European mediation training- confict resolution as a common task and educational goal Erasmus Project

Project Title

European mediation training- confict resolution as a common task and educational goal

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Post-conflict/post-disaster rehabilitation; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; Recognition, transparency, certification

Project Summary

The aim of this project is to establish a strategic partnership between mediation training institutes located in different countries. Together we seek to develop a Europe-wide curriculum for mediation training, and offer students the opportunity of European training and further education. Joint European training will give participants a deeper understanding of the specifics of conflict transformation in individual countries and create a network of European mediators. Mediation can thus be brought into civil society through European mediator teams. The common values of, peaceful dispute resolution are strengthened. Complex social issues require extended forms of dialogue culture and techniques to create consensus. Another goal is to support individuals in acquiring key competencies. Trained mediators are conflict controllers in their environment, who are competent inrecognising and classifying conflicts,thus preventing escalation. They are peace messengers on a small scale. However, on a larger European scale, they have the opportunity to positively influence the social discourse and to create an understanding across countries and cultures. Not only is cognitive understanding important in mediation in the intercultural field, but also experiencing, exchanging and practicing. A European mediation training course could unite all of these aspects: people will be enabled to learn a socially important competence: the practice of alternative conflict resolution in the form of mediation, in an intercultural context and combined with the possibility of certification in one’s own country, as well as Europe-wide opportunities for practice.
To achieve this, we are planning to develop a European curriculum within a partnership of seven educational institutions and two strategic partners. This will enable participants to complete their training at several European locations. In addition to the basic training as a mediator, the focus will be on learning and testing intercultural skills and methods, country specific features of mediation procedures, the practice of mediation and the cultural specificity of conflict resolution in the partner countries.
The partners include seven training institutes in Europe. Each of the training institutes has its own profile, thematic specificity and all offer training as mediators which is recognized in their countries. Partners from Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Ireland are part of the partnership. In addition, two important strategic partners enrich the project, who, among other things, ensure the connection to the scientific community and the EU Council and take on tasks of quality management and evaluation. Some of the partners are strongly networked with the scientific community, others with the business community or work in the field of justice and social work in their countries. These differences, a common basis and the passion for mediation make the partnership strong.

The vision of the partnership is,
– to train European mediators with intercultural skills
– to open up intercultural training opportunities for mediators who have already been trained
– to extend the partnership in the long term by further institutes and countries
– to offer a central contact point and a selection of competent mediators to organisations and individuals seeking support in the resolution of their (intercultural/cross-border) conflicts
– to help shape the political process for the certification of European mediators

Therefore, we are planning to develop the following intellectual achievements within this project:
– Creation of a European curriculum for the training of mediators
– Creation of an education and training module “intercultural conflict resolution” (digital)
– Publication for professional audience and accompanying teaching material: intercultural differences of conflict resolution in Europe
– European platform to find training and further education institutes in Europe as well as mediators with an intercultural focus and intercultural mediators

The target groups are reached through a coordinated dissemination strategy. They are:
– People who want to become EU mediators – trained mediators
– Training institutes, trainers
– EU citizens and organisations seeking alternative conflict resolution
– Mediation associations, certification bodies – Scientists and researchers (intercultural/ conflict management focus)
– EU institutions (e.g. EU Rat- MediationsG)

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 447030 Eur

Project Coordinator

Consensus GmbH & Country: DE

Project Partners

• ICFML – Instituto de Certificação e Formação de Mediadores Lusófonos
• Me.Dia.Re. Association
• The Mediators’ Institute of Ireland
• PARTNERS FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE HUNGARY PARTNERS HUNGARY ALAPITVANY
• Fundacja Partners Polska
• Centre Européen d’Arbitrage et de Médiation
• Dialogue BV