The International ADR Mooting Competition is a truly innovate and exciting initiative between the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and the School of Law of City University of Hong Kong (CityU), in association with UNCITRAL - Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RCAP) and Curtin Law School. City University of Hong Kong is the host institution and the Sixth International ADR Moot will take place at CityU. Competing teams may be accommodated in student residences at CityU.

The International ADR Mooting Competition comprises both mediation and arbitration in one competition and allows one student in each moot (not involving their home university) an opportunity to act as arbitrator and mediator. Its unique structure involves an arbitral hearing taking place immediately followed by mediation proceedings. This format was first pioneered in the 2010 competition and was a great success.

The ADR Moot in 2014 was very successful and it was well attended by 24 teams which came from all around the world including Australia, China, HKSAR, India, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.

The establishment of this unique alternative dispute resolution mooting competition owes much to a number of individuals and organizations. I thank Professor Tang Houzhi and Mr Yu Jianlong of CIETAC, without whose support and wise counsel the competition could not have been established. Thanks are also due to Mr. Joao Ribeiro, the Head of UNCITRAL - Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific, for providing continuous support to this moot. UNCITRAL is the provider of several definitive texts in the field of alternative dispute resolution. I am also grateful to our colleagues of CityU and a number of administrative staff who have worked silently and diligently to make things happen for this moot competition.

I encourage all Law Schools to consider providing your students with a magnificent opportunity to come to the most vital and dynamic city in the world and to engage in the art and craft of arbitration and mediation. Join us at CityU and compete to become the winner of the 2016 International ADR Mooting Competition.

Professor Geraint Howells
Dean & Chair Professor of Commercial Law
School of Law
City University of Hong Kong