In recent years, the Zhejiang University-University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Institute (ZJUI) has been deeply committed to nurturing interdisciplinary, innovative engineering students with a global perspective, strong creative capacity, and a profound sense of social responsibility. By consistently developing world-class international practice opportunities, the Institute empowers students to broaden their horizons and build core competencies in real-world global contexts. This program stands as a flagship embodiment of this ongoing mission: it delivers an invaluable opportunity for students to engage directly with the global stage, while further strengthening their global competence.
▲团队在万国宫合影
From January 24 to February 2, 2026, seven ZJUI undergraduate students traveled to the United Nations Office at Geneva for an exchange program. They were Song Junfeng, a Class of 2025 student in Electrical Engineering; Tang Xiyuan and Huang Yueyang, both Class of 2025 in Electronic and Computer Engineering; Liu Xinyan, a Class of 2024 student in Electrical Engineering; and Cao Jingcheng, Qian Yixuan, and Yang Shangke, all Class of 2024 in Mechanical Engineering. Through lectures, site visits, interactive discussions, and a Model United Nations simulation, students gained firsthand insight into the UN system and the workings of international organizations, while experiencing the dynamics of multilateral diplomacy up close.
▲项目开幕指导讲座
At the opening ceremony, Finn Carlson, Senior Program Officer of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), delivered a thematic address centered on the UN’s core mandates, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the critical role of youth in addressing global challenges. His session provided students with a robust foundational understanding of the UN system and the architecture of global governance, while laying a solid framework for the immersive visits and exchange activities that followed.
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The core practical component of the program was a Model United Nations (MUN) conference hosted in the official meeting chambers of the Palais des Nations, which emerged as the undisputed highlight of the visit. Representing more than a dozen UN member states, students rigorously followed official UN rules of procedure and diplomatic protocol, completing the full official conference cycle entirely in English: from delivering formal position statements and engaging in multilateral consultations and negotiations, to drafting official resolutions and participating in the final voting process. Throughout the session, ZJUI students showcased exceptional all-around capabilities and outstanding global competence, demonstrating a remarkable ability to navigate complex global issues from diverse national perspectives, articulate their assigned positions with precision, engage in constructive dialogue to build consensus, and adapt fluidly to dynamic, fast-paced discussions.
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Over the course of the program, students gained in-depth, first-hand access to UN-affiliated international organizations, top-tier academic institutions, and cutting-edge scientific innovation platforms, where they completed structured, immersive deep dives into critical global topics encompassing global health, humanitarian action, labor development, international rule-making, technological innovation, and sustainable development. This meticulously curated itinerary gave students fresh insight into the pivotal role of the UN and its affiliated bodies in building global consensus, driving forward multilateral cooperation, and strengthening the global governance system. It also instilled in students a profound understanding that global governance is not an abstract concept, but a tangible, real-world imperative deeply intertwined with human development, technological progress, and international collaboration. Through this immersive learning experience, students honed a comprehensive set of core competencies including communication, cross-cultural collaboration, critical issue analysis, and multilateral negotiation, while broadening their global perspective and deepening their capacity for meaningful global engagement.
This program at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) stands as a powerful embodiment of the Institute’s enduring commitment to its core mission: nurturing globally competent, future-ready engineering leaders. Moving forward, the Institute will continue to develop and expand world-class international learning platforms and opportunities, empowering students to contribute meaningfully to global governance and address the most pressing shared challenges facing our global community.
