Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning Mediation

Over the past decade, mediation has established itself as an independent procedure of conflict resolution in very different areas of society. Its interdisciplinary approach is suitable for all conflicts in which the relationship between the parties plays a central role. Such fields of conflict can be found, for example, in families, in companies and business, or in social and public contexts. Mediation starts from the interests and needs of the parties in conflict in order to achieve a fair and forward-looking solution for all involved. It strengthens the self-responsibility of the parties and seeks to move beyond the principle of winning and losing.

The aim of the continuing education program is to concretely learn mediation as a professional additional qualification and to be able to apply it competently in various professional fields and areas of practice. It serves to develop practical skills based on scientific knowledge, as well as to integrate competencies from different professional backgrounds and innovative developments in the field. The program is designed to be part-time, practice-oriented, and interdisciplinary, and is subject to continuous quality management.

Mediation as a conflict resolution procedure and the training of mediators was placed on a legally binding basis with the German Mediation Act of July 21, 2012. The training and further education of certified mediators was first regulated in the associated ordinance of August 21, 2016. Together, the Act and the training ordinance form the foundation of the Mediation continuing education program, which is offered jointly by Heidelberg University and the Heidelberg Institute for Mediation. The core component is the mediation training course; after completing it, participants can qualify as certified mediators and obtain further certification from the national umbrella associations BAFM, BM, and BMWA.