2026 Winter Academy on International Arbitration: Results
From January 26 to February 6, 2026, the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration successfully hosted the sixth Winter Academy on International Arbitration, with a focus on the challenges of fragmentation in international arbitration.
The Academy's program, traditionally conducted online and in English, addressed pressing contemporary issues in international arbitration, including jurisdictional competition, disparate interpretations of international conventions, and the intricacies of enforcing arbitral awards.
The event featured distinguished experts from Bahrain, China, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, the USA, Turkey, and other nations, ensuring a multifaceted examination of topics from diverse regional and professional perspectives.
Following a review of 260 applications and evaluation of written assignments, the Organizing Committee selected 40 participants. These individuals represent 31 jurisdictions, including Germany, Turkey, Spain, Serbia, CIS countries, Brazil, Egypt, Vietnam, France, and Russia.
Courses
Over two weeks, Academy attendees participated in lectures by leading international arbitration experts, engaged in interactive workshops and dynamic discussions, and shared their professional experiences.
The program covered key themes reflecting current trends in arbitration practice. These included strategies for selecting arbitral seats ("Seat Selection at the Table: A Jurisdictional Chessboard" by Prof. Marike Paulsson), issues of arbitral seat delocalisation ("Overcoming Fragmentation Through Harmonisation" by Shaun Leong), recent legislative changes ("The English Arbitration Act 2025: A Shift in the Rules of the Game" by Paul Key KC), and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms ("Adjudication: Statutory or Contractual" by Henk Louw).
Procedural aspects and evidence were explored through practical sessions focusing on managing expert evidence (Andrey Ushakov) and asset tracing for award enforcement purposes (Nikolay Smetanin).
In a segment dedicated to national and regional specificities, participants examined the reform of arbitration legislation in the People's Republic of China (Henry Huang) and the impact of economic sanctions on arbitration involving Russian parties (Sergey Glandin).
Special attention was given to award enforcement and the drafting of arbitration agreements. Discussions included challenges in enforcing awards outside the New York Convention (Yuri Bashmakov) and the art of crafting bespoke arbitration clauses (Briana Young).
Ethical and sector-specific aspects of arbitration were addressed in discussions on global professional standards (Shantanu Majumdar KC, Dr. Kamal Adnan Malas) and the converging trends between investment and commercial arbitration (Alexander A. Yanos).
The program also included lectures on legal harmonisation and digitalisation: "Enhancing Online ADR at the National Level " (Colin Rule, Ronald Sum) and "The UNCITRAL Model Law " (Dyalá Jiménez, Sergey Alekhin, Prof. Dr. Ziya Akıncı).
Support
We extend our gratitude to our media partners for their invaluable informational support and coverage of the Academy: CIS Arbitration Forum, TIAC, NYIAC, AIAC, IACMC, HKIAC, MIAMC Hyderabad, SIAC, YIMA, CIETAC, Resolve Academy, BAC, ISTAC, SCC Arbitration Institute, MARC, RWA, EBRAM.
We extend our special gratitude to the 2026 Academy lecturers for their willingness to share invaluable experience with the participants: Alexander A. Yanos, Andrey Ushakov, Briana Young, Colin Rule, Dyalá Jiménez, Henk Louw, Henry Huang, Kamal Adnan Malas, Marike Paulsson, Nikolay Smetanin, Paul Key, Ronald Sum, Sergey Alekhin, Sergey Glandin, Shantanu Majumdar, Shaun Leong, Yulia Levashova, Yuri Bashmakov, Ziya Akıncı.
We also express our thanks to all participants of the 2026 Academy and the RIMA Organising Committee: Sofya Aseeva, Alexandra Chobotova, Valeria Ivanova, Arina Medvedeva, Andrey Savelyev, and Daria Skosar.
Feedback
Henk Louw, participant of the Winter Academy
Thank you for the event and for inviting me to participate and present on the topic of Statutory and Contractual Adjudication, considering Dispute Boards. The event content and participants were insightful and relevant. Congratulations, well done!!!!
Kate U. ,participant of the Winter Academy
Congratulations to the RIMA Winter Academy 2026 team and all participants! It’s inspiring to see such a diverse group of professionals come together to explore the complexities of international arbitration.
Bagus Nova Bimantara, participant of the Winter Academy
Winter Academy 2026: Accomplished
However, I personally believed that this token of recognition would be a story only by acknowledge the process.
At first, this program sounded too good to be true - lineup of key figures as speakers, but free and online - almost like a scam if it's not coming from a notable and trusted institution like Russian Arbitration Center at Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration. Besides, the applicants were not randomly accepted. There is a selection process in form of writing essays under a given topic. The result - as reported by Russian Arbitration Center at Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration in their email and page - there are 260 applicants competing for 40 spots.
The room was filled with legal professionals with various discipline - researcher, practitioner, lecturer, government officials, lawyer - but I think the selection process created a strong convergence for everyone to focus on a shared interest.
Every course session was rewarding, with lectures from key notable figures in international arbitration, and intriguing topics about the advance of international arbitration today. On the other hand, the discussion in every session was also constructing, filled with diverse ideas but building up on the mutual ground of international arbitration.
For me, I will always be thankful to God, to be granted an opportunity to meet, learn, and discuss with everybody in this program. And I also personally believe that a story would be meaningful only when we share it. So am planning to put on some of my notes from this program in the coming posts.
Hope more people will know more about international arbitration.
Shantanu Majumdar, participant of the Winter Academy
Many thanks to the very good (and very patient!) RIMA team, it was a pleasure to be involved.
Alexander Yanos, participant of the Winter Academy
Thanks so much for having me! Was a terrific event.
Margarita Klimenko, participant of the Winter Academy
Winter Academy 2026 — completed!
Two weeks of intensive training from arbitration professionals from all over the world, in-depth study of topical issues: jurisdictional conflicts, inconsistencies in the interpretation of international treaties and problems of law enforcement in international arbitration. Many thanks to the Russian Arbitration Center at Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration for the excellent program, as well as to all the speakers and participants for the inspiring exchange of views!
Dyalá Jiménez, participant of the Winter Academy
It was a great pleasure to participate together with Profs. Dr. Ziya Akinci Akinci and Sergey Alekhin in today's session on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration.
We had an interesting discussion on the past and current developments in international commercial arbitration and the role of the Model Law.
More than answers, I submitted that we need to ask a set of important questions to ascertain the following: Are we beyond the Model Law or is it time for a new one? My own thoughts have evolved since 2013, so I share my notes for today’s session. Thank you to Sofia Aseeva and the students for their formidable interventions!
The Winter Academy is held annually. To learn more about participation, please visit the Academy website: https://modernarbitration.ru/ru/academy/winter/about or contact us at event@centerarbitr.ru.