Hello and welcome to a look back on the
4th International Summer School on Business Mediation . ISBM 2010!

July 19 – 23, 2010 in Admont / Austria

Crossing Borders Under the Patronage of Dr. Beatrix Karl, Austrian Federal Minister of Science and Research
and Hermann Schützenhöfer, First Deputy Governor of Styria (Austria)

We all encounter borders, boundaries and limits in our everyday lives: limits in our own thinking and action, boundaries in our dealings with others, limits of the economic system, national borders, etc.

We experience some of those borders as rigid and constricting, while others appear to be more protective, flexible and malleable. In some situations, we succeed in drawing clear boundaries, in saying "No", whereas in other situations we see our boundaries being violated. Occasionally, we also cross borders without noticing it, and at times we may be irritated by the differences on the other side.

The parties involved in mediation processes experience borders and boundaries with especially high intensity: as restrictions or limits, as violations of boundaries, and as the challenge of reshaping the borders in a conflict in order to develop solutions. Reconciliation and forgiveness represent special forms of moving across borders. Mediators operate along those borders, and they must be able to recognize and shape their own limits and boundaries as well.

At the 4th International Summer School on Business Mediation . ISBM 2010 we will be addressing the various dimensions of borders and boundaries, focusing in particular on the following topics:

  • Approaches to the topic of "borders" in different disciplines and schools of thought, e.g. hypnotherapy, neurobiology, Zurich resource model, systemic therapy, philosophy, music, Buddhism

  • Practical experience in business mediation for cross-border conflicts

  • Cultural dimensions in business mediation, e.g. subcultures within companies, national and regional cultures, and the ability to move within and between different cultures

  • Dealing with our own boundaries – How do we construct our borders? How do we define boundaries? How do we overcome our own limits?

  • Boundaries in relationships – between people, groups, companies, ethnicities and nations.

What you can expect at ISBM 2010:

  • Top-notch international speakers from Europe, Asia, Canada and the U.S.

  • A maximum of 100 trained mediators working together in a meditative attitude, sharing their experiences and making new contacts

  • A lively learning environment and the enjoyment of discovering borders and boundaries with all of our senses: music, physical action, constellations, meditation, pauses for reflection in the relaxation room, pantomime and many other activities

The 4th International Summer School on Business Mediation will be held in the village of Admont in the Austrian province of Styria, a place which combines a one-of-a-kind natural setting (Gesaeuse National Park) with a tradition of spirituality which dates back centuries.

We will be updating the program pages continually in the coming months, and we look forward to seeing many familiar and new faces at the ISBM 2010.

The Organizers

Mario Patera                                                                                                          Ulrike Gamm
IFF  Vienna                                                                                                             Konfliktkultur – Kulturkonflikt, Vienna