Prof. Dr. Lars Kirchhoff

After studying law at the University of Passau, Trinity College Dublin and the Humboldt University of Berlin, Lars Kirchhoff specialised in conflict management, international law and arbitration, including post-graduate studies at Yale Law School and in the mediation programme of the U.S. District Court of Northern California.

Lars Kirchhoff has more than 20 years of experience in the methodological optimisation and practical implementation of negotiation and mediation processes in national and international political contexts and teaches, inter alia, at the European University Viadrina. He teaches at the European University Viadrina (IHL, MSMKM, ViAPACS), the Bucerius Law School and the ETH Zurich (MASMPP). He is a speaker and coach for the Federal Foreign Office, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the External Action Service of the EU and the United Nations, among others.

He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Konfliktdynamik and chairman of the jury for the Mediation Science Prize and the Socrates Prize.

Research focus

• Methodological optimisation of peace processes
• Interplay of mediation and constitution-making
• Dealing with conflicting goals in nexus constellations (Humanitarian Development Peace, Transitional Justice)
• Establishing dialogue formats at different political levels