• Columbia Law School Series: Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Negotiation
• Columbia Law School Comprehensive Mediation Training Certificate Programme

This groundbreaking series, taking place every Spring and Fall since 2016, UNITAR and the Columbia Law School Mediation Program, with the full backing of Columbia Law School and Columbia University, provides rigorous, intellectually engaging, interactive, custom programming delivered to United Nations diplomats and change agents around the world. Our individual, day-long courses leverage Columbia’s unparalleled strength in the area of conflict resolution, weaving it in with skills-building programming that acknowledges the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. Participants in these individual, day-long programs receive Certificates of Participation signed by top-level officials at Columbia University, Columbia Law School, and UNITAR. The programs are designed for delegates at any level who wish to achieve mastery of negotiation, mediation, and multilateral conflict resolution processes, and implement them toward solving the world’s most difficult problems.

Each series, UNITAR–Columbia Programs are comprised of three one-day modules. Participants are encouraged to enroll in the entire series of training programs; those who do will be given the opportunity to come to a special invitation-only seminar, with no additional cost, at the Law School with leading conflict resolution, human rights, and other academics. Enrollment in individual modules is also available. The workshops deliver rigorous, intellectually engaging, interactive, custom programming for United Nations diplomats. 

In 2026, the partnership expanded to include the Comprehensive Mediation Training Certificate Programme, an intensive blended training programme designed to strengthen participants’ mediation and conflict resolution skills. The first edition was held from 26 February to 15 April 2026, the programme brought together 10 participants for five virtual sessions and three in-person role-play trainings, totaling 24 hours of instruction.

Led by Alexandra Carter, Director of the Mediation Clinic at Columbia Law School, the programme combined substantive instruction with practical exercises, enabling participants to explore mediation processes, negotiation strategies and communication techniques, and to apply these skills through simulated mediation scenarios.

The 2026 programme builds on the longstanding collaboration between UNITAR and Columbia Law School and reflects the partnership’s continued commitment to strengthening the practical capacities of diplomats and international professionals in mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution.