On 22 March 2026, the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (also known as the South China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission and the Greater Bay Area International Arbitration Center, or “SCIA”) hosted the inaugural Sir William Blair Scholarship Ceremony and Blair Lecture at the SCIA Tower in Qianhai, Shenzhen. The event, attended by Sir William Blair, SCIA Council member, and Ms. Katy Tse Blair, marks a significant step in fostering legal exchange between China and the UK.
Established by Sir William Blair and administered by the SCIA, the scholarship successfully concluded its first selection cycle since its 2025 launch. Following a rigorous review, Natalia Wilusz and Han Weiyao were honored as the inaugural recipients. During the proceedings, Sir William Blair presented the awards to the scholars, while SCIA Council Chairman Shen Sibao presented Sir William Blair with a commemorative plaque, acknowledging his contribution to the international arbitration community.
In his keynote remarks, Sir William Blair highlighted the scholarship's mission to bridge the gap for young arbitration talent in both China and the UK. He expressed immense confidence in the next generation of practitioners, encouraging them to drive innovation in both theory and practice to better facilitate cross-border dispute resolution. Following the award ceremony, Sir William Blair announced the opening of the 2026 scholarship application round.
The day concluded with the first "Blair Lecture," a new SCIA series dedicated to exploring the frontiers of international arbitration. Sir William Blair’s presentation provided a comparative analysis of recent legislative reforms in Chinese and British arbitration law, the growing role of AI in the field, and the necessity of global institutional cooperation.
The event brought together distinguished attendees, including SCIA Council members Shen Sibao, Anthony Neoh SC, Liu Xiaochun, Peter Malanczuk and Wang Guixun; deans from 15 leading law schools in Shenzhen, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR; members of the Scholarship Selection Committee; and over 60 SCIA arbitrators, senior lawyers and academics from China and abroad.
Shen Sibao, Chairman of the SCIA Council, presented a commemorative plaque to Sir William Blair.
Sir William Blair presented scholarship certificates to recipients Natalia Wilusz and Han Weiyao (online).
Awardees shared their acceptance speeches.
Sir William Blair announced the opening of applications for the 2026 scholarship.
Sir William Blair delivered the lecture.
Q&A and interactive session.
Group photos.
