This programme is taught in Portuguese.

1st Edition| Online 

Applications open until 5 January 2026

At the forefront of legal innovation and modern conflict resolution, the Porto Faculty of Law, Universidade Católica Portuguesa in partnership with the ICFML (Instituto de Certificação e Formação de Mediadores Lusófonos), proudly presents the new Postgraduate Programme in International Arbitration, International Mediation and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR).

The first of its kind in Portugal, this pioneering programme combines academic excellence with practical insight, preparing legal professionals to meet contemporary challenges in arbitration and mediation with skill, ethics and efficiency.

Partners

In an increasingly interconnected and complex world, the ability to resolve disputes effectively and innovatively has become an essential skill across professions.

This Postgraduate Programme — the first in Portugal to integrate International Arbitration, International Mediation and ODR — offers a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to dispute resolution, blending theory with practice in a global context.

Programme Highlights

• Interdisciplinary curriculum designed for professional development.
• Hands-on learning in Arbitration, Mediation and ODR.
• Focus on self-reflection and individual feedback.
• Development of communication, critical reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• A pedagogical approach that goes beyond traditional legal training, combining academic rigour with applied learning.
• Dual Mediation Certification, recognised both nationally and internationally.
• Guest professors who are leading experts in international arbitration, international mediation and ODR.

Target Audience

This programme is designed for a diverse range of participants seeking to deepen their knowledge and strengthen their professional practice in dispute resolution.

• Early-career professionals wishing to develop negotiation and conflict-resolution skills relevant to their professional areas.
• Mid-career professionals looking to expand their expertise in emerging fields of legal practice, accelerating their career progression and impact through specialisation in arbitration, mediation and ODR (national and international).
• Career transitioners aiming to acquire new, high-value skills for professional and academic advancement.
• Professionals from the private sector, government bodies, NGOs and international organisations who encounter conflict-resolution scenarios in their work and seek to build capacity in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods.
• Entrepreneurs and technology professionals interested in designing or implementing online dispute resolution systems and tools.
• Academics and researchers engaged in the theory and practice of ADR and ODR.

More broadly, the programme welcomes graduates and professionals from all backgrounds, including lawyers, trainee lawyers, solicitors, in-house counsel, judges, and final-year law students who aspire to work in law firms, international organisations, government institutions, NGOs, or academia.