If the COVID-19 pandemic prevents an in-person meeting, we will move the program to an online format.

The Model Arctic Council is an experiential learning exercise in which graduate and advanced undergraduate students from various disciplines and universities across the Arctic region (and beyond) simulate the work of the Arctic Council. The Council is the primary forum for international cooperation, environmental protection, and sustainable development in the Arctic. In the simulation, each student will represent one of the eight Arctic Council Member States or six Permanent Participants in meetings of the Working Groups, Senior Arctic Officials (SAO), and/or Ministers.

The MAC simulates international negotiation on pressing challenges the Arctic region and its inhabitants face. Participants develop an understanding of the interplay among science, politics,
economics, and culture through role-playing, practice, and interaction. The program prepares participants to engage in decision-making processes and to exercise leadership and diplomacy skills in the Arctic, emphasizing active listening, communication, and public speaking.

The UArctic MAC’s schedule aligns with at least one scheduled meeting of real-world Arctic Council delegations in the host country. As of now, the 2022 MAC is aligned to coincide with the Arkhangelsk meeting of the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials (SAOs) on March 23-24, 2022.

Theme: In the MAC 2022 simulation, we aim to focus on three projects: the Arctic Contaminants Action Program’s (ACAP’s) Arctic Green Shipping; the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme’s (AMAP’s) Arctic Marine Microplastics and Litter; and the Sustainable Development Working Group’s (SDWG’s) Arctic Community Perspectives on COVID-19 and Public Health: A Multi-Site Case Study.

Eligibility and Preparation: Advanced undergraduates and graduate students at any university, but especially those at universities located in or with a focus on the circumpolar North, are eligible to apply. Academic study or experience related to the region is recommended. Students will prepare for their participation independently by examining the basic documents of the Arctic Council and its working groups (e.g., Declarations of Ministerial meetings; Vision for the Arctic 2013), and through courses and extra-curricular programs at their home universities. Program organizers will assign roles; applicant preferences will be accommodated when possible. Each participant must also carefully examine the policies, strategies, agendas, and statements of their assigned actor in the simulation.

Hosts: Under the direction of Marina Kalinina, the Northern Arctic Federal University (NArFU) will host the Model Arctic Council. Russia has included the program as part of its Arctic Council chairmanship (2021-2023). The event is organized by the UArctic Model Arctic Council Thematic Network, which is led by Brandon Boylan and Tyler Kirk at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and Melody Brown Burkins at Dartmouth College.

Funding: The Northern Arctic Federal University (NArFU) will cover on-site costs in Arkhangelsk, including shared accommodation, local transportation, and some meals. Students are responsible for obtaining funding for their transportation to/from Arkhangelsk, visas (if necessary), as well as some meals. We encourage applicants to seek funding through their universities’ administrations or countries’ foreign affairs ministries, or organizations/institutions working on the Arctic affairs. If the pandemic prevents an in-person meeting, we will shift the program to an online format.

Apply! Acceptance is competitive. Please visit www.uaf.edu/mac for more information and to submit an application. Applications are due by Friday, November 5, 2021. Students will be notified of their acceptance by Friday, December 3, 2021.