The Complete Introduction to Model UN

Welcome to the MUNprep Model UN Curriculum! We’re excited to work with you. Whether you’re a novice delegate or a MUN expert, we’ll help you hone your skills so you’re well prepared for your next conference.

This is the curriculum that you’ve been looking for - by the end of this program, you’ll know everything there is to know about Model UN

How to use this program

This Curriculum is meant to walk you through the essentials of Model UN, starting with the very basics. This version includes 3 core sections:

• Getting Started - Meant for delegates with little to no Model UN experience. We’ll build a strong foundation for you to start with.

• Conference Prep - For delegates who want to learn more advanced strategies and get ready for their next conference.

• Conference Skills - Everything that a delegate will need to know when they are in the committee room.

If you’re totally new to Model UN, there’s going to be a lot of new information here. For that reason, this guide includes bookmarks so you can track your progress. This means that you can start a lesson, try out the skills and come back for more!

Now let’s get started.

Basics of Model UN

Participating in a Model UN conference is the ultimate goal for any aspiring delegate. A conference gives you the chance to meet students from around the world and try out your diplomacy skills. You step into the shoes of world leaders and professional diplomats and get the chance to understand the challenges that they face every day.

In participating in a conference, you will hone your skills in negotiation, public speaking, and writing while dealing with meaningful real-world problems.

How does MUN work?

Before a MUN conference even begins, delegates join a team, choose a topic they are interested in and are assigned a country to represent.

Delegates then investigate their country's policies and positions, write position papers, and prepare to debate global issues.

During the conference, sessions involve structured debates, opening speeches, and both formal and informal caucuses where delegates negotiate and collaborate on drafting resolutions.

These resolutions are debated and voted on, following the committee's rules of procedure. Successful resolutions require majority support to pass. The conference often concludes with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding delegates and teams.

This might seem like a lot right now - but don’t worry! In this program, we will walk you through every step of the conference prep process.

Why learn Model UN?

Nowadays, its more important than ever to have a basic understanding of the international system and learning Model UN can be your perfect introduction this world. Model UN will equip you with the tools you need to build your own opinions about any complex issue that you might read about in the news.

Participating in a conference can also help delegates to work on their public speaking skills. Going in front of a committee to make that first speech might be daunting, but you’ll surprise yourself with how confident you can become if you take that bold first step.

Things You'll Do as a Model UN Delegate

• Explore Your Delegation and Topic: Discover the ins and outs of the country you're representing and the specific issues at hand.

• Write a Resolution: Collaborate with fellow delegates to draft a resolution that addresses global challenges creatively and effectively.

• Debate with Peers Worldwide: Engage in thrilling debates with students from various backgrounds, sharing your views and hearing others' perspectives.

• Collaborate and Negotiate: Work together with delegates to find common ground, compromise, and develop solutions that can unite different viewpoints.

• Learn and Grow: Gain new insights about international relations and diplomacy while building confidence and skills that will benefit you in numerous areas of life.

5 things you should know about Model UN

1. A Model UN committee can be about any topic imaginable. While some committees will strictly emulate their UN counterparts, others will cater to a diverse range of interests.

2. Every year there are nearly 1000 conferences that take place around the world - there are committees that discuss any topic imaginable!

3. Model UN has a number of different committee styles. So if you’re worried about speaking to a large audience, there are committees that will be more suitable for you.

4. Some professional Diplomats have started their careers by participating in Model UN conferences.

5. Every weekend, thousands of delegates participate in conferences around the world.

Conference Prep Timeline

So how long will it take to prepare for your next conference? In general, we recommend that you take between 6-8 weeks to get ready for your first conference.

This should give you all the time you need to learn the basics, research your topic and draft your position paper. If you are a part of a Model UN team, you should also give yourself the chance to practise a simulation and work on your Rules of Procedure before you get to the actual conference.

You can use this sample timeline as a guide:

Model UN vocab

Understanding key terminology is essential to engage effectively in debates, discussions, and negotiations in Model United Nations. Knowing these terms helps delegates follow the rules, express their positions clearly, and contribute meaningfully to the simulation.

Here are some important terms to know:

• Delegate: A student representing a country in a MUN conference. Delegates research their assigned country and advocate for its interests during debates.

• Chair: The moderator for a committee, responsible for managing debates, enforcing procedural rules, keeping time, assisting in document drafting and conducting voting

• Resolution: A formal document that proposes solutions to the issues being discussed. Resolutions go through drafting, debate, amendments, and voting.

• Caucus: A break from formal debate where delegates discuss and negotiate informally. There are two types:

  • Moderated Caucus: Delegates speak in turn, guided by the Chair, focusing on specific aspects of the topic.

  • Unmoderated Caucus: Delegates interact and collaborate freely without formal order, often used for drafting resolutions and forming alliances.

• Placard: A sign with the name of the delegate’s country or organization, used to signal when they wish to speak or make a motion.

These are just a few of the essential terms. As you progress through the program, we will ensure you learn all the key terms needed to sound like an MUN pro!

As you go, you might come across even more strange MUN terms that you’ve never seen before - if you ever get lost, make sure you consult our MUNprep Vocabulary Database.

The MUNprep Vocabulary Database

So that you sound like a MUN pro at your next conference, make sure you check out our vocabulary database. Also, make sure you download our summary sheet for your conference binder so you always have the guide ready.

*Remember that some conferences might have specific vocabulary that they’ll use, so make sure you check your conference manual.

Model UN Conferences

So, how exactly does a conference work?

In general, you’ll represent a country, business, or person and will be tasked with solving a problem. You share your ideas, make arguments, and write working papers.

A conference will generally run for an entire weekend and will include a number of committee sessions. During these sessions, delegates will deliberate over a range of topics related to their committee, through these discussions you will find people to work with and will eventually write a resolution together. Your resolution will solve the problems that you deem the most important.

Students can get involved in Model UN as early as in Middle school and you can continue to participate all the way through University. While conferences tend to get more technical and more is expected as delegates get older, students can still start their Model UN journey at any level and catch up quickly.

Middle School Model UN

These conferences are focused on developing confidence in public speaking while also practising the fundamentals of Model UN. Middle School conferences will build a strong foundation for future Model UN experiences.

High school Model UN

High school Model UN is focused on developing creative problem-solving approaches and creating an interest in international affairs.

University Model UN

At this level, teams will be more focused on rankings and winning awards. Delegates will generally have a strong understanding of the basics of Model UN and the problem-solving process.

Starting MUN as a University student

 While it might feel intimidating to start your MUN journey as a University Student, there’s no need to worry! When you’re working through our curriculum, make sure that you pay a some extra attention to the procedural aspects as you’re getting started. Focus on :

• Points and Motions

• Resolution Writing

• Bloc Management - Coming Soon!

These articles should get you up to speed on some of the basics! Of course, practising with your team will always be the best way to accelerate your learning.

In any event, knowing the fundamentals will only help make your experience progress more smoothly. At the end of the day, a dais won’t give a delegate an award simply because they know when to use their points and motions correctly. It’s always far more important to stay involved in the committee room and suggesting creative solutions to your committee topics.

The United Nations

To be an effective Model UN delegate, it’s important to know some of the basics about the actual UN!

What does the UN do?

The UN is a global organization that works with governments to bring about a universal societal benefit. There are two UN headquarters – one in Geneva and one in New York. From these offices, the organization works to prevent the spread of disease, fight famines, and reduce the impacts of war on marginalized communities.

The UN has developed an innovative method of conflict resolution through open dialogue and mutual cooperation that works to dissuade states from resorting to violent means.

Is the UN successful?

So far, most states have taken advantage of the platform that the UN provides and the organization has been successful in accomplishing a number of very important goals. Despite this, the UN is also widely criticized – it is argued that the organization could be significantly more productive if it were not caught up in bureaucracy and politics.

Significant UN achievements

UN Failures

While its important to celebrate the successes and the ideology of the United Nations, it’s also important to remember that the organization has its own set of shortcomings. The UN has not always managed to employ the ideal problem-solving approach in every situation. However, from these failures you can learn about potential dangers that your own solutions might face.

• Inefficiency and bureaucracy: The organization's structure and procedures may hinder its ability to respond swiftly to global challenges.

• Lack of accountability: The UN has faced criticism for instances of misconduct and lack of accountability among its personnel.

• Limited enforcement power: The UN relies heavily on member states' willingness to comply with its decisions and resolutions.

• Political divisions and veto power: The veto power held by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) has led to political divisions and hindered decisive action on critical issues.

• Threats to State Sovereignty: This is a frequent concern for many smaller UN member bodies. State sovereignty refers to the ability of a country to govern itself without foreign interference. However, Peacekeeping missions or general UN involvement can be argued to violate this core principle.

Next Lesson

At this point, you know the most important essentials of Model UN! In the next lesson we will continue exploring the United Nations and understanding how the organization works.