Spearheaded by Dr Gavin Hall
Students recently took part in an event designed to replicate a meeting of NATO’s North Atlantic Council and Military Committee, focusing on institutional procedures and planning linked to Exercise Steadfast Defender 2027.
The simulation provided participants with an opportunity to experience how international decision-making works in practice and to better understand the complexities of reaching agreement within large multilateral organisations such as NATO. Simulation events like Model NATO are widely recognised as a valuable form of active learning, offering insights that are difficult to replicate in a traditional classroom environment.
After the event, Anna Khazova reflected that it helped deepen her understanding of NATO and the way consensus-based institutions function, as well as the diplomatic challenges involved in achieving agreement – or avoiding disagreement.
While the University of Strathclyde has taken part in this event for several years, this year’s participation forms part of a broader initiative within the Department of Government and Public Policy to strengthen active learning opportunities for students, led by Dr Gavin Hall.
Earlier in December, four Honours students – Harry Clarke, Megan Young, Robert Johnston, and Andrew Sillars (pictured below) – also attended a climate negotiation simulation at Chatham House in London. Representing Venezuela and Kazakhstan, the students explored international diplomacy in practice while developing their negotiation and policy skills.
Megan Young observed that:
"The COP30 climate conference simulation was an incredible experience, fully immersive, realistic, and supported by knowledgeable advisors.
"I felt empowered to take initiative and engage independently, while also benefiting from guidance that made each moment into a learning opportunity rather than just observation. Overall, it felt that this simulation served as a meaningful stepping stone for students who may one day pursue this work as a career."
Reflecting on the value of these experiences, Dr Hall states that:
"Opportunities such as the climate simulation and Model NATO organised by BISA provide a valuable framework for students to engage with material, and skills, learnt through their courses at Strathclyde, and apply them to real-world situations. The experience of being able to conduct negotiations in venues like the Locarno room and Chatham House, where many global titans have done just that, is an opportunity that is hard to replicate in classroom-based simulations. "Without the support of the Department, and the University, it would not be possible to provide such a rich learning opportunity for our Honours students."
