Model United Nations

With the support of the College, a group of students from the Department of EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies has every year since 2009 been offered the opportunity to participate in a Model United Nations (MUN) competition in addition to their regular coursework. MUNs simulate the United Nations General Assembly, Committees, other UN specialised bodies and agencies as well as regional organisations.

In February 2020, a team of 12 students of the Department of EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies participated in the London International Model United Nations (LIMUN). They represented EU member states (Croatia, Estonia, Luxembourg and Malta) as well as the European Central Bank in the negotiations of committees such as NATO, Bretton Woods, the UN Security Council and the UN Environment Programme. They researched and drafted position papers on the respective committee topics, trained public speaking, and during three days debated with delegates from all over the world at King’s College London. During the official closing ceremony the students were awarded one “Diplomacy Award” and seven “Honourable Mentions”.
In February 2019, 12 students of the Department of EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies participated in the 2019 edition of London International Model United Nations (LIMUN). They represented the EU member states Austria, Italy and the Netherlands in committees like the UN Security Council, NATO, the International Maritime Organisation, the World Bank or the UN Human Rights Council. After an intense preparation period, which comprised among others public speaking workshops and the drafting of position papers on the respective committee topics, the Bruges delegation excelled during the three days of negotiations at King’s College London. Awarded with three “Diplomacy Awards” and six “Honourable Mentions”, the students’ efforts were lauded during the official closing ceremony.
In February 2018, a team of 12 students of the Department of EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies participated again in the London International Model United Nations (LIMUN). The College of Europe students represented Germany and Poland, as well as two members of the British Government and the UN Department of Management. The issues on the agenda ranged from the review of the Paris Climate Agreement to the bidding process for the World Cup of Tennis, the definition of cyberspace and the classification of cyber-attacks. The delegation of the College of Europe made an outstanding impression and, as the three Diplomacy Awards and three honourable mentions show, its members displayed a profound knowledge of the issues on the agenda as well as excellent speaking and negotiation skills.
On 23 February – 27 February 2017, a team of 12 students of the EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies Department of the College of Europe successfully participated in the 18th edition of the London International Model United Nations (LIMUN) in London. The College of Europe students represented the EU members Germany (1), Italy (1), Poland (2), Portugal (5) and Sweden (2), as well as the international non-governmental organisation Medair (1) in the name of which they negotiated and drafted resolutions on topics like the promotion of sustainable urbanisation and the question of a joint development regime in the South China Sea. The delegates’ participation was excellent, with 3 diplomacy awards, an honourable mention and the nomination of the College of Europe as the best small delegation.
From 14-18 March 2016 a team of 10 students successfully participated in the 25th edition of the Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMUN), which took place in Rome. Working either as a double delegation or a single delegation representing the EU Member States Sweden (9 students) and Luxembourg (1 student), the students were able to apply their negotiation skills and EU knowledge by leading the debate in 6 different committees, including the EU Committee and the First Committee of the UN General Assembly dealing with disarmament and international security, in which they won 4 individual diplomatic awards.
In February 2015, a team of 10 students participated in the 16th edition of the London International Model United Nations (LIMUN) simulation in London. They represented the EU Member States France (6 students), Poland (3 students) and Austria (1 student). They negotiated and drafted resolutions on topics ranging from the construction of an EU Energy Union to combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the prevention of environmental deterioration in the Arctic. The delegates’ participation was, with 4 individual awards, very successful.
In February 2014, a team of 10 students participated in the 15th edition of the London International Model United Nations (LIMUN) simulation in London. They represented the EU Member States Germany (5 students), Italy (3 students) and the UK (1 student), as well as the United States (1 student). They negotiated and drafted resolutions on topics ranging from budgetary oversight of EU Member States to the establishment of international standards for the teaching of history and the eradication of forced marriage of children. The delegates’ participation was, with 6 individual awards, very successful.
In February 2013, a team of 9 students took part in the 14th edition of the London International Model United Nations (LIMUN) simulation in London. They represented the EU Member States Spain, Bulgaria and Malta, in the name of which they negotiated and drafted resolutions on topics ranging from European defence cooperation to the protection of cultural heritage in times of armed conflict and the human rights issues of honour crimes. The delegates’ participation was outstanding, with 5 individual delegate awards and the award of best medium-sized delegation of this year’s conference.
In March 2012, a team of 10 students participated in the 21st edition of the World Model United Nations simulation game in Vancouver, Canada. In this international simulation of the United Nations gathering over 2,200 students from all horizons, the students represented the Kingdom of Denmark, in the name of which they negotiated and drafted resolutions on topics ranging from the Palestinian question to economic development in the EU.
In March 2011, a delegation of 10 students participated in the 11th session of the Geneva International Model United Nations, which took place from 12-18 March in the Palais des Nations, the UN Office in Geneva. The College of Europe team represented the European Union as a block, France, the UK, Italy, Hungary, Belgium and Slovakia in six different committees during this bilingual simulation.
In 2010, a delegation of 10 students represented Poland in the 56th session of the Harvard National Model United Nations, the oldest MUN competition, which took place in Boston from 11-14 February 2010.
In March 2009, a delegation of 6 students represented Denmark in the 18th session of the Harvard World Model United Nations. Every year this conference is organised in a different city around the world. In 2009 the conference was held in The Hague, where a student from the College won the ‘Best Delegate’ award in the NATO Committee.