About these requirements

These guidelines establish the independent international criteria used to review assessment programs seeking recognition as IMI Mediation Advocacy Qualifying Assessment Programs (MA-QAPs).

They apply to programs designed to assess candidates against IMI’s standards for mediation advocacy experience, knowledge, and practical skills.

For ease of reference, the term mediation advocacy is used throughout these requirements. Organizations should ensure that any reference to Mediation Advocate or Mediation Advisor is used appropriately in accordance with the applicable IMI criteria.

Recognition & Outcome

Organizations must demonstrate consistent alignment with these standards during both the initial application and through the biennial audit process required to maintain recognition.

A successful appraisal grants MA-QAP status, confirming that the program has been recognized by IMI as capable of assessing candidates against IMI’s applicable mediation advocacy assessment criteria.

Organizations with recognized MA-QAPs may use the IMI Mediation Advocacy Qualifying Assessment Program logo when marketing the recognized assessment program.

Candidates who successfully complete a recognized MA-QAP may be eligible to be submitted to IMI for IMI Certified Mediation Advocate/Advisor status.

Successful completion of an MA-QAP does not, by itself, grant IMI Certification. Certification is confirmed only once the applicable IMI processes and requirements for individual certification have been fulfilled.

For further guidance, please review the IMI Certified Mediation Advocate/Advisor page.

How to Apply

MA-QAP  applications are submitted exclusively via our online portal. We recommend that organizations review all criteria thoroughly before beginning the application or preparing for an audit to ensure their program meets IMI’s high-quality international standards.

To assist with your preparation, you may preview the application requirements and form contents by downloading the resource below:

Criteria & Application Guidance

The criteria below set out the requirements that an IMI Mediation Advocacy Qualifying Assessment Program (MA-QAP)  must meet, together with guidance on the information organizations should provide when applying for recognition or preparing for audit. 

General Requirements

A. Methodology

All MA-QAPs must implement an assessment methodology for assessing experience, knowledge and skills of each applicant and ensuring that they meet the Substantive Criteria.

Comment: Assessments may be based on written materials, role-play or live action assessments, other suitable methods, or any combination, and may include videotaped and online assessments such as web dramas, self-assessments, interviews, peer reviews, user feedback and other in-practice skill evaluations.  Assessors must be experienced in representing clients in mediations and/or teaching/assessing mediation advocacy skills.

B.   Transparency

The substantive criteria (i.e. assessment benchmarks applied by an approved MA-QAP) must be published and be openly accessible on the organization’s website. 

Organizations must maintain an active public webpage for the recognized program for as long as the program holds IMI recognition. This webpage should clearly identify the recognized program, describe the applicable assessment criteria or benchmarks, and provide sufficient information for candidates and the public to understand the basis on which candidates are assessed.

The webpage should also include practical information about the program, including the frequency of program delivery, mode of delivery, and applicable pricing.

Comment: Details of recognized MA-QAPs are listed on the IMI website and include a direct link to the organization’s webpage for the recognized program. Organizations should provide the link to the webpage where this information is published. If the information is not yet publicly available, organizations should indicate why and confirm the expected timeframe for publication. 

C.   Integrity

Each Assessor must have substantial experience of mediation advocacy and/or teaching/assessing mediation advocacy competency.

The MA-QAP must apply clear criteria for the appointment of assessors, including the relevant experience, qualifications, and expertise required for the role.

Comment: The application should describe the assessor appointment criteria and indicate whether any assessors are independent of the organization and/or the training faculty. If assessor independence forms part of the program’s methodology, the application should explain how independence is determined. If assessors are connected to the organization or training faculty, the application should explain the nature of that relationship.

D.   Ongoing Monitoring of Program

The MA-QAP must include a process for the ongoing monitoring of the performance and practice of the Assessors. 

Comment: The application should describe how assessor performance is, or will be, monitored, including any review, feedback, or quality assurance measures used by the program. Organizations must also agree to provide relevant information to IMI and to participate in IMI monitoring or audit processes where required, in order to support a sustainable quality control system.

E.    Diversity

The MA-QAP must be accessible on an equal basis to applicants regardless of their professional affiliations, gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characterization. This should be clearly stated on each MA-QAP’s website.

Comment: The application should describe how participation in your MA-QAP is accessible on an equal basis to experienced mediation advocates/advisors regardless of their professional affiliations, gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characterization.
  

Substantive Criteria

A.  Experience of the Mediation Process.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for ensuring that Applicants have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Program’s Assessors experience of mediation as a mediation advisor/advocate in at least five mediations.  The MA-QAP must include clearly identified criteria for determining that Applicants for the program have a substantial level of experience of the mediation process.

Exemptions: IMI Certified Mediators Mediators having acted as sole mediator in at least 10 cases/200 hours  (in countries where there are no Qualifying Assessment Program for IMI Certification)

B. Knowledge of Mediation Advocacy.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for determining that Applicants have demonstrated a strong understanding of general mediation advocacy theory and practice.  Written tests, essays, reports, theses and interviews may be used to determine such knowledge.  Applicants are expected to be tested on and exhibit a comprehensive understanding of Mediation Advocacy theory derived from the leading international textbooks on the subject.

For further guidance on the relevant knowledge elements, please refer to the Mediation Advocacy General Knowledge Requirements set out in Annex 1 of the IMI Competency Criteria for Mediation Advocates and Advisors, available as a linked and downloadable reference document on this page.

C. Practical Mediation Advocacy Skills.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for the assessment of performance as a mediation advocate against a variety of benchmarks that together demonstrate a high degree of mediation advocacy competency.  The assessed benchmarks may be based on role-play or live action assessments, and may include videotaped and online assessments such as web dramas, self-assessments, interviews, peer reviews, user feedback and other in-practice skill evaluations.

It is expected that the methodology used by MA-QAPs will address the relevant Core Competency Practical Skills sections and sub-sections set out in Annex 2 of the IMI Competency Criteria for Mediation Advocates and Advisors. The methodology should be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate that successful applicants have achieved the required level of competence as Mediation Advocates/Advisors.

It is not expected that all practical skills listed in Annex 2 will be assessed in the same depth. MA-QAPs may also assess practical skills not listed in Annex 2, where these are relevant to the program’s assessment framework.

For further guidance on the relevant practical skills elements, please refer to the Mediation Advocacy Practical Skills Requirements set out in Annex 2 of the IMI Competency Criteria for Mediation Advocates and Advisors, available as a linked and downloadable reference document on this page.

Additional Requirements

1. Passing Criteria

Please describe clearly how applicants pass or fail the assessment. This should include any assessment details not already covered above, as well as the applicable scoring system, grading criteria, and pass/fail thresholds.

We recommend attaching example exams, questionnaires, assessment forms, scoring rubrics, and any other materials used to determine whether an applicant has passed or failed.

2. Post-Assessment Outcomes and Reattempts

Please explain what happens if an applicant does not pass the assessment.

Be specific about whether applicants may re-sit the full assessment or specific components, any waiting periods or conditions that apply before reattempting, and the maximum number of reattempts allowed.

3. Privacy Policy

Please provide a link to, or upload a copy of, your organization’s privacy policy. The policy should explain how applicant and participant data is collected, processed, stored, protected, and shared, with particular reference to applicable data protection laws, including GDPR for participants in the European Union and CCA for participants in California, where applicable.

4. Additional Comments Regarding Application

Please include any additional information that may assist IMI in reviewing your application.

This may include a general description of other programs offered by your organization, how long those programs have been running in their current form, and any mediation training or assessment programs specifically designed for experienced mediators.

Notes

Organizations with recognized MA-QAPs may submit eligible assessed mediation advocates/advisors to IMI for IMI Certified Mediation Advocate/Advisor status, subject to the applicable IMI processes and requirements.

For information on individual certification requirements, please review the IMI Certified Mediation Advocate/Advisor page.

For guidance on submitting eligible individuals to IMI, adding reviews or feedback where applicable, and managing individual profiles, please review Guidance for organizations submitting individuals for IMI recognition.