Ãå±±½ûµØ

¡°As educators¡­you can help students grow into¡­a global civic identity and understand how their decisions have an impact ranging well beyond their immediate vicinity. The United Nations is uniquely placed to work with you in instilling a sense of global citizenship in today¡¯s youth.¡±

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 30 January 2009¹

The news that Syria had met its 1 November, 2013 deadline to destroy its chemical mixing and production facilities for weapons, albeit with some remaining challenges about disarmament on a larger scale, demonstrated the triumph, as well as the continued need, to seek diplomatic solutions to resolve and avert conflicts on the global stage. More than 60 years ago, when the United Nations was created to prevent the scourge of another world war, the goal was that it would serve as the premier partnership of nation states that would provide collective security and offer conflict resolution through diplomatic means. Since the days of the cold war and continuing into the twenty-first century, the role of the United Nations in preventing conflicts has been a subject of study, analysis and debate in the practical world of international politics as well as in academic circles.

Regardless of how educators view the role of the United Nations, for decades educators at the secondary and post-secondary levels across the world have underscored the importance of teaching and learning about the organization. Starting with 51 nations in 1945, and with South Sudan¡¯s newest membership in 2011, a total of 193 countries are now United Nations members. As the United Nations membership grew and the organization adapted to changing global dynamics, it spread its functions to cover areas of peace and security, human rights, humanitarian assistance, social and economic development, and much more. Interest in its history, structure and functions also grew among educators and students. The genesis of its formation, structure and functions of the different organs of the United Nations bureaucracy, and relevance of the organization as a whole, remain fundamental aspects of study in political science courses, international relations and related disciplines. Traditionally, students learned about the history and analysis of the United Nations and its inner workings from books and articles, including Ãå±±½ûµØpublications. For students in the New York City vicinity, a day trip to Ãå±±½ûµØHeadquarters offers a firsthand introduction to the General Assembly building and the main chambers, along with the Security Council, Economic and Social Council, and Trusteeship Council. With the advent of technology, virtual tours provide an insight into the workings of the United Nations.²

While traditional courses of study and Internet based information continue to serve as useful instruments for analyzing and learning about the Ãå±±½ûµØSystem, they offer only partial fulfillment to the yearning fascination and excitement that can capture the imagination of the students eager to learn about how global policymaking works through a diverse tapestry of participants representing the different cultures and nation states around the world. How can students find opportunities to engage with the policymaking process within the Ãå±±½ûµØSystem?

This question is rooted in a deeper need that educators have been seeking answers to for some time now. Academic disciplines are seeking ways to make their teaching and learning relevant to the real world in which students will graduate, seek employment, and build careers and personal lives. Increasingly, high school and especially colleges and universities are incorporating experiential learning, which gives students hands-on experience in applying theoretical knowledge in actual work settings and organizations. It is done through internships, which offer students the opportunity to spend time assisting in the work of the organization and learning through apprenticeship. The literature on the pedagogical benefits of experiential learning underscores its manifold benefits. Even though the most direct benefit that students and others see are enhancement of chances of employment, the impact is deeper. ¡°The strongest case to be made for internships is that they significantly enhance students¡¯ capacity to analyze and understand political phenomena.¡±³ Studies suggest that students who participate in experiential learning are more likely to stay engaged, and help the retention numbers at universities.⁴ Many programmes create internships to offer their students such experiential opportunities. At the United Nations there are opportunities for internships that students can apply for. They are wonderful opportunities but understandably competitive, and are primarily for graduate and postgraduate students.⁵ Logistically, they may not be a feasible option for many students.

A long-standing and unique instrument that provides experiential learning opportunity for students, and addresses this kind of multifaceted and deeper impact, is the Model Ãå±±½ûµØexperience. Even before the creation of the United Nations, in the 1920s a group of students from Ivy League schools introduced the model league, which later morphed into the Model UN.⁶ Students engage in role-playing, serving as delegates of Member States of the United Nations and agencies, and tackle actual problems that the global community faces. Often, this involves crises scenarios involving an outbreak of violent conflict, or a global pandemic, which participants are expected to resolve within a limited timeframe, working through myriads of challenges. As student expectations for opportunities for experiential learning offering hands-on experiences in diplomatic negotiations increased, along with the realization of the benefits of skills associated with writing position papers, negotiations and conflict resolution, Model Ãå±±½ûµØconferences surged and spread to all 50 states in the United States, as well as across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. According to one account, as of 1992, ¡°Over 100,000 high school and college students participate in the more than 150 Model Ãå±±½ûµØconferences held annually in the United States and Canada.¡±⁷ The National Model Ãå±±½ûµØconference in New York attracts more than 5,000 students from across the world annually.

Even though the structure and delivery of a Model Ãå±±½ûµØprogramme can vary, at its core it offers an opportunity for students to ¡®experience¡¯ the actual workings of the United Nations, the various roles that the different organs play, and the vicissitudes of global policymaking with a multitude of actors, priorities, and values. Depending on class size, simulation groups can be small, for example, to replicate the Security Council. Larger groups can represent the entire membership body and play the role of the General Assembly. Students take on the roles of diplomats representing countries and their national priorities and interests, as well as issues that are centre stage on the global agenda. For instructors, it means offering students a thorough background in the structure and functions of the United Nations, as well as about major global issues, and clear instructions about the simulation process and its goals. Typically, students run mock conferences on their campus and also participate with other institutions in small or large conferences. In addition to study materials covering these aspects, publications and delegate handbooks from organizations such as the United Nations Association of the United States of America provide useful resources to prepare students for the simulation and role-play.

A fundamental aspect of the Model Ãå±±½ûµØexperience is the immersion in oral and written communication skills. During the conference, students are engaged in small and large group negotiations, they exchange research and ideas, come up with solutions, and write position papers and arguments. To get their resolutions passed, participants have to engage in caucusing, passionately representing and defending their country¡¯s positions, and effectively communicating their positions. The skills needed and developed in the course of such exercise over the course of the conference last a lifetime. High school students reckon that working with Model Ãå±±½ûµØhelped them develop and present coherent policy ideas with confidence. For them, it is a unique experience that few other high school organizations could have provided. It also allowed for the development of their interpersonal skills and helped them connect with motivated students from other schools. The friendships that they developed during the Model Ãå±±½ûµØconference and meetings resulted in friendships and support sources that continue to benefit them in their college years and beyond.⁸ As such, an experiential education opportunity like Model Ãå±±½ûµØoffers long-term values in the preparation of students in their later professional lives.

Which students does Model Ãå±±½ûµØbenefit? Contrary to popular notions, Model Ãå±±½ûµØsimulations benefit students from various disciplines. It is true that students studying political science and international relations are naturally drawn to the experiential aspects of Model Ãå±±½ûµØexperience. A student interested in learning about power politics gets valuable training in working within the realities of power imbalance. They learn the art of persuasion and compromise and their role in conflict resolution. However, awareness is also increasing that Model Ãå±±½ûµØis not just for such students. Beyond peace and security, issues such as the global health crises, environmental and sustainability issues, and development priorities are relevant for students of health studies, environment, and other related disciplines. Testimonials from business students who participate in Model Ãå±±½ûµØconferences underscore the impact of such experiential learning. Some confirm that despite doubts about its impact, Model Ãå±±½ûµØexperience helps a student of business in multiple ways. It improves their research, written and oral communication, negotiation, persuasion and problem-solving skills. Interacting with and persuading others to come to a resolution on conflicting issues requires leadership qualities and team building skills that are helpful in any business or other career setting.

Teaching about the Ãå±±½ûµØthrough the Model Ãå±±½ûµØexperiential template is not without its limitations, though. Instructors and students have to make a commitment to the success of the experience. Preparation can be time consuming; instructions have to be very clear so that students understand their roles as well as what the expected outcomes will be, on which they will be assessed. It is a team effort and, as such, the assessment has to take consideration of that aspect: ¡°Instructors must resist the temptation to simply reward those who speak most at the podium.¡±⁹ Institutional funding is a prerequisite to successful participation in Model Ãå±±½ûµØconferences nationally and internationally. The possibilities for virtual simulations, as well as on-campus ones provide viable alternatives.

In addition to Model UN, there are other avenues and opportunities to engage students with the work of the United Nations, and thereby offer them opportunities to become active global citizens. In teaching about the United Nations, there is need to offer students an insight into the wide-ranging span of Ãå±±½ûµØpresence and activities around the world. These include not only peacekeeping and peace building, but also promoting awareness, understanding, and activism surrounding development, education, gender empowerment, human development and security, sustainable living, and other goals and targets envisioned in the Millennium Development Goals. Through the offices of the United Nations Department of Public Information and affiliated programmes, such as the Ãå±±½ûµØAcademic Impact (UNAI), educational institutions have a unique opportunity to engage students in making a difference through projects promoting values of human rights, education, sustainable living and conflict resolution.¹⁰ Through the UNAI and other opportunities provided by the various Ãå±±½ûµØagencies, students from around the world get opportunities to participate in conferences, engage with their peers from around the world, exchange ideas with global leaders, make their voices heard, and provide leadership toward positive change.

Initiatives such as the UNAI have been engaging students to bringing positive change in their communities through diverse academic projects. They range from building solar powered gadgets to bringing power in rural areas in the developing world, to mentoring underrepresented students to explore opportunities for higher education in New Jersey.¹¹ Such programmes are opening up new horizons of experiential learning and teaching about the United Nations. Following Gandhi, one acknowledges that quintessentially they are offering opportunities for students to take charge of their learning, to become agents of the change they want to see in the world, and become tomorrow¡¯s leaders who will be skilled at resolving conflicts non-violently through dialogue and diplomacy.

Notes

1??? accessed 26 October 2013.

2??? The main Ãå±±½ûµØwebsite provides basic information on the United Nations, its structure and functions: Other valuable sources of such information and virtual tours are provided by Cyberschoolbus:

3??? Andrew Hindmoor, ¡°Internships with Political Science,¡± Australian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 45, No. 3, 10 September 2010, pp. 484-85.

4??? Ibid.

5??? More information is available atsds/internsh/.

6??? Phillips, Mary Jones and John P. Muldoon Jr. ¡°The Model United Nations: A strategy for enhancing global business education.¡± Journal Of Education For Business 71, no. 3: 142. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (1996) (accessed 31 October 2013).

7??? Muldoon, cited in Phillips and Muldoon (1996) Ibid (html version).

8??? Model Ãå±±½ûµØis offered at high schools and colleges across the world. Until recently, Monmouth University in New Jersey has been offering a Model United Nations Conference for high school students. In 2007, the university began offering opportunities for its students, through the Global Service Project Club, as well as a course on Model UN, to prepare for and participate in collegiate level Model Ãå±±½ûµØConferences. Within a short period of time, the Model Ãå±±½ûµØteam has generated much excitement on campus, and provided unique learning opportunities for students. I thank Aziz Mama, Liz Anderson, and Professors Joseph Patten and Thomas Lamatsch for sharing information about the Model Ãå±±½ûµØprogramme at Monmouth University.

9??? Daniel McIntosh, ¡°The Uses and Limits of the Model United Nations in an International Relations Classroom,¡± International Relations Perspectives (2001), 2, p. 275.

10????

11???? As part of a UNAI initiative, Monmouth University, in partnership with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth and Middlesex counties in New Jersey, and Asbury Park High School, engage students to jointly work toward exploring higher education opportunities for the high school students. This initiative has also led to the creation of a debate team at the high school where Monmouth University students, through peer learning, work with high school debaters in a mutual partnership to share academic and communication skills for success in future studies and careers.