When a dispute crosses borders, going to court in either party's home country rarely feels fair to the other side — which is exactly why international commercial arbitration has become the default way global business resolves disagreements. This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy takes participants through the full arbitration lifecycle, from drafting an enforceable arbitration clause to securing recognition of the final award in a foreign jurisdiction.

Participants examine how arbitrators are selected and tribunals formed, how hearings and evidence are managed, and the legal grounds on which an award can be challenged or refused enforcement. The course also covers the major international institutions and rules shaping the field, equipping participants to handle complex cross-border commercial disputes with confidence.

Who Should Attend?

• Lawyers and legal consultants working in international commercial law.
• Contract and procurement professionals in international companies.
• Executives and compliance officers in commercial and investment sectors.
• Anyone developing their skills in dispute resolution and international arbitration.

Knowledge and Benefits

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the core concepts and growing importance of international commercial arbitration.
• Follow arbitration procedures from initiation through to the issuance of a final award.
• Draft and analyse arbitration agreements and their legal clauses.
• Apply the rules and procedures used by major international arbitral institutions.
• Handle commercial disputes within a professional, legally sound framework.

Module 1: Arbitration vs. Litigation: Why Businesses Choose It

• Concept and growing role of arbitration in cross-border disputes
• How arbitration differs from traditional court litigation
• International conventions and legal principles governing arbitration

Module 2: Building the Foundation: The Arbitration Agreement

• Legal nature and significance of arbitration agreements
• Drafting valid, enforceable arbitration clauses
• How the tribunal's jurisdiction derives from the agreement

Module 3: Selecting Arbitrators and Forming the Tribunal

• Criteria for choosing qualified arbitrators
• Procedures for constituting the tribunal
• Independence and impartiality requirements

Module 4: Running the Proceedings: Hearings, Evidence, and Pleadings

• Initiating proceedings and submitting claims
• Organising hearings and procedural rules
• Managing evidence and written or oral pleadings

Module 5: From Award to Enforcement

• Issuing arbitral awards and their legal requirements
• Grounds for challenging or annulling an award
• Enforcing awards internationally and the role of national courts

Module 6: Institutions and Rules Shaping International Arbitration

• Role of major international arbitration centres
• Institutional rules and how they differ
• Recent trends in international commercial arbitration