all experts and working group members, the organizer and his directors, and the small but fine team of volunteers. Once again this year, CDRC has proven that events like this, if carried out with passion, enthusiasm, and, above all, with a commitment to Dispute Resolution, will remain a great success, an unforgettable event, and a must for CDR enthusiasts every year.

We are already looking forward to the next edition of the IBA-VIAC CDRC with new and familiar faces, and certainly highly motivated and talented students again. We will inform you about the date for the next CDRC as soon as possible.