Joint Research Seminar of Queen Mary University of London, the University of Vienna and University Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne – Fourth Edition
Following the success of previous editions, Queen Mary University of London’s School of International Arbitration (SIA) joined forces with the University of Vienna and Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne to co-organise the fourth edition of the Joint Research Seminar on International Arbitration in Paris.
Set against the academic backdrop of Queen Mary’s Paris campus, the two-day (4-5 February 2026) seminar brought together LLM and PhD Students to discuss key issues and research questions in international commercial and investment arbitration.
This initiative brings international viewpoints together in a single academic forum. With participants trained across different legal systems (common law and civil law) and arbitral cultures, each session benefited from layered comparative analysis and enriching debate informed by cross-jurisdictional insight.
This year’s programme addressed recent legislative reforms, commercial practice, and public law principles intersections. Panels explored the evolving framework of the English Arbitration Act 1996 (as amended in 2025), including its impact on the governing law of arbitration agreements, alongside issues of arbitrability in corporate disputes and standing to sue in international commercial arbitration. The discussions underscored the practical importance of carefully drafted arbitration agreements, particularly about the express choice of the law governing the arbitration agreement and the selection of appropriate institutional rules, as a means of reducing jurisdictional uncertainty and procedural disputes.
The interaction between arbitration and EU principles, ESG concerns and public law featured prominently, with discussions on how international public policy, corruption, environmental protection, competition law enforcement and sanctions affects claims and proceedings. Evidentiary and procedural innovations were explored through emergency arbitration in Mergers and Acquisition disputes, the scope of the without-prejudice privilege and the expanding role of third-party funding, showing how this issues have been integrated in institutional arbitration rules and practice.
Investment arbitration also received specific attention, including critical reflections on the rejection of cost awards of Intra-EU investment arbitrations, assessment of the relevant time of the investment and concerns surrounding perceived institutional bias in the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
system. The discussions raised concerns about the consistency of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement system and how the community can address them, particularly through the efforts of UNCITRAL Working Group III.
Beyond the academic agenda, participants reconvened for dinner at the historic Au Port du Salut, where conversations moved from panel rooms to round tables, reinforcing ties and fostering future collaboration among the next generation of arbitration scholars.
Our sincere thanks go to Professors Dr Maxi Scherer and Dr Maria Fanou (School of International Arbitration, Queen Mary University of London), Dr Christian Koller (University of Vienna), as well as Dr Mathias Audit and Dr Sylvain Bollé (Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne) for their dedication and continued stewardship of this trilateral academic partnership.
Now in its fourth year, the Joint Research Seminar stands as a cornerstone initiative in Queen Mary’s international arbitration network: advancing research dialogue, deepening inter-university cooperation, and providing young scholars with an unparalleled platform for international academic engagement and research.
Article by Caterina Elisa Vittoria D’Amico (LLM in Paris, class 2025) & João Maria Palma Carlos Falcão de Carvalho (Comparative and International Dispute Resolution LLM, class 2025).
More information:
- Find out more about studying the Comparative and International Dispute Resolution LLM at Queen Mary University in London.
- Find out more about studying the Comparative and International Dispute Resolution LLM programme in Paris.
- Read more about Queen Mary's School of International Arbitration and their work.
- Dr Maria Fanou is Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in International Dispute Resolution, Academic Director of the Comparative and International Dispute Resolution LLM programme in London and the Acting Director of the Paris LLM programme.
- Professor Maxi Scherer is Professor in International Arbitration, Dispute Resolution and Energy Law at Queen Mary University of London.