International Arbitration Summer School examines jurisdiction and admissibility in dispute resolution

The Central Asia Dispute Resolution Association (CADRA) held its International Arbitration Summer School from 10 to 29 August 2026, featuring a session on jurisdiction, admissibility and preliminary objections. Prof. Jan Paulsson, President of the Bahrain International Commercial Court, led the discussion moderated by Bokhodir Dadaev, President of CADRA's Supervisory Board.

Prof. Paulsson clarified that jurisdiction and admissibility are distinct concepts. Jurisdiction concerns the authority to decide a case, while admissibility concerns the power to decide a claim. A tribunal may possess jurisdiction over a case while finding a particular claim inadmissible.

The session examined contractual conditions precedent, the role of courts in reviewing arbitral decisions, and objections concerning timeliness, prescription, waiver, mootness and exhaustion of remedies. Prof. Paulsson noted that distinguishing between jurisdiction and admissibility becomes important because supervising courts may review jurisdiction findings, whereas admissibility determinations typically concern only the specific claim before the tribunal.