Students become international diplomats for the day
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Bath Spa students become international diplomats for the day
Thursday, 14 May, 2026Student success
Three Bath Spa University Politics students recently experienced what it would be like to work as an international diplomat for the day.
Oscar Gordon, a third year BA (Hons) Sociology and Politics student, Hassan Chohan and Diogo Gajardoni-Fadel, both second year BA (Hons) International Relations and Politics students, represented Bath Spa as “Lithuania” at the seventh annual British International Studies Association (BISA) Model NATO event on 25 February 2026.
Approximately 100 students from 32 universities across the UK, Canada and France participated in the event, held at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Westminster. Each university represented a different NATO member state delegation, tasked with negotiating a set of actions in response to a massive crisis event centred on Europe.
It was the fourth time that Bath Spa University has taken part in the prestigious event organised by BISA, an organisation which is a prominent voice in International Studies.
The 2026 event began with a welcome from Juliet Dryden (BISA CEO/Director) and Professor Mark Webber (University of Birmingham and Model NATO Academic Lead), followed by a virtual talk from UK Ambassador to NATO, Angus Lapsley, and Deputy UK Ambassador to NATO, Ingrid Southworth. They gave students some top tips on negotiation skills, and how to get the most from the day.
Members of the FCDO Office acted as the ‘home government,’ and were on hand to offer advice and instructions. The scenario provided students with the unique experience of navigating a humanitarian crisis through NATO’s institutional and committee structures.
Tough decisions had to be made under strenuous, high-pressure circumstances. Acting as experienced diplomats, the students had to work together to come to a mutually agreed declaration.
Dr Rupert Alcock, Course Leader, Undergraduate Politics:
“This unique opportunity for active learning is transformative for participants, inspiring many to embark on projects and careers in diplomacy, government, NGOs, and the military. Bath Spa was honoured to be a part of this unique experience, which saw bright and enquiring minds from around the country gathered to learn about everything from how NATO committees work and respond and natural disasters, to its history and military specialisms. All in all, it was an incredible day of academic collaboration and one we hope will continue in the years to come.""
Oscar Gordon, Sociology and Politics student, summed up the challenge:
"Model NATO was really exciting, the building was absolutely breathtaking. We all came to consensus by the end of the day and achieved realistic goals. Speaking in front of 150+ people at the end to go against the majority in the room was certainly a fun moment! Lithuania actually held its own pretty well.
In the beginning, there were a lot of debates over sentence semantics, but we collectively moved on faster through the day and learnt a great deal about the decision-making process of a large international institution like NATO.”
Hassan Chohan, Politics and International Relations student, reflected after the event:
“It went really well, the FCDO building is stunning, what a place to be in! We couldn't reach agreement in the Military Committee regarding the Suwalki Gap and troop deployment for a training exercise, but Oscar ensured that Lithuania's interests were protected in the North Atlantic Council and no training exercises took place in the area.”
Model NATO is one of several national simulation events that Bath Spa Politics students regularly have the opportunity to participate in. For example, four Politics students attended BISA’s fifth annual climate negotiation simulation in December 2025, hosted at Chatham House, London. This year’s climate event was the largest yet, with almost 120 participants from over 30 UK universities, and from Chatham House’s Common Futures Conversations, part of The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership and the Next Generation.
To find out more about studying for a humanities degree at Bath Spa University, visit the School of Writing, Publishing and the Humanities section of our website.