DIPLOMACY.CO.IL
Academic institutions from 42 countries took part in the competition, which required the participants to mediate in cases where there were business disputes between companies that were prepared to settle the disagreement outside of the courts.
Each of the cases presented in the competition was based on real disputes between business organisations, with a panel of leading judges and arbitrators from around the world examining and rating the work of the students.
For example, the Israeli students – Rachel Rhodes and Daniel Winer – were required to formulate a settlement to a case in which real estate developers sought to buy a particular piece of land, on which an elderly farmer was still working and wanted to preserve the family history and tradition of tilling that land.
The two Israeli participants were able to prevail over rival representatives from some of the world’s leading colleges and universities such as Oxford University, New York University and others. They also made history by becoming the first-ever students to win the award from an academic institution taking part in the competition for the first time.
“We never imagined that we could win the competition on our first try,” said Rhodes, adding that it had been a great honour to represent Israel in a competition like this and to have received “such esteemed recognition”.
College of Law and Business President Professor Moshe Cohen-Eliya said: “We are talking about an unprecedented achievement by Rachel and Daniel and we are proud of them and congratulate them.
“Judges and arbitrators from around the world have contacted them with offers to practise and work with leading organisations around the world after being impressed by the skill and creativity they demonstrated throughout the competition.”
