BRICS+ International Arbitration Academy presented at St. Petersburg International Legal Forum

The Academy’s main objective is to train arbitrators from BRICS countries and the Global South, as well as to strengthen cooperation in arbitration among the countries of the association. The two-year programme will take place across several BRICS countries.

The BRICS+ International Arbitration Academy was presented during the 2026 St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF) by Alexei Dudko, Senior Partner at LEVEL Legal Services, member of the Presidium of the Association of Lawyers of Russia Oleg Zaitsev, and Partner at Mansors, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Arbitration Association (RAA) Vladimir Khvalei.

The project was initiated by the Association of Lawyers of Russia and the Russian Arbitration Association. The Academy’s primary objectives are to foster the development of arbitration mechanisms and institutions through cooperation and to train world-class arbitrators capable of resolving international commercial disputes.

The programme will focus on developing arbitration expertise in BRICS countries and the Global South and building sustainable arbitration infrastructure.

The Academy’s concept is based on the ICC Advanced Arbitration Academy. According to Vladimir Khvalei, the idea first emerged ten years ago.

“We analysed various cases that had come before the courts and identified a problem: arbitration proceedings take a considerable amount of time. This is not because of difficulties with the rules or other procedural issues, but because arbitrators are overburdened,” Vladimir explained.

In his view, the only way to break this vicious circle was to bring a new generation of professionals into international arbitration.

However, this presented another challenge. Many young lawyers wanted to pursue careers as international arbitrators, but the question remained: how could they secure their first appointment?

Vladimir Khvalei, Chairman of the Steering Committee, BRICS+ Arbitration Academy; Partner at Mansors; Chairman of the Board of the Russian Arbitration Association:
“Your first appointment comes from an institution. However, institutions are reluctant to appoint a young arbitrator because they do not know whether that person will be able to handle the case. Under the auspices of the ICC Court, we therefore established a two-year training programme in which participants from different countries worked through all stages of an arbitration proceeding as arbitrators in a highly complex case involving highly experienced counsel. This gave them an opportunity to prove themselves in practice.”

The programme was first launched in Russia before expanding to other countries, where it proved highly successful. A professional community emerged, and Academy participants began appointing one another as arbitrators. Some subsequently became members of the ICC Court.

The idea of establishing a similar academy within BRICS was first discussed at the previous BRICS Legal Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Alexei Dudko, who had participated in the ICC Advanced Arbitration Academy alongside Vladimir Khvalei, proposed creating a comparable programme for BRICS countries.

Oleg Zaitsev, Member of the Coordination Council, BRICS+ Arbitration Academy; Professor; Member of the Presidium, Association of Lawyers of Russia:
“I believe we can make this project a success in terms of its educational programmes. The Academy’s diploma will serve as a valuable gateway into the professional world, not only for arbitrators but also for practising lawyers more broadly.”

The initiative reflects the fact that, for various reasons, the ICC Court is no longer able to administer disputes involving Russian parties as effectively as it once did, Vladimir noted. Meanwhile, economic ties among BRICS countries continue to develop, yet the corresponding dispute resolution infrastructure has not kept pace. In his view, it would be logical for such disputes to be resolved within BRICS jurisdictions.

There are, however, practical obstacles. “We are reluctant to include arbitration clauses designating a Chinese arbitral institution because we do not fully understand how it operates. Chinese companies have similar concerns about choosing Russian arbitral institutions. The same applies to the appointment of arbitrators,” Vladimir explained.

The Academy’s founders therefore seek to bring together the interests of arbitral institutions, practising lawyers and arbitrators across the BRICS community.

The programme will be limited to a select group of 40 participants. Sessions will take place quarterly in different countries, with sessions planned in Russia, India, China, Dubai and Cairo. Participants will be introduced to local arbitral institutions and arbitrators.

Alexei also noted that agreements had already been reached among the bar associations of BRICS countries regarding certification for those who complete the programme.

“We hope this will build a bridge between the arbitration communities of our countries, helping to promote local arbitral institutions and local arbitrators,” Vladimir said.

Alexei added that there is also a broader need to establish a dedicated, sanctions-neutral environment in which arbitration can take place without the influence of sanctions. The Academy could lay the foundations for such an environment.

Alexei Dudko, Co-Chairman of the Steering Committee, BRICS+ Arbitration Academy; Senior Partner at LEVEL Legal Services:
“The Academy will enable lawyers from BRICS countries to become better acquainted with one another and their respective institutions. It will create an arbitration club that can facilitate mutual appointments and dispute resolution while helping to establish the sanctions-neutral environment we need.”

photo: https://photo.roscongress.ru/en/projects/472/12869/409437