One of the DIS’ main goals is to support research on arbitration-related topics and to further develop German and international arbitration law. To this end, DIS collaborated with the Center for International Dispute Resolution (CIDR) at Bucerius Law School for the yearly Doctoral Seminar on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution, which took place with the financial support of the Karl-Heinz Böckstiegel Foundation at the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg on 17 and 18 July 2026.
Ten doctoral candidates from Germany and other German-speaking countries attended the two-day seminar. They presented their ongoing dissertation research and discussed their work with peers, leading academics and practitioners. Topics covered a broad range of current issues in domestic and international arbitration, including: the intersection of arbitration with family and corporate law; procedural innovation and due process; evidentiary questions in cross-border proceedings; the use of artificial intelligence in arbitral decision-making; settlement dynamics; and the enforcement of awards against states and state entities.
Through events like this, DIS supports emerging arbitration scholars. It provided a dedicated space for serious academic discussion, valuable feedback from senior academics and practitioners, and exposure to new ideas at the forefront of arbitration law and practice. Engaging and insightful discussions after each presentation highlighted the initiative's importance.
The seminar, under the academic leadership of Stefan Kröll (CIDR / DIS Board Member) and Thomas Pfeiffer, also benefited from contributions by Joachim Münch (Georg-August-University Göttingen), Ulrike Gantenberg (Gantenberg Dispute Experts), Karsten Thorn (CIDR) and Richard Happ (Luther). The Karl-Heinz Böckstiegel Foundation and DIS supported the event.
We look forward to hosting the next group of doctoral researchers at this significant forum in 2027.
Stefan C. Endeward
