Model United Nations Conference Program 2023 is a pilot student engagement program designed to increase students' intercultural capabilities and understanding of themselves as global citizens.
The program provides an opportunity for Victorian students and offshore students from their sister school partnerships, to come together and expand their knowledge of key global issues and develop collaboration, public speaking, and leadership skills. The program follows the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) Victoria conference format to adopt the perspective of a country representative and propose solutions to a shared global issue.
The half-day program is conducted online in English to allow Victorian schools and their sister schools to connect virtually and undertake an interactive simulation of the UN General Assembly debate. The participants represent a UN member state and discuss the chosen topic in teams of 3 to 4.
UNAA Victoria allocates a list of countries relevant to the topic and provides resource materials, including a delegate information pack for students and a teacher information pack for teaching staff.
The 2023 pilot program invites Victorian regional schools with existing offshore sister school partnerships to participate, giving these schools a further opportunity to foster their sister school relationships and strengthen students’ global learning and engagement opportunities.
Expressions of interest to participate in the 2023 pilot program is now open to all Victorian government schools with an existing sister school relationship.
Participation in this program will involve the following steps for Victorian schools, through the principal:
- Nominating a lead teacher in your school to:
- attend the teacher briefing in 2023 (date TBC)
- distribute and collect completed permission forms to be returned to the Department of Education, International Education Division
- prepare Victorian students using UNAA Victoria resources
- distribute UNAA Victoria resources to sister schools
- liaise with sister school to ensure the selected offshore students can participate effectively in the program
- organise suitable classroom space and technology access for Victorian students on the conference day
- be present to supervise students on the conference day
- participate in a post conference debrief or evaluation
- act as liaison between the selected students, the sister school and the organisation delivering the conferences, UNAAV Victoria.
2. Selecting 50 Victorian students from your school to participate in the program by:
- allocating your students to work in country teams supplied by UNAA Victoria
- distributing UNAA Victoria Model UN materials to students and assist them in preparing for the day so as they can contribute to the debate to the best of their abilities
- preparing the country perspective and solutions regarding the selected topic, in teams of 3 to 4 students
- participating in the conference day.
3. Liaising with your sister school to select a lead teacher from your sister school to participate in the program by:
- selecting 20 offshore students and allocate these to work in teams of 3 or 4, in country teams supplied by UNAA Victoria
- distributing UNAAV Model UN materials to offshore students and assist them in preparing for the conference so as they can contribute to the debate to the best of their abilities
- ensuring selected offshore students prepare the country perspective and solution regarding the selected topic
- ensuring selected offshore students have access to technology and classroom spaces to participate in the debate on the conference day. Note that offshore students can deliver their 2-minute country position statement in English by reading out the text they prepare with their teachers. This occurs in the first session. In the following sessions, offshore students can participate at whatever level they feel comfortable with, on the day. Their teachers will be online to support them. Offshore students can interact in the sessions verbally or via the chat function to comment and ask questions.
For questions or to express interest in participating in the 2023 pilot program, principals are requested to contact: Sally Northfield at sally@unaavictoria.org.au by 30 March 2023.
