Students of the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations programme participated in a Model SAARC Summit, gaining practical experience in regional diplomacy, negotiation and multilateral cooperation through an immersive simulation of a South Asian regional summit.

The activity provided students with an opportunity to apply concepts and theories studied in the classroom to a simulated diplomatic setting. Taking on the roles of South Asian diplomats, students engaged in discussions and negotiations on regional issues and explored the processes involved in reaching agreements among countries with different national interests.

Through debates, resolution drafting and negotiations, students developed practical skills in consensus-building, strategic communication, negotiation and conflict resolution. The simulation also encouraged students to consider regional challenges from different national and international perspectives and to understand the importance of dialogue and cooperation in addressing shared concerns.

The Model SAARC Summit strengthened students’ understanding of South Asian regional relations and multilateral diplomacy, while providing a practical platform to develop skills relevant to their future academic and professional careers.

The activity contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing experiential learning that connects academic knowledge with practical diplomatic skills. It supports SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) through its focus on dialogue, negotiation, conflict resolution, institutional processes and peaceful approaches to addressing regional challenges. The activity also aligns with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by promoting multilateral cooperation, consensus-building and collaborative approaches to addressing shared regional issues.