Josef Spence – Contributor 

There was great excitement among students in the Politics and International Studies Department at Bishop’s University last summer, as the United Nations Practicum was set to return for the 2025-26 academic year. The program allows students to prepare for and eventually take part in the National Model United Nations (NMUN), a week-long simulation held in March in New York City that partly takes place at the United Nations Headquarters. It also includes team-building and professional skill-building activities.

Photo courtesy of Savana Cianci

This program is part of a year-long course in the department, specifically under codes POL352 and POL354. It was temporarily suspended last year while the professor who normally teaches it was on sabbatical, but it resumed this year when they returned. Students are paired for the NMUN and work together throughout the program, not just during the simulations. Beyond the NMUN, students participate in a number of different simulations, including the Quebec Model United Nations (QMUN) and special UN simulations held jointly between the program at Bishop’s and a similar one at the Université de Sherbrooke. This year, the delegation from Bishops at the NMUN and QMUN will represent Norway. Through these simulations and the accompanying coaching, they improve their negotiation, diplomatic, research application and public speaking skills, climaxing in the week of NMUN. An important part of the work students do in the UN Practicum is fundraising for the transportation and registration costs associated with the simulations. The cost of the program this year is estimated at around $44,000, which the participating students must raise. They began their fundraising through activities at Homecoming, like fifty-fifty raffles, and will continue it throughout the year in various events and activities. This program has been described as very demanding but incredibly rewarding. 

There was much to-do about the return of the course in the department. The Politics and International Studies Association (PISA) held an event during the summer to help students familiarize themselves with and refine their applications for it. Students currently enrolled in the program have expressed their great appreciation for it, highlighting the unique opportunity to engage with political processes in a practical manner. Paige Robert, a student in the program, commented that this program is very exciting as it gives students the opportunity to participate in experiential learning in an official environment. Dr. Sarah-Myriam Martin-Brûlé, the professor who teaches the course and organizes the program, highlighted the many benefits of this program. She said, “Through the NMUN, students do not simply learn about diplomacy; they practice the art of dialogue, negotiation and collective problem-solving at an international level. It transforms abstract theories of power, cooperation and justice into lived experience, allowing students to develop both intellectual rigor and practical wisdom.” She said that the benefits are not just to the students in the program or even the department itself but to the whole Bishop’s community as it “spark[s] campus-wide discussions on ethics, global governance and civic responsibility” through its associated public lectures and its interdisciplinary reach. She also observed that “the NMUN enhances Bishop’s reputation as a small, liberal arts university that offers deeply personalized yet globally connected education.” 

The Model United Nations Practicum was awaited with great anticipation and was welcomed back with immense appreciation and excitement. Both students and faculty recognize the important role it plays in providing students with practical experience in negotiation and diplomacy and expanding the recognition of Bishop’s itself.