Conflict Resolution and Mediation Skills – (Certificate)

This summer, Utrecht University for Applied Sciences offers you a challenging introduction to conflict resolution and mediation skills.
Most studies and professions require a vast amount of cooperation. In their cooperation people frequently differ from opinion and hold different priorities. Although conflicts occur frequently, it is common for people to ignore them. At the same time conflicts also offer a chance for unexpected possibilities. In this way conflicts can also be great learning experiences. The aim of this course is to make you familiar with the backgrounds of human conflict behavior and to develop and practice conflictresolution and mediationskills.
In mediation parties settle their own disputes with the assistance of a third neutral party, the mediator. During the course you will explore your conflictstyles and develop and practice several communication and mediationskills; practice and skills are the main focus of this course. Several interesting guest-speakers and excursions will be part of the course.
This course consists of two interrelated themes, conflict resolution and mediation. Both of which are crucial for a better understanding of third party intervention in conflicts.
In the first part of the course you will get familiar with theories concerning communication, conflict and conflict styles. During the training you practice skills and acquire insight in your own conflict behavior and the background from which it originated.
In the second part of the course the focus will be on the mediation process and the skills of the mediator. In mediation parties settle their own disputes with the assistance of a mediator. This is a trained professional who uses a variety of resolution techniques like effective communication, exploration of (common) interests and creative problem solving. Mediators facilitate this highly constructive process where participants meets face to face to discuss their concerns.