SIA students build international negotiation skills at annual crisis simulation

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For two days this past November, the rooms and halls of the Lewis Katz Building on Penn State’s University Park campus sounded like the chambers of the United Nations, with teams of diplomats gathered to resolve an international crisis. And while the tension and the drama felt real, the “crisis” at hand was—thankfully—just a simulation; the “diplomats” were graduate students at the Penn State School of International Affairs (SIA), participating in SIA’s annual exercise with the U.S. Army War College (USAWC).

Hands-on, experiential learning is a hallmark of the educational experience at SIA, and the crisis simulation exercise is the epitome of that approach.

SIA Professor and former two-time U.S. Ambassador Dennis Jett coordinates the simulation as a component of his core course on the foundations of diplomacy and international relations theory. The USAWC, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, manages the details of the simulation in the form of its International Strategic Crisis Negotiation Exercise (ISCNE), in which students are assigned roles as the diplomats of various nations and non-state actors involved in a real-world conflict.

“The Army War College simulation was such a rich experience for our students, for whom there will be lasting learning across the realms of negotiation, strategy, teamwork, diplomacy, and effective presentation,” said Dr. Mitchell Smith, director of SIA and professor of international affairs. “The School of International Affairs appreciates the skill with which the ISCNE team structured and guided the exercise as well as the work of Ambassador Dennis Jett in preparing our students. SIA students were a model of professionalism, pursuing their roles with creativity and seriousness of purpose. Having completed 13 years of the annual ISCNE, we in SIA are excited to continue our collaboration with the Army War College for years to come.”

With the involvement of military leadership from the USAWC and diplomatic expertise from Amb. Jett, the exercise gets as close to real-world scenarios as possible, while also providing students with an opportunity to build valuable skills and experiences.

“The simulation aims to provide an experiential learning environment where students get to apply things that they are learning in the classroom,” said Cliffy Zukowski, ISCNE program director at the USAWC. “Through the experience of doing multiple repetitions of strategizing, evaluating, and negotiating, participants refine their personal techniques and skills. Additionally, working in a team environment provides opportunities to engage with classmates to figure out the best strategies to employ.”

This year’s exercise simulated the “Six-Party Talks,” a real-world set of negotiations that lasted from 2003 to 2009 and sought to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea and bring relief to the Korean peoples. SIA students were divided into teams representing the six countries involved—China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Russia and the United States—and were given specific goals, which they attempted to achieve through intense negotiations over the course of the 48-hour simulation.

Each student was given a specific role within a team, and one student on each team was designated as the head delegate, whose responsibilities included speaking on behalf of the country and delegation during plenary sessions.

Savannah Gibson, a first-year master’s student at SIA who served as head delegate for the Russian Federation team, said that the emphasis on negotiation rather than simple compromise was a unique aspect of the ISCNE that “put it above” other simulation exercises such as Model UN. She added that she learned valuable lessons, including the importance of exhibiting confidence and standing firm in the face of heated discussions.

“I’m really excited to see how I might be able to apply what I’ve learned from this simulation to my future in the SIA program and to my career,” Gibson said.

Zachary Morrill, also a first-year master’s student at SIA, was designated as the head delegate for the United States. He said that the ad-hoc meetings with delegates from other countries were his favorite part of the exercise because it gave him the chance to practice real negotiation skills.

SIA provides an innovative education for the next generation of global leaders through its professional, hands-on, and interdisciplinary Master of International Affairs degree program. Its faculty includes internationally recognized scholars and seasoned former officials who focus on practical, experiential learning to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and global perspective to make a difference in the world. SIA graduates shape policies, drive innovation, and foster understanding across cultures. Learn more at sia.psu.edu.

Inside the Negotiation Rooms