International Arbitration module seeks to:
- introduce students with the principles, structure and practice of international investment arbitration;
- enable students to examine and understand the main procedural issues in international investment arbitration;
- enable students to accurately apply laws and principles to hypothetical facts;
- encourage students to critically appraise contemporary challenges in international investment arbitration;
- help students develop key legal and transferable skills pertinent to arbitration process

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of dispute settlement in international investment law.

(LO2) Students will be able to identify the relevant law and principles to complex legal and factual problems.

(LO3) Students will be able to accurately apply the relevant law and principles to complex legal and factual problems.

(LO4) Students will be able to critically appraise the contemporary challenges in investment arbitration.

(S1) Problem solving
This will be developed through seminars

(S2) Communication and advocacy (written and oral)
This will be developed through seminars, and in particular via the presentation

(S3) Research skills

This will be developed through self-directed learning tasks and preparation for the assessment activities

(S4) Collaborative working
This will be developed through seminars, and in particular via the presentation

The module will cover a number of topics: the following list is indicative and allows for variation year upon year to accommodate staff changes and contemporary topical developments:

Syllabus topics:
• Introduction to International Arbitration
• History and Ideology of Investment Arbitration
• Consent to Investment Arbitration
• Jurisdiction and Admissibility
• Selection and Challenge of Arbitrators
• Provisional or Interim Measures
• Taking of Evidence
• Advocacy in Investment Arbitration
• Challenge and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards
• Backlash and Future of Investment Dispute Settlement
• Visit to International Cotton Association in Liverpool (if public health considerations permit) to discuss its arbitration mechanism (or a guest speaker)

The Module Handbook will make it clear exactly what areas will be covered in any given year so as to enable to module to focus on emerging disputes or areas of interest. All key learning resources, e.g. seminar questions and reading lists, will be accessed via VITAL.

Teaching Method 1: Seminars

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 22

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 0

Description:

Seminars will allow students to examine the issues introduced through pre-seminar, directed reading in greater detail. They will be interactive, and will be centred on analysing hypothetical situations, decided cases, and topics of current debate. They will require students to apply the legal framework to complex factual situations and develop higher-level skills of analysis and critique. Through the discussion of seminar questions, any particular problems or gaps in the knowledge will be identified and clarified, and feedback will be given to students to facilitate their learning progress.

Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 2:

Self-Directed Learning Hours:

Description: A large proportion of self-directed learning will be spent on preparation for the seminars, and also time necessary to complete the two summativ e assessment tasks. It will further include such critical activities as reviewing and consolidating notes after seminars, researching appropriate additional sources, conducting further reading around the subject.