Yesterday saw the conclusion of my seventh online ‘mini’ Model Arctic Council (MAC) for students at Trent University, as well as students from other universities and countries studying online with Trent through the UArctic Circumpolar Studies programme.

Like my previous mini-MACs, the online simulation was the capstone project of a course in Trent’s innovative online Circumpolar Studies Diploma programme: an updated version of what began as my own special course on the political geography of the Arctic.  My Trent colleague Prof Heather Nicol was the course instructor, and I’m grateful to her for inviting me to run the mini-MAC again.

In keeping with updates to the format made last year, the mini-MAC spanned two two-hour sessions separated by a week, rather than one three-hour session on one day.  A week’s break gives students time to reflect on their negotiations and think through obstacles, and the slightly longer duration gave me time to hold some teacherly ‘debriefing sessions’ with them.  It also allows students to come back to what are sometimes difficult negotiations feeling a bit more refreshed and ready to work together!

My online mini-MACs offer a course-based complement to my full, multi-day online and in-person MACs for universities and schools.  As always, I hope some of the students participating in the mini-MAC will be inspired to join me in person.