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A welcome to all participants of the IBA-VIAC CDRC Vienna Mediation Conference 2025, setting the tone for an exciting and insightful event.

Professor Nadja Alexander, a globally recognized thought leader in mediation and dispute resolution, will deliver the keynote speech, sharing her extensive expertise gained from over three decades of international practice and scholarship. Her address will explore emerging trends and innovative approaches that are shaping the future of mediation worldwide.

Panel 1 will explore whether, and if so, how the evolving landscape regarding mediation laws, specializations, and the market reshape the mediator’s role. The panel looks at the shifting ground beneath the feet of today’s and tomorrow’s mediators. From changing client expectations and growing specialization to the globalization of dispute resolution practices, our experts will reflect on how the profession has transformed over the past decade—and forecast where it may be headed next. Our experts will ask: 

• International Commercial Mediation – A Standardized Concept?
• Is the Landscape for Training in the Field of Mediation Changing?
• Are mediators increasingly expected to have subject matter expertise?
• Are future Mediators Neutral Facilitators or Strategic Conflict Advisors?
• Will types of disputes, including ESG and investor-state mediation, reshape the mediator’s competencies?
• Should mediators take on expanded, advisory roles, including conflict prevention and dispute system design?

Fueling your brain and your network with expertly brewed coffee – simply a perfect blend.

Panel 2 will consider the practical, ethical, and strategic implications for the future of mediation as technology makes its way into our practice. The experts will explore everyday and cutting-edge applications of AI in mediation, from drafting tools to data analysis, and the unique benefits they offer. But as technology grows, so do questions of transparency, digital security, and trust. Our experts will ask:

• Can machines replicate empathy and intuition?
• Will future advances in AI or quantum computing close these gaps?
• Should parties be told when AI is involved? If so, when and how?
• What are the main legal and data protection issues raised by using AI in mediation?
• How should they be addressed, is there a need for better / further regulation?
• How do we strike the right balance between human judgment and technological input? 

Mix, mingle, and make connections—our reception is where great ideas and great conversations continue.

Unwind, unwind, at Aux Gazelle — and remember, what happens at Apres CDRC is self-funded, so your good vibes are the only tab we’re running!