FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Model UN is a simulation of the UN. At these conferences, students will role-play as representatives of their countries, discuss international issues, and debate these problems and solutions in their respective committees. Simulation conferences have gained traction in Singapore, with new events such as the Model ASEAN and Model EU. Once a student is familiar with the basic features of a Model UN conference, he or she would be able to participate in other conferences in Singapore and around the world.

Model UN is an effective platform for students to gain a greater awareness of global issues. It provides a platform for students to practise critical thinking and develop a personal voice. Through these conferences, we hope that students will begin to have a personal stake in the various issues that the world is faced with. Nonetheless, there are also delegates who join Model UN for pragmatics reasons. Participation in Model UN is recognised by schools, universities, as well as scholarship boards as a beneficial co-curricular activity. Students who participated in PREPMUN have gone on to do extremely well in other conferences, and some have assumed leadership positions as heads of their current affairs, history, or Model UN clubs. These skills are anchored by the intrinsic benefits of participation: 1. Knowledge and skills from Model UN can be incorporated into school curriculum, including but not limited to the subjects of English, General Paper, History, Social Studies, and the Humanities; 2. Students expand their networks when they interact with peers from other schools; Skills – oratorical, research, writing and negotiation, communication, as well as inter-disciplinary enrichment – will be developed; and 3. There will also be a greater understanding of the UN and international issues, and more importantly how they influence socio-political affairs in Singapore.

Category A committees are for first-time Model UN participants; Category B committees are for delegates who have prior Model UN experience; Category C committees are our advanced and crisis committees.

PREPMUN is perfect for first-timers: both for schools and their students. Model UN conferences can seem intimidating, as participation has been limited to a small number of competitive schools. At PREPMUN, however, delegates are first sorted by their level of experience (i.e. if they have participated in a conference before). For students who do not have prior Model UN experience, they will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge on the first day in a constructive learning environment. This training programme run by the student officers sets them up well for the rest of the conference, and – more crucially – for future conferences.