SolisEU

Russian Student Team Wins an Award at the 2024 ICC Hong Kong Mediation Competition

Students from the Higher School of Economics (HSE), led by Daria Zhdan-Pushkina, Executive Director of the Mediation Center Solis, have won the prestigious “Best Mediation Advocacy Skill: Advancing Your Interests” award at the 2024 ICC Mediation Competition in Hong Kong.

Competing against 18 teams from China, Singapore, India, Indonesia, and Russia, the HSE students showcased outstanding mediation skills. The team included second-year participants of the minor program “Public Conflicts and Managerial Rhetoric,” Aleksandr Saprykin and Alina Shafigullina, as well as Veronika Leonova, a student of the Faculty of Law.

“We received a very warm welcome in Hong Kong, exchanged ideas, and formed long-term connections,” says Daria Zhdan-Pushkina. “This experience was invaluable for our students, and we look forward to new challenges.”

Vladimir Sychenkov, Head of the minor program “Public Conflicts and Managerial Rhetoric” at HSE, also congratulated the team:

“I am incredibly proud of our students and of Ms. Zhdan-Pushkina’s leadership. This success reflects the effectiveness of our interdisciplinary approach to education and the collaboration between talented faculty and committed students.”

Organized annually since 2018 with support from the International Chamber of Commerce – Hong Kong (ICC-HK) and the Hong Kong Department of Justice, the ICC Mediation Competition provides students with a unique opportunity to develop key mediation and negotiation skills critical for resolving disputes in a globalized and multicultural market.

The minor program “Public Conflicts and Managerial Rhetoric,” a unique interdisciplinary course, plays a pivotal role in developing these competencies by combining theoretical knowledge and practical training in crisis communications, public conflicts, negotiations, and business mediation. Currently, it enrolls 326 students from diverse fields, including law, political science, and business informatics. Graduates of the program receive an additional qualification as a “Public Conflict Moderator,” significantly enhancing their professional potential.

Training a new generation of mediation experts capable of effectively resolving disputes and conducting negotiations is among the top priorities of the Solis Mediation Center.