Vienna School INITIATIVES eV
Tradition
Since 2002 the Vienna School Initiatives eV (back then Vienna CM Partners eV) has been working with an international team of highly experienced negotiation facilitators and consultants in international conflict management projects and on other initiatives of the non-profit sector.
Mission
We promote theory, teaching and the professional practice of negotiation while dealing with differences constructively, so that people - locally and internationally - can reach sustainable results, working relations and efficient processes during or after conflict.
Objectives
Our efforts aim at supporting initiatives that emerge from within conflict-prone or challenged societies. Our guiding principles include working with political and other local decision-makers who can influence and change the situation on the ground as well as integrating partners across generations, gender and areas of expertise.
Our approach
As a special form of cooperation in international peace processes, we develop and conduct train-the-trainer programs with our local partners, so that highly skilled local trainers conduct professional trainings and as a consequence we further culturally-sensitive methodologies.
Most of our work calls for long-term engagement that is not intimidated by a stalling of the official peace processes. All of our activities take place in cooperation with relevant local actors such as representatives of academia, political decision-makers, business executives and members of the media. The integration of diverse political views and the equal participation of women and men are two of our guiding principles.
From the beginning we were able to gain support for our non-profit projects from renowned individuals and organizations such as the Austrian President Dr. Heinz Fischer, former Ambassador Dr. Ernst Sucharipa, the late Prof. Roger Fisher from Harvard University, the Austrian Foreign Ministry and Austrian Development Agency, the German Foreign Ministry, City of Vienna, Diplomatic Academy Vienna, US Aid and corporate partners.
We help build and strengthen capacity for joint problem-solving of decision-makers and professionals working for governments, international institutions and local NGOs
We offer support political chief negotiators and facilitate their negotiation teams in preparing, conducting and debriefing negotiations while also complementing our partners' expertise with our experienced negotiation practitioners.
We design processes, facilitate joint expert groups and challenging cooperations and negotiations.
Young Negotiator Initiative (YNI)
The Young Negotiator Initiative (YNI) was initiated by the Vienna School of Negotiation and invites interested young professionals to claim their place at the negotiation table. Our explicit goals include expanding the professional and personal skill set in negotiation, communication, cooperation, conflict management and leadership.
YNI connects the Western and US-American traditions with conventions of the professional central European practice. It provides young people with the necessary methodologies, tools and skills such as Harvard's Principled Negotiation, the Process Communication Model®, Leading out of Drama (LOD) etc. to actively co-create our presence and future.
One particular highlight is the annual 5-day-intense Young Negotiator Academy (YNA) held at the University of Business Administration and Economics in Vienna. Our strategic alliance partners include members of the Vienna School Faculty, academic institutions as well as innovative international business organizations. The next and 9th YNA takes place from February 19th - 23th, 2024 in Vienna.
If you are under 30 years of age, interested in joint learning and in professional insights into the world of negotiations, usually behind closed doors, become a YNI member at youngnegotiators@viennaschool.at .
More information www.youngnegotiators.org
Israeli Palestinian Negotiating Partners (IPNP)
The Israeli Palestinian Negotiators Program (IPNP) was initiated by Moty Cristal and Sonja Rauschütz in close consultation with Harvard Professor Roger Fisher, author of “Getting to Yes” and “Beyond Reason” and Dr. Landrum Bolling, a dedicated, senior envoy in the Middle East conflict.
IPNP is a network of Israeli and Palestinian Negotiators fostering professional exchange between those who are directly and indirectly influencing the formal peace negotiation process. IPNP is an academic forum and not a forum for actual negotiations.
Balkan Negotiating Partners (BNP)
In 2004 Vienna CM Partners (now VS Initiatives) and CSSP have started to share best practices and as of 2005 our team was complementing the activities of the team of Dr. Black Shillings in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Macedonia.
Women Waging Peace (WWP)
Vienna School INITIATIVES supports Ambassador Swanee Hunt's Initiative and encourages the active role of women at negotiation tables and raising various voices of all participating partners in peace processes.
The integration of highly skilled professionals with cross-cultural international backgrounds and the equal participation of women and men are two of our guiding principles.
