Tenth Anniversary of the IMI Intercultural Competence Criteria

As the year 2022 comes to a close, we mark the tenth anniversary of the IMI Intercultural Competence Criteria. The IMI Intercultural Competence Specialization Minimum Standards and Criteria for IMI Inter-Cultural Qualifying Assessment (ICQAP) Program Certification were launched in April 2012, following a two year drafting and consultation period. They were the work product of IMI’s Intercultural Taskforce that was co-chaired by Prof. Harold Abramson (US) and Joanna Kalowski (AU), and included experts from CH, DE, NZ, RU, SG, SE, UK and US and participants from over 25 countries. The first IMI ICQAP program was approved the same year.

“Designed to ensure mediators working across cultures have the requisite knowledge, skills, sensitivities and approaches, the criteria are offered as a basis for the development of cross- and inter-cultural mediator training programs. It is worth noting that the criteria do not recommend any particular mediation model, and still less so, that one model is more cross- or inter-culturally viable. That is left to the value judgment in the country in which the training is offered, and it is implicit in the criteria that those models may vary widely. The question for mediation service providers and for mediators active in different cultures is do our models differ, and have cultural factors been taken into account in their design and implementation?”

Joanna Kalowski, in “3rd Key-Education: Train Mediators to be Culture-wise, not Culture-blind

The Criteria have led to the development of an IMI Intercultural Competence Specialisation, which attests to substantive knowledge, skills and competencies in mediating cross-border or intercultural conflicts. The goal of the Criteria and programs was to help identify and apply theories about culture in order to help mediators consider appropriate issues and process design considerations when setting up and facilitating intercultural mediations.  The certification is offered through three Qualifying Assessment Programs (QAPs) and has also shaped trainings on cross-cultural mediation that have now been incorporated into many mediation certification programs.

IMI Intercultural Competency Specialisation Description How and where to qualify (ICQAPs)
IMI Intercultural Competency Specialists have demonstrated their ability to identify, communicate and mediate across different cultures, and are sensitive to needs of those involved in a cross-cultural mediation. The Specialisation sets and recognizes a gold standard of intercultural competence. A mediator who has the Intercultural Competency Specialisation is an IMI Intercultural Mediator. A mediator who is both Certified and Specialised is known as an IMI Certified Intercultural Mediator.The IMI Intercultural Competency Specialisation is available to any experienced mediator who is qualified by an Intercultural Qualifying Assessment Program (ICQAP). IMI has certified three ICQAP programs, out of which two have been re-certified:
BRDGES Academy
Toolkit Company 

One of the key developments of the IMI Intercultural Task Force’s work was the identification of six Cultural Focus Areas (CFAs) that were described as factors that may be relevant when preparing for cross-cultural mediations, interacting with participants from different cultures, bridging differences, and establishing common grounds between such participants. Several examples of CFAs were included, although the Task Force did not view its list as comprehensive. It encouraged the ICQAPs to consider these CFAs, adapt them, and develop others based on the range(s) of theory(ies) of culture or method(s) of mediation they teach. As more experience is gained with the CFAs, these six CFAs may be refined and new examples may be added.   

To celebrate this 10-year milestone, we would love to hear from you!

What has been your perception or experience with intercultural mediation or any delivered programs? What are your views of the CFAs? Have the Criteria influenced your mediation practice or training? How are you using them? Do you have any feedback or lessons learned to share with us?

The New Year will be an opportunity to re-convene IMI’s Intercultural Task Force, review the current Criteria (and CFAs), implement any recommended improvements and open the discussions on pertinent topics to a broader audience. We hope the work of this reconvened Task Force will contribute to bridging greater understanding and developing a higher level of practical skills for mediators and other professionals worldwide. Anyone wishing to participate in the Task Force or to provide feedback on the current Criteria is welcome to do so, by writing to imisupport@imimediation.org.
We end this tribute to IMI’s Criteria and the dedicated professionals who worked to develop them with another quote from Joanna Kalowski, co-chair of the Intercultural Task Force:

“Are mediators culture-blind, or are the processes we use? Or both? To ensure mediation gains traction worldwide, we have to stop implicitly dictating that certain models are the Holy Grail and accept that in, as well as between, different cultures, mediation will look, feel and need to be practised differently.  Above all, mediators need to be trained how to mediate flexibly, sensitively and in ways that are culture-wise.”

The Seven Keys to Unlock Mediation’s Golden Age”
3rd Key-Education: Train Mediators to be Culture-wise, not Culture-blind

1 thought on “Tenth Anniversary of the IMI Intercultural Competence Criteria”

  1. BRDGES Academy has proudly served as one of IMI’s Inter-Cultural Qualifying Assessment Programs since 2018. In these years, we have taught many students intercultural skills based on upon the academic recommendations of IMI’s highly-credentialed Task Force. BRDGES would like to add, from experience, a potential addition to the training regiment of inter-cultural specialization: Pre-Mediation Meeting.
    Meeting with the participants prior to the start of the mediation, either the attorney alone, or both the attorney and client or, if there is no attorney, the party, is critically important piece to the preparation for any mediation; it is especially crucial in a multi-cultured mediations. This meeting is not to discuss the issues of the mediation. Rather, it is an opportunity for the Mediator to introduce herself to the party, especially from a cultural perspective. And, in that introductory process, for the mediator to communicate her/his willingness, expressed humbly, to learn about the traditions and customs of the party’s society. And, how his or her cultural traditions may play out in the mediation. That enables the mediator to respect those customs and traditions in the mediation process. This pre-mediation meeting gives the mediator a chance to understand the party’s ideas on his or her authority to settle, how to frame affirmations, the party’s notions of time and non-verbal cues. It gives the party an opportunity to develop trust and to understand his or her role in the mediation. And, importantly, to understand the mediator’s role, which may be different that what he or she is accustomed to believing the mediator as having a decision-making role, for example. This meeting gives the mediator the ability to avoid cultural assumptions of either party. And, to check out her/his own assumptions. The cultural information acquired in this pre-mediation meeting will assist in making the parties culturally comfortable and avoiding miscommunications. Preparing for this initial meeting is the key to a successful information-gathering process ultimately leading to a successful intercultural mediation. Thank you for the opportunity allowing us to share ideas with you.
    Lynn Cole, Founder and CEO

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