Certification Course on Conciliation/Mediation of Labour Disputes
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Online
Certification Course on Conciliation/Mediation of Labour Disputes
3–28 November 2025
The course is available in English
Introduction to the course
The recent changes in the global labour market have affected traditional labour dispute resolution methods. The place of adversarial rights-based processes such as labour tribunals or arbitration is not in dispute, but at the same time, there is a growing recognition of the value of effective consensus-based dispute resolution methods, including conciliation and mediation. In fact, this method plays today a key role in the way in which employers, workers and their representative organizations find agreed solutions to common problems in the workplace, enterprise and different levels. Conciliation / mediation skills are not innate. They require study, selfreflection and practice. To reduce the extent and likelihood of conflict between the parties involved, conciliators / mediators are required to apply professional expertise. Their competencies will make all the difference in resolving disputes and fostering cooperation rather than competition among the parties. To further reinforce and consolidate the needs of those involved in the bargaining process while fostering the application of core ILO principles and standards, the ILO and the ITCILO have designed this Certification course. As the learning continuation of the Online Course on Conciliation/ Mediation, this course, with its practical focus, aims to develop and improve, as well as assess the competencies of conciliators/ mediators. Please note that this course is the assessment package of the Online Course on Conciliation/Mediation of Labour Disputes. Therefore, to attend it, participants are required to have successfully attended an edition of the ITCILO Course on Conciliation/Mediation of Labour Disputes. Kindly also be informed that this course does not grant accreditation and does not imply any right to employment with a dispute resolution body.
Who attends this course?
The course is designed for staff from labour disputes agencies and Ministries of Labour involved in dispute prevention and resolution, employers' and workers' representatives, Industrial relations experts and practitioners as well as labour law lawyers. Please note that the number of participants is limited to 18.
What topics does this course cover?
- Conflict dynamic and conflict management;
- Principles of conciliation/mediation;
- Soft skills for conciliation/mediation
- Process management skills;
- Problem management skills;
- People skills.
What will I be able to do?
- Increase your technical knowledge and expertise the process of conciliation/mediation;
- Review and polish your skills as conciliator/mediator through the coaching and feedback provided by experienced conciliators/mediators during the role-plays;
- Develop and apply your array of skills as conciliation/mediator thanks to the practical learning methodology;
- Share knowledge and experience with peers and colleagues with different professional background and coming from all over the world thanks to group exercises and interactive activities.
Why should I join?
- Put learning into practice through participation in role-plays that reflect real cases of conciliation/mediation following the ITCILO suggested approach on the subject matter.
- Receive an assessment of the conciliation/mediation skills by experienced tutors, who are internationally recognised conciliators/mediators.
- Join and interact with a diverse network of professionals engaging in issues related to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and conciliation/mediation.
- Be exposed to a mix of training methods: lectures, plenary discussions, good practices, case studies, group work, and individual exercises.
Important requirements
Please note that the attendance and completion of any editions of the Online Course on Conciliation/Mediation of Labour Disputes offered by the ITCILO is a requirement to attend this course.
All participants must be fluent in English, have a stable internet connection and all necessary equipment to take part in the webinars and interactive sessions (good internet connection, laptop or device with camera, microphone and audio setting).
How
This course is the assessment part of the Online Course on Conciliation / Mediation of Labour Disputes. It will take place on an online platform on the e-Campus, the online portal of the ITCILO, accessible through a laptop and any portable electronic devices and foresees an overall time involvement of approximately 30 hours.
On this e-platform, participants will find all course resources and tools necessary to complete the course activities. The learning will be highly interactive, combining real time live session and interactive exercises with self-study and individual assignments.
The assessment process is composed of three different components.
1. Role-plays
Participants will be involved in four role-plays exercises, two coached and two assessed, in which they will have the opportunity to play the role of the conciliator/ mediator at all stages of the process.
N.B.
These sessions will take have a total duration of four hours. Participants will be divided into small groups. All participants will need to be present in the sessions for the entire duration of the course activities. To provide participants with further guidance and support, two preparatory sessions will also be delivered.
The sessions will take place according to the following schedule:
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Welcome and Course Introduction | 11 November 2024
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Preparatory Session 11 | 15 November 2024
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Preparatory Session 12 | 19 November 2024
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Coached Sessions 11 | 25 November 2024
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Coached Sessions 12 | 27 November 2024
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Assessed Sessions 11 November | 2 December 2024
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Assessed Sessions 12 November | 4 December 2024
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Knowledge-sharing session | 5 December 2024
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Closing Ceremony | 6 December 2024
The exact timing will be confirmed ten days prior to the beginning of the course.
Attendance to these sessions is mandatory. To ensure a smooth delivery of the course, changes in the schedule may not be possible. Therefore, participants are expected to pencil those days in their diaries and that they make all necessary arrangements to be able to regularly attend the sessions. Specifically, they should make sure to have a stable internet connection, a laptop or a computer with working video and audio settings (camera, microphone, and headset), and that the sessions are conducted in a suitable environment, with no interruptions.
Please note that it is responsibility of each single participant to adopt a suitable conduct and abide by the above regulatory framework. The ITCILO cannot be deemed responsible for unsuccessful completion of the course in case these requirements are not met.
2. Written Test
This assignment will comprise mostly of multiple-choice questions and short answer questions. The focus of this test will be on the key topics related to conciliation/mediation.
3. Personal Development Plan
Participants will be asked to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as conciliators/mediators, and to discuss how they plan to use their newly acquired conciliator/mediator skills in the future.
How to apply
Find the application form at https://oarf2.itcilo.org/DST/A9717156/en and apply before 21 October 2024.
