The Singapore International Mediation Institute’s (SIMI) Contemporary Issues In Mediation Research Essay Competition is an annual event aimed at developing and fostering an interest in mediation, a form of collaborative dispute resolution, amongst tertiary students.
The competition is sponsored by SIMI and offers prizes of:
- Book Vouchers valued at SGD300 and essay published in the book series "Contemporary Issues in Mediation" Volume 7 for the entry placed FIRST.*
- Book Vouchers valued at SGD200 and essay published in the book series "Contemporary Issues in Mediation" Volume 7 for the entry placed SECOND.*
- Essays will be published in the book series “Contemporary Issues in Mediation” Volume 7, and author(s) of the essay named as contributors accordingly (applicable to all winners of the competition).
*SIMI reserves the right to replace the book vouchers with other vouchers/e-vouchers but in equivalent value to that stated.
Key Information
Competition closes 31 May 2021.
Who can apply?
The competition is open to participants from across the world.
All registered tertiary students across all disciplines of studies studying at universities, colleges or other educational institutions (including those pursuing postgraduate studies in masters or doctorate degree) may apply.
How do I submit an entry?
- Read the CIIM Competition Terms and Conditions 2021 here.
- Write your Essay (between 2,700 - 3,000 words).
- Complete the CIIM Application Form here.
- Email your application form and essay to ciim@simi.org.sg no later than 2359 (GMT+8) hours on Monday, 31 May 2021.
Do I need to pay registration fees?
Participation in the competition is FREE.
What should I write about?
Any topic and issue related to mediation.
Participants are encouraged to be creative in their topics (e.g. cross-disciplinary studies) and are free to decide how they wish to approach their chosen topic.
Topics of previous winning entries can be viewed via their respective pages: Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4, Volume 5.
Previous CIIM Essay Prize Winners
Results for previous editions of the Annual Essay Competition can be found here!
What do past participants have to say about the competition?
"If you are not sure whether to submit an entry for the CIIM Research Essay Competition, I would definitely encourage you to do so. I say this because of the absolute blast I had writing my piece in 2019. For starters, this competition invites you to be creative and flexible; you can write about anything under the sun, so long as it is related to mediation. Unlike typical law school essays, you don't have to pick from a list of questions or spot legal issues (also, may I just say that it is an underrated experience to write something in law school without having to refer to legal databases at all?). I am glad to have contributed to the alternative dispute resolution community in my own little way. I certainly hope you enjoy writing your piece as much as I had for mine."
Mr Wee Yang Xi
Top Prize Winner - CIIM Research Essay Competition 2019
Singapore
"It was an honour to receive the First Runners Up Award in the 2019 CIIM Essay Competition, and subsequently have my essay published in Volume 5 of the Contemporary Issues in Mediation. When I was researching on a topic to base my essay on, I chanced upon a headline article in an Indian newspaper titled 'Ayodhya Dispute being referred to Mediation'. Ayodhya Dispute is a land dispute between the Hindu & Muslim communities in India, revolving around the control of a site traditionally regarded as the birthplace of a Hindu deity and demolition of a mosque.
I had a lot of fun reading and writing about the role that mediation can play in religious disputes and my research provided me with a new perspective on how disputes involving religion can be solved. The CIIM Research Essay Competition provides students with a chance and a platform to have their essays published in a distinguished book. And, the top two winners also receive book vouchers :). It cannot get better than this"
Ms Ishita Mathur
1st Runner Up - CIIM Research Essay Competition 2019
India
"This competition is a great opportunity for students to challenge themselves and find out more about an area relating to mediation that interests them. It is great that there are minimal restrictions on the subject matter of the essay, which attests to the numerous ways in which mediation can affect our lives and the world that we live in. I decided to write about power imbalances in mediation as it was an area that really intrigued me. At the end of the day, it gave me a much better understanding of the subject matter, which enabled me to also become a better mediator."
Ms Leanne Cheng
Winner - CIIM Research Essay Competition 2019
Singapore