Published 20.3.2025
Mediation Institute is now a Recognised Accreditation Provider (RAP) under the Australian Mediator and Dispute Resolution Accreditation Standards (AMDRAS) and able to process applications, renewal and other administration for registered practitioners (mediators).
There was a 12-month transition period to allow for the training and accrediting bodies who support the system and the mediators who are accredited by the system to adjust.
AMDRAS will fully come into effect on the 1st of July 2025 except for:
- anyone who was enrolled under NMAS in a training program before the 30th June 2025 (they have the standard 24 months from enrolment)
- anyone pending assessment (within 6 months of completing training) or
- anyone pending an accreditation application (within 6 months of their assessment)
- people caught without a Recognised Accreditation Provider if their former RMAB has not completed their application process to become a Recognised Accreditation Provider in time for it to be reviewed and approved before the 30th June 2025. Under the transition guidelines they will remain regarded as nationally accredited until the 31st December 2025 to allow time for their RMAB to become a RAP or for them to transfer their accreditation to an approved RAP. This will not affect Mediation Institute Members as we are approved to accredit and re-accredit under AMDRAS.
During this transition period, both training and assessing against the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS) and the new AMDRAS will be possible. Our first AMDRAS training began in March 2025.
New Name and Website for the Mediator Standards Board (MSB to AMDRAS Board)
The Mediator Standards Board (MSB) held a Special General Meeting where the company name was changed to become the AMDRAS Board.
The website www.msb.org.au is transitioning to the www.amdras.au website over the next 12 months with redirects in place to ensure you can find the information you are looking for.
The AMDRAS Resources
Please get in touch if you are a Mediation Institute member or would like to join Mediation Institute for clarity and guidance on AMDRAS’s implications for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The standards that govern Nationally Accredited Mediators are evolving and changing from NMAS to AMDRAS. AMDRAS seeks to uphold the basic standards, strengthen them in places and provide the opportunity to for recognition of the level of experience and leadership provided by members of the dispute resolution community.
It will also, over time, allow for the recognition of specialist areas of practice.
If you are a NMAS Accredited Mediator, at the moment nothing.
You will automatically become a AMDRAS recognised practitioner on the 1st July 2024. If your accreditation renewal is coming up during the transition period at first you will be renewing under the NMAS rules. When the Recognised Accreditation Providers (RAP) formerly known as Recognised Mediator Accreditation Bodies (RMAB) are ready and their new processes approved they will start transitioning to accrediting and re-accrediting under AMDRAS.
That transition period will end on the 30th June 2025. If your renewal is after that you’ll be renewing under AMDRAS.
If you are currently enrolled in NMAS training continue on.
You are able to complete your training and have the full time periods allowed in the NMAS to complete your assessment and accreditation processes.
Time to complete your training – we’d prefer 6 months but you have up to 24 months.
Time to complete your assessment – we’d prefer as soon as you are eligible but up to 6 months.
Time to apply for NMAS Accreditation which will actually be regarded as AMDRAS accreditation – 6 months from completing your assessment.
While we still have enrolments open for the NMAS Course the opportunity to enrol in it will be ending soon. No new NMAS enrolments will be possible after the 30.6.2025
NMAS Course – NMAS Mediator Course
AMDRAS Course – http://amdras
According to the June 2024 newsletter from the board
The Review was undertaken to ensure:
• users of mediation services could rely on the quality and consistency of services provided by accredited mediators,
• that mediation continues its emergence and development as a profession, and
• that the excellence and specialist skill of individual mediators can be appropriately recognised as this profession and its framework evolves.
The Board of Directors is confident that AMDRAS will fulfill these core objectives while strengthening our community’s commitment to professionalism and quality standards.
