International Conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution in a Changing World: Technology, Policy & Practice at Bennett University, Greater Noida

Bennett University is a State Private University established by the Times Group through Act No. 24 of 2016 passed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, and is a NAAC A+ accredited university. Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. (BCCL), founded over 187 years ago, entered higher education with the aim of providing Ivy League quality education to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The University runs Schools of Computer Science Engineering and Technology, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Management, Law, Media, Liberal Arts and Artificial Intelligence on a 68-acre campus in Greater Noida.

The School of Law was established in 2017 with a vision to strive for excellence in teaching, research and advocacy towards justice for all. It offers B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), LL.M. and Ph.D. programmes, and provides amphitheatre classrooms, a dedicated law library and a Moot Court Hall.

The Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (CADR) at the School of Law was established to promote and facilitate arbitration, mediation, negotiation and conciliation. It runs training sessions in arbitration and mediation, panel discussion forums and competitions, and partners with practitioners, ADR bodies and academia. CADR previously organised the International Conference on 'Adapting to the Digital Era: Innovative Techniques for Selecting the Most Effective Dispute Resolution Mechanism' on 5 May 2025 in collaboration with GAIL (India) Ltd.

The Centre for Trade, Investment and Competition Law (CTIC) supports research, consultancy and advocacy in trade law. It has run the three-day International Conference on 'Trade and Investment Law: Emerging Legal and Economic Perspectives' (30 November to 2 December 2023) and the International Conference on Multidisciplinary Approach to Achieving Sustainability in Trade, Investment and Competition Laws (27 to 29 November 2024), both with the Centre for Trade and Investment Law, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

The conference is a forum for examining the role of alternative dispute resolution in sectors reshaped by technological innovation, complex cross-border regulation and the deepening interconnectedness of global systems. As digital economies expand, disputes arising from cross-border e-commerce, smart contracts, international trade and investment, cryptocurrency transactions, construction arbitration, data-driven platforms and automated systems often transcend the reach of traditional legal frameworks.

The conference will host discussions on digital sovereignty, data localisation, cybersecurity, AI governance, decentralised finance, migration, humanitarian issues and the protection of cultural heritage, and will address emerging challenges in international sports, e-sports and virtual gaming environments. It brings together scholars, policymakers, traders, investors, maritime experts, technology specialists and legal practitioners to contribute to a forward-looking global ADR framework.

Falling within the broad theme of the conference, papers are invited on the following twelve sub-themes:

• Maritime and Admiralty Dispute Resolution - shipping, charter party and freight disputes through arbitration; admiralty jurisdiction conflicts and arrest of vessels; marine insurance and P&I Club arbitration; port operations, logistics and trade disputes; salvage, collision and marine pollution claims via ADR; international maritime arbitration institutions (LMAA, SCMA, SMA and others).
• ADR and Digital Economies - arbitration in cross-border e-commerce disputes; digital consumer protection through ODR; online marketplaces and platform liability disputes; smart contracts and autonomous dispute resolution; jurisdiction issues in virtual business transactions.
• Space, Aviation and Defence Disputes - space law arbitration covering satellite collisions and space debris liability; defence procurement disputes and confidentiality challenges; aviation passenger rights and ADR mechanisms; public-private partnerships in the space sector.
• ADR in Global Health and Biosecurity - pandemic-related contractual disputes and mediation; ADR in pharma supply chain conflicts; biotechnology patents; WHO and international ADR frameworks for global health emergencies.
• Digital Sovereignty and Data Localisation Conflicts - ADR approaches to data localisation restrictions; cross-border data transfer disputes; jurisdictional conflicts in digital investigations; arbitration clauses in international cloud-service contracts.
• ESG-Driven Corporate Conflicts - social equity disputes covering labour rights and diversity issues; corporate governance failures and ADR intervention; ESG-driven investor-company disputes; ADR for ethical supply chain violations including forced and child labour.
• ADR in Emerging Financial Technologies - FinTech, RegTech and crypto-asset arbitration; DeFi smart-contract disputes; cross-border cryptocurrency fraud arbitration; CBDCs and monetary dispute resolution.
• AI Governance, Algorithmic Accountability and ADR - AI-generated harm, liability and ADR; algorithmic bias disputes and tech-mediation disputes involving autonomous vehicles and robots; AI-regulation compliance conflicts.
• ADR for Global Migration and Humanitarian Issues - refugee rights disputes and mediation; cross-border family disputes and humanitarian arbitration; statelessness and identity issues in international mediation; ADR in disaster relief contracts.
• Cultural Preservation, Heritage and Indigenous Rights - ADR for indigenous land and resource conflicts; cultural heritage restitution disputes; ADR in community-led environmental conservation projects; traditional and customary justice systems versus modern ADR.
• ADR in International Sports, Betting and Gaming Technologies - e-sports arbitration and digital athlete rights; integrity and anti-doping disputes in next-generation sports; cross-border online gaming and betting disputes; intellectual property conflicts in virtual sports platforms.
• Innovation and Future-Oriented Themes - digital trade, AI and the future of arbitration; next-generation arbitration covering technology, transparency and trust; adapting arbitration to emerging investment landscapes; sustainable trade and investment and the expanding role of arbitration; construction arbitration.

Research papers and articles in the English language are invited from academicians, professionals, practitioners, researchers, students of law, social science and environmental science, and other stakeholders on emerging issues within the sub-themes listed above.

Apart from the inaugural and valedictory sessions, the conference will be organised in two parts:

• Part A - theme-based panel discussion.
• Part B - paper presentations in technical sessions.

• Each applicant must submit a 1,000-word abstract providing an overview of the proposed paper by e-mail to CADR@bennett.edu.in.
• The abstract must contain the names of the author or authors, contact details, institutional affiliation and designation.
• A maximum of five keywords must be provided along with the abstract.
• The abstract must be submitted in Word (.doc or .docx) format only.
• Co-authorship is permissible, to a maximum of two authors.
• On selection of the abstract, the author or authors must pay the required registration fee for conference presentation.

• All papers must be submitted to CADR@bennett.edu.in.
• The full-length paper must carry the abstract and the details of the authors.
• In the case of co-authorship, at least one author must attend the conference to present the paper.
• The main text should be in Times New Roman, font size 12, with 1.5 spacing. Footnotes should be in Times New Roman, font size 10, with single spacing. The referencing style is the OSCOLA citation system.
• All submissions must be the author's original and unpublished work. A maximum of 10 per cent plagiarism is permitted and the use of AI is strictly prohibited.
• The paper must be submitted in Word (.doc or .docx) format only.
• Select papers shall be published in book format by a reputed publisher with an ISBN number.

• Rs 2,500 for faculty, academicians, professionals, industry participants and certified mediators and arbitrators.
• Rs 1,500 for research scholars.
• Rs 500 for students (UG and PG).
• USD 30 for international participants who are faculty, academicians, professionals, industry participants or certified mediators and arbitrators.
• USD 20 for international students.
• Co-author payment is separate, as per their respective designations.

Payment is made through the QR code printed in the official brochure, marked 'SOL Conference on ADR October-2026'. Registration is to be completed after the abstract is accepted, and the last date for registration and payment is 15 September 2026.

The conference will be held on campus at Bennett University, Plot Nos 8-11, TechZone II, Greater Noida 201310, Uttar Pradesh.

The conference organising head is Prof. (Dr.) Pradeep Kulshrestha, Dean, School of Law. The conference chair is Prof. (Dr.) Versha Vahini, Professor, School of Law. The convenors are Dr. Shivam Gaur, Assistant Professor and Head of the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Dr. Sanya Yadav, Assistant Professor and Head of the Centre for Trade, Investment and Competition Law. The organising team comprises Dr. Nishi Kant Bibhu, Dr. Abhijit Mishra, Dr. Suhasini, Dr. Dinesh Singh, Dr. Neha Singh, Dr. Shubham Sharma and Ms. Swati Bawa.