The
Post Graduate Diploma in Conflict and Dispute Resolution Studies at the Irish School of Ecumenics in Trinity College Dublin, commenced in 2001 and has been most successful. Some of the early participants were eager to develope their areas of special interest further to Masters stage and that work will make a vital contribution when it appears. We established links with other such centres and universities and have liaised with members of the Courts Service and Government Departments to keep them advised of the growth of the interest, application and scope of the concepts.
We have links with Lancaster University, The Richardson Institute (the first in this field in the U.K), the University of Ulster and the University of York. Both of our external Examiners - Dr Fergal Cochrane of Lancaster and Dr Roger Mc Ginty from York hailed from INCORE in the University of Ulster. Currently, discussions are in train about connections with Stamford University in the U.S and we have a link with SACRO in Scotland (headed up by a Dublin man Niall Kearney). The outgoing External Examiner - Dr. Fergal Cochrane - noted, in his report of the founding years of the CDRS programme, on the diversity and standards of the work of the participants over the last four years and highlighted the social relevance and outreach aspect of the work.
