The next generation of problem-solvers is bracing to inherit a world rife with geopolitical instability, complex societal challenges and shifting norms of global governance. At Northeastern University, in keeping with its experiential learning model, students are encouraged to dive straight into those real-world problems through organizations like the International Relations Council, or IRC.
This year, a delegation of Northeastern student leaders with the IRC took home first place finishes at the Model NATO and Model Arab League national conferences, which took place in Washington D.C. on February 15 and March 29, respectively. Fifteen students were part of the winning delegation at the Model NATO conference, which included 19 university teams. Twenty three students shared the top prize at Model Arab League, which included 23 university teams.
In both competitions, students are tasked with stepping into the role of diplomats, representing a single country across multiple committees, and working with peers from other universities to draft resolutions on a variety of pressing global issues. The process involves a degree of preparation and extensive subject matter research; but it plays out in real-time through extemporaneous negotiation and debate.
