National University of Singapore Law Students Qualify for CIArb Membership

The National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Law, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for accreditation of two NUS law courses as qualifications for Membership and Fellowship at the Institutes.

The MOU signing, which took place at the NUS, had three signatories: Hew R Dundas, President of CIArb, Mr Raymond Chan, President of SIArb and Dean at NUS Faculty of Law, Prof Tan Cheng Han, SC.

Under the MOU agreement, the CIArb has newly granted accreditation to the “International Commercial Arbitration” module, offered by the NUS Faculty of Law, as satisfying the requirements for admission as members of the CIArb. The Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration (GCIA) programme offered by the NUS Law faculty and accredited by CIArb and SIArb since 2004 will continue to be accredited by the institutes for the next three years. Under this scheme, GCIA graduates are accorded direct admission as Fellows of the SIArb and are exempted from all admission examinations for entry as Fellows of the CIArb.

These accreditations acknowledge the expertise and professional training that NUS candidates receive under the two law courses in dispute resolution as being equivalent to the training conducted by the CIArb and SIArb, which are well-established institutes of excellence in arbitration.

Commenting, Hew R Dundas, President of the CIArb, said:
“CIArb is delighted to be party to the Memorandum of Understanding. Singapore is already a leading home for arbitration and maintenance of high standards is a necessity. We are delighted to working alongside the highly-respected NUS and look forward to continuing and strengthening the relationship over the years to come.”

Commenting, Professor Tan Cheng Han, SC, Dean at NUS Faculty of Law, said,
“International commercial arbitration transcends national boundaries and judicial systems. Our law firms are increasingly seeing real action in this field within Asia and beyond. We will therefore continue to do what we can to equip our graduates to face this challenge.”

Commenting, Lawrence Boo, Deputy Chairman for SIAC and Course Director of GCIA, said:
“There can be no substitute for education and training. Many would claim to be ‘experienced’ arbitrators, but without training they could well be experienced in the wrong things and would only realise them with much pain. The Law Faculty has taken the initiative to step in to fill this gap and to give a proper sound foundation for both lawyers representing parties as well the arbitrators hearing cases. I foresee that the NUS programmes will continue to receive wider recognition and accreditation from other leading bodies involved in dispute resolution.”

Since its launch in 2004, the highly competitive GCIA programme has successfully trained candidates to be qualified professionals in the conduct of commercial arbitration in the region and beyond. The module on “International Commercial Arbitration” has been taught as an elective module under the NUS Bachelor’s degree programme since 1993, and equips students with the basic understanding of the law of arbitration to enable them to advise and represent parties in the arbitral process confidently.

Following the signing (from left to right): the NUS representative, Professor Victor Ramraj, the President of CIArb, Hew R Dundas, the President of SIArb, Raymond Chan, and Deputy Chairman of SIAC, Professor Lawrence Boo.

The CIArb is an international centre of excellence for the promotion and facilitation of dispute resolution. Widely regarded as the professional home for all dispute resolvers, CIArb membership supports the professional credibility of more than 11,000 individuals and gives users confidence that the very best individual is helping to resolve their dispute.

In addition to providing education and training for arbitrators, mediators and adjudicators, the CIArb acts as an international resource centre for practitioners, policy makers, academics and those in business concerned with the cost effective and early settlement of disputes.

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