Harvard Model UN x Crimson Education

In an effort to expand our educational offerings for high school students, Crimson Education has signed a partnership with the Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) and its parenting organization the Harvard International Relations Council.

HMUN is one of the world's most prestigious model UN conferences with 70 years of history. Each year, 4,000+ high school delegates gather in Boston and gain insight into the workings of the United Nations and the dynamics of international relations by assuming the roles of world leaders and international decision-makers. HMUN is an exciting opportunity for young leaders to debate the most pressing issues of the day and to draft innovative, creative solutions.

What is Model UN?

Model UN is a popular activity for those interested in learning more about how the UN operates. Hundreds of thousands of students worldwide take part every year at all educational levels. Many of today’s leaders in law, government, business and the arts – including at the UN itself – participated in Model UNs as students.

Meet some graduates of the Model UN programme here.

The program also helps build and maintain strong links between the UN and Model UN participants across the globe. It does that through guides and workshops, which teach students how to make their simulations more accurate. Students also learn by visiting Model UN conferences and sharing firsthand knowledge of what the actual UN is like. They are also encouraged to take real action to support UN values and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The program is not limited to the UN alone, though. It also encompasses other international bodies, like the EU and NATO, and nation states and their policies. Students role-play as representatives of an assigned country and committee and then become part of cabinets that debate on opposing sides of an issue.

Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) is an annual international relations simulation conference organized by the Harvard International Relations Council at Harvard University. The conference brings together high school students from around the world to simulate the workings of the United Nations, and other international organizations, and to discuss and debate global issues. Delegates are assigned to represent the countries and organizations of the UN and other international bodies, and engage in a variety of activities such as committee meetings, lobbying, and negotiation. The goal of HMUN is to educate students about the workings of the UN and international politics, and to develop their skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and diplomacy.

What skills does Model UN teach?

Model UN offers a lot of benefits while teaching important life skills to club members. Club members will master their public speaking and debating skills. It really builds confidence in participants.

Students will also gain a deeper appreciation for the nuances of human perspective and learn how to critically analyse, but also justify, parallel viewpoints on the world’s most topical issues. “Model UN really forces a student to put themselves in the shoes of another nation, with another culture with completely different perspectives,” says Audrey Damon-Wynne, leader of Crimson Global Academy’s Model UN club.

The club also helps students develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills by participating in debates. Students also hone their research and writing skills through all the work required to prepare for each club meeting. All these skills are highly-valued by college admissions officers.

Audrey also highlights that students form life-long friendships through the club that span the globe. It seems to be the natural extension for CGA students who are already part of a global classroom. The issues tackled through the club force students to think about difficult current event topics that might not be discussed amongst families and friends.

The topics also help expand a student’s knowledge outside the classroom. A lot of international curricula does not cover current events, says Audrey, and this is a great way to inform students about it. “Model UN helps young students become peacekeepers in the long run,” says Audrey and that is probably one of the most important things in today’s political landscape.

Crimson and Model UN

Crimson Education is committed to providing the best educational options to our students. One of our services includes educational tours for high schoolers around the world. Our educational tours give students a first-hand look at campus life, led by alumni from top universities. We aim to empower students to make an informed decision on what will be your home for four years!

Here are the different tours Crimson offers:

• Harvard and Yale Model UN Delegation
• STEM Accelerators
• Global Leaders Delegation
• Ivy League Discovery

As part of the Harvard and Yale Model UN Delegation tour, students spend two weeks touring different universities in the United States. They participate in the conferences and also see what it takes to host such events.

Learn more about the tour here.

With Crimson's official partnership with HMUN, we will be bringing this world-class conference to Australia and New Zealand starting in June this year. We hope HMUN Australia will become the largest and most impactful student conference in the region and serve as an example for wider student engagement initiatives at Crimson.