Erasmus Strategic partnership project “Development of Mediation Network in Civil and
Criminal Cases to foster European Wide Settlements of Disputes”
In September 2014 Turiba University in cooperation with 3 partner Universities – Vilnius
University, Tallinn Technical University and Universita Degli Studi Di Genova, started the
implementation of the following Erasmus Strategic Partnership project:
Mediation or assisted negotiation is an effective and interdisciplinary dispute resolution method
that involves expertise on law, entrepreneurship, administration and psychology. In continental
Europe the Alternative Dispute Resolution tradition is not as strong as it is in other regions and
countries such as North America and the UK where it has been developing for decades.
Therefore, in order to encourage European Union Member States to introduce these methods,
the Directive 2008/52/EC on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial cases was
issued. Mediation is established as an instrument to facilitate consumer’s access to justice,
and efficient dispute settlement on small claims.
The EU Directive 2008/52/EC required all EU countries to introduce laws about mediation, as
well as the ways to align mediation with more traditional legal procedures such as arbitration
or judicial processes. The most difficult task awaits Members States. Legislative development
is not as slow as cultural and informal institutional change. The society’s understanding about
alternative methods of dispute resolution differs from country to country, as well as the trust
that is placed in them. It is a turning point for businesses and consumers, as well as for legal
professionals to prepare and develop these services with skills and competence in all areas it
requires. This is a crucial challenge for higher education institutions that need to instruct
students in all fields about the benefits of integrative, participatory and associative interaction
for the prevention of disputes and the equivalent approach when disputes arise. The benefits
of mediation can translate into gains for the whole society.
During the IP project “Mediation in Civil and Criminal cases to Foster European Wide
Settlements of Disputs” (2013 – 2014), the partner universities came to the conclusion that the
students in EU countries and governmental and non-governmental organizations working in
judicial sector lack up to date academic materials, a comprehensive text on mediation and
need better suited practical training programs. Therefore, the project team gathered
information on the needs of the stakeholders this project seeks to address.
This project values and maintains a close and collaborative multinational network of
academics that can continues to prepare teaching materials for (ADR?) and mediation studies
and to organize a mediation course for students where the materials will be used, and
improved based on the results and the feedback that the participants may provide. An
electronic book one mediation will be drafted in cooperation between the partner universities
and will be publically available by the end of 2016 when it is expected to reach the widest
possible audience in the EU and outside.
This project is concerned directly with addressing first the needs of four groups: students of
law, international business, political sciences, international organizations and psychology;
governmental organizations and institutions working with disputes and administration of
justice; NGOs protecting amicable settlement of disputes; and, academics teaching conflict
resolution, alternative dispute resolution methods and mediation in particular.
In the participating countries mediation represents a new and fast developing practice. Only a
few studies have been conducted in the field, which means that solid materials for teaching
and studying mediation are welcome.
The project is implemented by the support of Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership Programmes’
project. Project Number: 2014-1-LV01-KA203-000506. Duration of the project: 2 years.
Turiba University Project academic Manager:
Lecturer at Turiba University
Dana Rone
E-mail: dana.rone@latnet.lv
Project Administrator:
Kristīne Tihanova
Telephone: +371 67625371
E-mail: kristine.tihanova@turiba.lv
Contacts at Vilnius University:
Assoc. Prof. Vigita Vėbraitė
E-mail: vigita.vebraite@tf.vu.lt