Law Students Participate in EU Simulation
Well done to some of Griffith College Law students who participated in an EU Simulation of the European Council recently.
Our students were tasked with stepping into the shoes of heads of government or state and assigned roles for different challenges. Their first challenge? Crafting a position paper reflecting the views of their assigned political figure, even if those views clashed with their own.
The agenda for the council meeting was to decide on the President of the European Commission's nomination for the upcoming elections.
Despite numerous contenders, the Council ultimately rallied behind Ms. Ursula Von der Leyen, with Hungary being the sole dissenter. The Chair of the European Council decided there was such a consensus into the early forming of Ursula Von der Leyen, that the simulation should be expanded to include the nomination for two other positions, the High Representative and Vice President, and President of the European Council.
The learners were provided extra reading material on the evening of Day 1 to help prepare for the deliberations for Day 2. The organisers of the simulation felt that this added to the 'realness' of the simulation, to make the learners come up to speed in a short time very much like what the Councillors would have to do in real situations. It is noted that this group of participants held the character and astutely personified the 'game' that particular politicians are playing in the run-up to the elections.
Gywaimen, who was one of our students who participated said "Participating in the EU Simulation was a unique opportunity to learn in a fun and interactive environment. The virtual platform provided a realistic depiction of the European Council, and the opportunity to network and interact with learners from a different institution bolstered the international character of the exercise. I enjoyed the preparatory sessions and seminars, and the organisers were helpful and always accessible, providing all the information necessary for a fully rewarding experience. At the end of the simulation, I gained an improved understanding of the complexities involved in the processes of the EU, and the elements of entertainment provided by the virtual platform were crucial to my learning.
The experience was one of the highlights of my program at Griffith, and I encourage learners to take the opportunity to participate."
If you would like to learn more about this EU Simulation, please get in touch with Ruhi Anand at [email protected], the main organiser for the Griffith College Law Students.
