The Model United Nations (MUN) Club is now in its third year at YCIS Shanghai Gubei Campus, and this year has been one of the busiest yet, with the club having joined schools from all over the world to debate real world issues at four conferences: two in Shanghai, one in Hangzhou, and one in Taiwan.

The MUN Conferences work by assigning a country to each student, who must then act as a delegate and apply that country’s point of view to several current, global issues. As delegates, YCIS Shanghai students are required to give opening speeches, and must propose and debate written resolutions. Participating in these conferences helps students better understand the complex issues affecting the world today, and students aim to find solutions for, and raise awareness of, these issues through debate and written resolutions. Each student develops their debate skills using Roberts Rules of Order – the standard for facilitating discussions and group decision-making – as well as technical writing skills for writing resolutions that are used in professional political governance.

Mr Greg Dotzenko, a Mathematics teacher and the founding teacher-advisor for the MUN Club at Gubei Campus, explains the benefits of participating in the conferences, saying, “Our students discuss world issues, hone their debate skills, learn how to write in a technical format and interact with other students from around the world. Additionally, our student members are able to earn Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) hours, which are a requirement for graduation, and this is an excellent experience to include on their applications to University.”

The YCIS Shanghai MUN Club is now preparing for their next conference in Nanjing this March, and they are eager to apply their global perspectives to solving current world issues.