The CCDP, together with the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, facilitated an intensive week offering participants the opportunity to engage with leading scholarship alongside the practical realities of contemporary mediation. Bringing together academic, policy, and practitioner perspectives, the course examined mediation theory, conflict analysis, strategic planning, and the evolving role of mediation in today's conflict environments.

The programme was conceived and curated by Research Professor Sara Hellmüller and co-led by Professor Laurie Nathan, whose expertise guided participants through a dynamic week of lectures, discussions, and hands-on simulation exercises. Senior mediation practitioners joined throughout the course, sharing lessons drawn from decades of experience supporting peace processes around the world.

The combination of rigorous academic inquiry and practical engagement left a lasting impression on participants. Reflecting on the experience, participant Afrah Almatwari, an MRes student focusing on conflict and resolution in the Middle East, described the course as one that 

"combined rigorous theory with hands-on simulation training" 

and "sharpened how I think about mediation as a practice, not just a theoretical category." By creating space for dialogue between researchers and experienced practitioners, the course encouraged participants to critically examine the opportunities and challenges facing contemporary peacemaking while developing practical skills they can carry into their own research and professional work.

The CCDP extends its sincere thanks to Professor Sara Hellmüller for conceiving and leading this initiative, Professor Laurie Nathan for his outstanding collaboration, and the CCDP Team Gabriela Buser, Apolline Foëdit, and Maëlys Glück for their invaluable support throughout the week. We also thank the many practitioners, partners, and participants whose engagement made the course such a rich and rewarding experience.