2025 MIDS-Young ICCA scholarship is awarded to Nicolas Rosero Espinosa

We are pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2025 MIDS-Young ICCA scholarship is Nicolas Rosero Espinosa. Nicolas will attend the Geneva LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS) for the academic year 2025-26.

Congratulations, Nicolas!

Our latest Young ICCA scholarship winner took some time to complete a Young ICCA Proust Questionnaire - get to know Nicolas by reading his answers below. 

Name: Nicolas Rosero Espinosa

Age: 30

Hometown: La Unión, Nariño, Colombia

Current City: Geneva, Switzerland

Current Employer: Currently pursuing the LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS)

Education: Law degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Bogotá), International Master in Sports Law and Management from ISDE (Madrid), and currently pursuing the LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS) in Geneva.

How did you get involved in international arbitration? 

The first time I heard about arbitration was during one of the early classes in my law degree. I was fascinated to learn that private individuals could administer justice outside of state courts. From that moment on, I began a process of self-guided study that led me to explore the field more deeply. Over time, I joined moot teams that represented my university in some of the most important commercial and investment arbitration competitions in Latin America, in which we won first place.

These experiences opened the door for me to work with some of the region’s leading law firms in the field. Since then, I have built a solid practice, participating in complex disputes across a variety of industries, under both national and international rules. I have complemented this with an academic focus through publications, conferences, and teaching. That same curiosity is what has brought me to the MIDS today.

What is your favourite virtue? 

Integrity.

What are your favourite qualities in another person? 

Loyalty, coherence, and empathy.

What is your chief characteristic? 

Determination. 

What is your main fault? 

Sometimes too much of a dreamer.

What is your favourite occupation?

Thinking.

What is your idea of happiness?

Being free to choose a life that feels truly mine.

What is your idea of misery? 

Slavery of the soul and mind.

If not yourself, who would you be?

A physicist trying to understand the mysteries of the universe.

Where would you like to live?

Somewhere surrounded by nature and culture, where silence and thought are still possible.

Who is your favourite prose author?

Aurelio Arturo, poet from La Unión, Nariño, who gave voice to the wind.

Who is your favourite hero/heroine in fiction? 

Prometheus.

Who is your hero in real life? 

My parents.

What historical person do you most dislike? 

Those who imposed order without justice.

What is your favourite name? 

Dionysus, for the tension between chaos and creation.

What do you hate the most? 

Disrespect for time and commitment.

What is your natural talent? 

Transforming discipline into results.

What is your favourite arbitration-related decision? 

The Alabama Claims arbitration.

Who is your favourite arbitrator? 

The one who reaches the right conclusion –mine– with solid reasoning to support it.

Who is your mentor? 

I’ve had many, each one helped me grow in a different way, often without even knowing it.

What is your motto? 

“Discipline is the foundation of success.”