OUR PROGRAMMES
Certified Adjudicator
Programme information

This certification is suitable for qualified dispute adjudicators who offer dispute avoidance and/or dispute adjudication services to the infrastructure industry.
A FIDIC Certified Adjudicator is someone with expert knowledge of the FIDIC Standard Forms of Contract with experience, knowledge and ability to act impartially and independently as an Adjudicator on Dispute Boards under these forms and/or any contracts based on them.
This certification programme takes place once/thrice a year with a written test, peer to peer assessment or review, and /or an online assessment.
If you have questions on certification as an Adjudicator currently listed on the FIDIC President’s List, please contact us by email: [email protected]
To inform us of your interest in the new certified programme, please fill out out the Expression of Interest (EOI) form:
The flowchart below provides a guide to the application process and the steps needed to qualify for the FCL certification exams.
Click on the diagram to expand.
PRE-REQUISITES
- A professional qualification as an Engineer, Architect, Lawyer, Quantity Surveyor, or in project/contract management / resident engineer or equivalent in the construction and/or engineering sector.
- Minimum of 10 years working experience on construction projects and/or on construction and engineering contracts and in the management or dispute resolution aspects of construction and engineering contracts.
- Experience/involvement at senior level in mediation, operational dispute boards or arbitration proceedings arising out of construction contracts over a period of 5 years either as adviser to one of the parties, arbitrator, mediator, dispute board member or party representative.
- Attendance of a training course in construction contracts which include training in dispute resolution aspects and of Award/Decision making and writing (e.g. Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Module or CEDR mediation, FIDIC Module 3 or equivalent).
For courses other than FIDIC Module 3, please provide full details of the relevant training course(s) completed as well as the overall certificate awarded.
NB: It is recommended that candidates should have prior experience in the FIDIC Standard forms of contracts.
COMPETENCES
- Good English language proficiency and understanding.
- Good soft skills to enable candidate to obtain the confidence of parties and communicate with all stakeholders in all situations.
- Properly apply and manage the Dispute Board process whether as member or chair in an expeditious, diligent and orderly manner.
- Good knowledge of ethics and what constitutes improper conduct for a Dispute Board member.
- Ability to understand and analyse the issues / evidences and propose/draft solutions and /or reach decisions on disputes referred.
APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
- Curriculum Vitae / Resume
- Proof of qualifications
- Document detailing description of experience of construction contracts (at least 10 years of which involved the management and/or dispute resolution aspects of construction and engineering contracts)
- Letters from two referees operating in the construction sector who have known the applicant and can attest to their skills for at least five years
- Proof of attendance of training courses described in pre-requisites.
Fees
- Application fee: CHF 100. This fee is payable at the submission of the application and is non-refundable. There is no discount applicable to this fee.
- Phase 1 Examination fee: CHF 450. This fee is payable before the participation in the Phase 1 exam.
- Retake: Phase 1 fee: CHF 450. This fee is payable before the participation in a retake exam, if the candidate fails/is unsuccessful during the initial Phase 1 exam attempt.
- Phase 2 Examination fee: CHF 1,550. This fee is payable before the participation in the Phase 2 exam and also covers the certification fees.
- Retake: Phase 2 fee: CHF 1,550. This fee is payable before the participation in a retake exam, if the candidate fails/is unsuccessful during the initial Phase 2 exam attempt.
- Yearly renewal fee: CHF 500. This fee is payable at the end of Year 1 and Year 2 of the certification validity period.
- Recertification fee: CHF 1,500.This fee is payable in the 3rd year after the initial certification expires.
NB: All FCL fees are non-refundable, unless stated otherwise in the Terms of service.
FCL applies a tiered discount policy, based on the financial data of each candidate’s country of residence.
- Tier 1: 0% discount
- Tier 2: 15% discount
- Tier 3: 35% discount
- Tier 4: 50% discount
The above discounts will be only applied to the examination, retake and recertification fees.
Click here for information on the tiers: FCL discount tiers
Assessment details
ASSESSMENT
This is an assessment of the candidates existing skills and knowledge as such there is no teaching or coaching. The candidate must attend ready to be assessed.
The Adjudicator certification programme also includes a second stage assessment (role playing, assignment submission etc.) Once you have passed the examinations, you’ll be notified to participate in the peer-to-peer assessment.
The examination takes place in two phases:
- Phase 1: Multiple choice test – online.
- Phase 2: 2-day assessment with the assessors in class or online with overnight assignments.
Candidates will be tested on:
- Knowledge of FIDIC Contracts, including all main FIDIC publications providing for Dispute Boards or Adjudication, the FIDIC Golden Principles and also multi-lateral development banks specific requirements
- Contract/construction law principles under common and civil law jurisdictions
- Evidence law and procedures
- Dispute Board (DB) good practice and procedures
- Ethical standards
- Technical matters, delay analysis and the evaluation of quantum for both variations and time related costs and basic financial knowledge of VAT, bank guarantees etc.
- Decision making and Award writing skills
- Ability to manage and control a meeting, hearing or site visit
- Time Management
- Interpersonal skills
Candidates must pass Phase 1 to sit Phase 2;
The pass mark for Phase 1 is set at 60%, or as may be adjusted from time to time by the FCL.
The pass mark for Phase 2 is set at 60%, or as may be adjusted from time to time by the FCL.
If the candidate fails, it is recommended that they take the test again generally no less than 6 months after the first attempt. Those who feel competent to retake the assessment in less than six months may write to us and request to do so.
FIDIC Contracts for the assessments
- Conditions of Contract for Construction for Building and Engineering Works Designed by the Employer (Red Book), first edition, 1999
- Conditions of Contract for Plant and Design Build for Electrical and Mechanical Plant, and for Building and Engineering Works Designed by the Contractor (Yellow Book), first edition, 1999
- Conditions of Contract for EPC/Turnkey Projects (Silver Book), first edition, 1999
- Conditions of Contract for Construction for Building and Engineering Works Designed by the Employer, MDB Harmonised Edition, June 2010.
- Conditions of Contract for Construction (Red Book), second edition, 2017
- Conditions of Contract for Plant and Design Build (Yellow Book), second edition, 2017
- Conditions of Contract for EPC/Turnkey Projects (Silver Book), second edition, 2017
- Conditions of Contract for Underground Works (Emerald Book), first edition, 2019
- FIDIC Golden Principles (2019), first edition.
- The Short Form of Contract (Green Book) first edition, 1999
- Conditions of Contract for Design, Build and Operate Project (Gold Book) first edition, 2008
- Conditions of Subcontract for Construction For building and engineering works designed by the Employer, first edition, 2011
- Form of Contract for Dredging and Reclamation Works, second edition, 2016
- Client/Consultant Model Services Agreement (White Book), fifth edition, 2017
- Sub-consultancy agreement, second edition, 2017
- Conditions of Subcontract for Plant and Design Build, first edition, 2019
Phase 1: Multiple choice test
You will be invited to attend an online assessment answering 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on the FIDIC suite of contracts as stated above. The exam will have a strict time limit of 6 hours and should be completed in one sitting.
Some of these questions will have one correct answer and others may have more than two correct answers. They may be written in the positive (which is correct) or negative (which of the following is wrong). The exam requires that you to know the contract rather than rely upon the opportunity to look up the answer.
Phase 2: 2-day assessment
The 2-day assessment is a continual assessment of the candidate’s overall suitability to perform as an adjudicator/ DB member. You will be invited to attend two full days of assessment which will include overnight written assignments based on real dispute scenarios, role play, award writing and essay style assignments.
AWARD OF CERTIFICATION
If you are successful in both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 assessments, you will be awarded your Certified Adjudicator certification.
MONITORING AND RECERTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
The certification is valid for three (3) years from the date of issue. To maintain the validity of the credentials for this 3-year term, certificate holders will need to follow a specific yearly monitoring procedure. Failure to meet the yearly monitoring requirements will result in the credentials being suspended and/or withdrawn before their expiration date.
When the credentials expire (at the end of the 3-year term), the certificate holders will be required to follow a specific recertification procedure.
Details of the Monitoring and recertification procedures can be found here.
Dates
Schedule for Q1 of 2023 is as follows:
Applications open: 14 August – 22 September 2023
5 October 2023: Phase 1
Q4 of 2023 (TBC): 31 October – 1 November 2023
(Further information on future Adjudicator certification assessment dates will be provided early next year).
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