In a global first, participants will be governed by ACICA's rules in the pres­tigious annual Willem C Vis Internation­al Commercial Arbitration Moot which commenced in Vienna on Saturday.

The moot encourages the resolution - via arbitration - of business disputes and is a melting pot of future leaders in the international law and international commercial arbitration sectors.

In a statement released this week, ACICA's president Professor Doug Jones AM expressed his pride in the selection.

"The nomination of the ACICA arbitra­tion rules signals acceptance from the glob­al arbitration community that Australia meets world's best practice," he said.

"The rules provide an advanced, ef­ficient and flexible framework for the con­duct of international arbitrations."

This year's moot has attracted 270 teams from 65 nations around the world, including Australian representatives Uni­versity of Sydney, Deakin University, Uni­versity of NSW, University of Technolo­gy Sydney, Griffith University and Victoria University.

At the event's welcome reception on Sunday, Aus­tralian Ambassador to Austria and the United Nations Michael Potts said, "The Australian Embassy in Vienna is a proud supporter of Australian participation at the moot and our nation's valued con­tribution to international commercial ar­bitration is recognised by the use of ACICA's Arbitration Rules."

Bjorn Gehle, special counsel with Clatyton Utz's International Arbitration Group, reflected on his past participa­tion in the moot - in which he was suc­cessful with Germany's University of Munster in 1998 - and said, "The moot offers so many opportunities for aspir­ing arbitrators and advocates ...here you learn from the best."