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: [email protected] Project Administrator: Kristīne Tihanova Telephone: +371 67625371 E-mail: [email protected] Contacts at Vilnius University: Assoc. Prof. Vigita Vėbraitė E-mail: [email protected]