Planning an MUN Conference

Establishing a clear chain of command and explicit division of labor early prevents operational bottlenecks and ensures accountability.

1. Create a Google Drive for all documents & forms
   • Set up folders by department: governance, academics, finance, logistics, media, outreach.
   • Store every form, template, and draft here so there is a single source of truth.
   • Set edit vs. view permissions deliberately, and keep sensitive delegate data in a restricted subfolder.
2. Recruit the team
   • Do this through your networks (individual invites) for trusted, hard-to-fill roles.
   • Or open a sign-up/application form (coming soon) for transparent, open recruitment.
   • Write a one-paragraph brief for each role before inviting anyone, so expectations are explicit.
3. Appoint core executive leadership (SMT)
   • Secretary-General (SG): The ultimate executive authority. Oversees external relations, finalizes legal/financial agreements, and acts as the public face of the conference.
   • Deputy Secretary-General (DSG): The operational engine. Manages internal team deadlines, coordinates across departments, and steps in for the SG when necessary.
   • Parliamentarian(s): The constitutional anchor. Drafts or adapts the Rules of Procedure (RoP), runs pre-conference training workshops, and acts as final arbiter on procedural disputes.
4. Appoint department heads
   • Head of Academics: Directs intellectual integrity. Vets committee topics, manages chair recruitment/selection, and edits all study guides.
   • Head of Logistics & Operations: Controls physical and digital spatial flows. Manages room bookings, catering, signage, and digital platform configuration.
   • Head of Finance: Protects fiscal integrity. Manages the bank account and transfer tracking, drafts the master budget, enforces reimbursement policy, and oversees scholarships.
   • Head of Media: Directs the visual brand. Coordinates design assets, promotional shoots, website updates, and the live-media team.
   • Head of Outreach: Drives delegate acquisition. Manages school delegation relationships, coordinates with Faculty Advisors, and leads local sponsorship campaigns.
5. Appoint an Advisor / Adult Liaison
   • The critical safeguarding bridge between the student committee and the institution.
   • Ensures compliance with school policies, child protection laws, and legal liability requirements.

Your brand should be cohesive, distinct, and intentionally designed to attract both delegates and corporate partners.

1. Decide on a name
   • Brainstorm a shortlist, then say each one out loud — it will be read aloud constantly.
   • Check local registry records for legal clashes.
   • Check social media handles and domain availability before committing.
2. Decide on a logo type
   • Do inspo finding: collect reference marks from other conferences and brands you admire.
   • Pick a direction: wordmark, emblem/crest, or hybrid.
   • Choose something that stays legible shrunk down to an ID badge.
3. Decide on 3–4 colors
   • Lock a strict scheme of 3–4 colors maximum.
   • Record the hex codes in a brand file in the Drive so every department uses the same values.
   • Check contrast so text stays readable on both light and dark backgrounds.
4. Decide on a mission and theme
   • Define a core philanthropic or progressive mission (e.g., a non-profit structure donating proceeds to a partner cause).
   • Wrap committee topics around one overarching theme.
   • Prioritize current, highly nuanced global issues over stale, recycled prompts.
5. Create the logo
   • Use a logo maker, AI (e.g. ChatGPT), or draw/design it yourself in Canva or Adobe Illustrator.
   • Export a vector version (SVG or PDF) plus transparent PNGs for digital use.
   • Test it on a placard, certificate, and ID badge mock-up before signing off.

Before a single pitch is made, the operational framework must be mathematically sound.

1. Determine capacities
   • Calculate strict delegate-to-chair ratios.
   • Calculate delegate-to-room capacities for each committee space.
   • Cross-check totals against the host institution's safeguarding ratio (e.g., 1 adult advisor per 2 committees, or 1:15).
2. Draft financial tiering
   • Set a dual-tiered pricing structure: Early Bird vs. Regular.
   • Earmark a line-item allocation for needs-based scholarship funds to combat economic gatekeeping.
   • Decide refund and deadline rules before pricing goes public.
3. Build the master budget
   • Fixed costs: website domains, software licenses, merchandise minimums.
   • Variable costs: catering per head, individual delegate packs, printed certificates.
   • Add a contingency buffer for under-subscription and last-minute costs.

Securing formal venue approval requires transforming your ideas into a data-driven business proposal for school leadership.

The Pitch Deck Structure

1. Executive summary & mission
   • State what makes this conference distinct (e.g., tech-forward, philanthropic focus).
   • Open with the outcome for the school, not the logistics.
2. Operational footprint
   • List precise room requirements: General Assembly hall, committee rooms, sensory/quiet breakout rooms.
   • Include dates, setup/teardown windows, and daily timings.
3. Resource requirements
   • Name required school staff: facilities, IT support, security.
   • Specify tech infrastructure: Wi-Fi capacity, projectors, sound, power.
4. Risk management & safeguarding
   • Set out data privacy compliance protocols.
   • Set out student safety, supervision, and emergency procedures.
5. Financial viability
   • Show a transparent breakdown of how ticket sales offset school operational costs.
   • Include a worst-case scenario at reduced registration numbers.

Build a public presence while ensuring absolute legal safety behind the scenes.

1. Create an Instagram
   • Secure a handle that matches the conference name.
   • Post a brand launch: logo, theme, and key dates.
   • Use it as the primary channel for delegate and chair recruitment.
2. Set up a MyMUN page with links to official forms
   • List conference details: dates, location, committees, fees.
   • Link every official form — interest, delegate, chair, and advisor.
   • Keep it updated as deadlines shift, since delegates discover conferences here.
3. Set up a website with basic info and contacts
   • Use a free website maker like Google Sites for the fastest route.
   • Or build it with AI coding software (e.g. Cursor) and host on Vercel.
   • Include at minimum: about, dates, committees, contact email, and form links.
4. Publish the registration of interest form
   • Start from the registration of interest form template (Google Forms).
   • Share it across Instagram, MyMUN, and your website.
   • Use the responses to gauge demand before full sign-up opens.
5. Lock down data privacy & compliance
   • Ensure all digital intake platforms comply with local data protection laws (e.g., PDPA).
   • Appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to audit form settings.
   • Rule: Never expose delegate emails or dietary requirements publicly via un-blinded allocation matrices or non-BCC emails.

Prevent "Wikipedia diplomacy" by enforcing rigorous standards early.

1. Create committees, topics, and allocations
   • Choose the committee slate, balancing beginner-friendly and advanced rooms.
   • Assign topics, pairing countries and topics intentionally to maximize meaningful policy clashes.
   • Build the country allocation matrix, avoiding rapid, low-friction consensus loops.
2. Check close conference themes and avoid clash
   • Review nearby or concurrent MUNs and their published topics.
   • Adjust any topic that overlaps heavily so your conference stays distinct.
3. Review UN committees and members for accuracy
   • Verify official committee structures and mandates against UN sources.
   • Verify membership lists — especially rotating seats — before locking allocations.
   • Fix inaccuracies before study guides are written, not after.
4. Standardize background guide templates
   • Require historical context, critical questions to consider, and robust resource links.
   • Include a Fiscal Realism section requiring delegates to calculate budget lines for proposed resolutions.
   • Subject every guide to Secretariat review before release.
5. Publish position paper rubrics & templates
   • Create one unified rubric so grading is consistent across committees.
   • Distribute grading metrics transparently, well before submission deadlines.

Streamline data intake while protecting privacy and user experience.

1. Set up the delegation/school registration phase
   • Register schools and delegation sizes first, before individual delegates.
   • Capture the Faculty Advisor as the single point of contact per school.
2. Set up the individual delegate data intake phase
   • Open this only after the delegation is confirmed, so numbers stay controlled.
   • Link each delegate record back to its school delegation.
3. Duplicate the delegate sign-up form template
   • Make a copy of the delegate sign-up form template (Google Forms).
   • Adapt the fields and privacy wording for your conference and local law.
4. Publish the chair application form
   • Use the chair application form template (Google Forms).
   • Collect experience, committee preferences, and availability.
   • Score applications against published, merit-based criteria.
5. Publish the advisor sign-up form
   • Use the advisor sign-up form template (Google Forms).
   • Collect school contacts, chaperone details, and safeguarding information.
6. Collect the critical fields
   • Full legal name & preferred name.
   • School & experience level (number of past conferences).
   • Committee & country preference matrix (top 3 choices).
   • Critical medical/dietary accommodations.
   • Explicit data retention and media release consent toggles — opt-in, never pre-ticked.
   • Parental/guardian consent form (required for minors; collected alongside payment in Step 9).

Leverage your community and mission to secure financial and logistical backing.

1. Build the sponsorship prospectus
   • Design a sleek corporate deck, not a letter.
   • Define tiered sponsor levels (e.g., Bronze, Silver, Gold).
   • Attach clear, trackable ROI deliverables to each tier: logo placement on placards, opening ceremony keynote slots, branded merchandise.
2. Target sponsors strategically
   • Approach local enterprises, healthcare providers, and educational institutions whose CSR targets align with your philanthropic mission.
   • Use alumni networks and institutional connections wisely — a warm introduction beats a cold email.
   • Track every approach and follow-up in a shared sheet in the Drive.

Eliminate accounting friction and processing errors.

1. Set up an integrated payment platform
   • Use a secure third-party ticketing portal (e.g., Eventbrite) for digital card processing, if local regulations allow.
   • Confirm who legally holds the funds before taking a single payment.
2. Configure the direct bank transfer workflow
   • Build an automated or tightly managed submission workflow.
   • Require delegates to upload a clear proof-of-transfer receipt.
   • Store receipts in a secure, restricted-access ledger.
3. Require parental/guardian consent forms
   • Collect a signed form alongside every payment submission.
   • Cover participation authorization, emergency contact details, medical disclosure, and acknowledgement of the Code of Conduct.
4. Gate allocation unlock
   • Do not unlock a delegate allocation until both payment and a verified consent form are on file.
   • Store submissions in a restricted-access folder audited by the DPO and Advisor/Liaison.

Turn capital into physical and digital assets once funding is secured.

1. Order customizable materials in bulk
   • Lanyards, ID badges, and country placards.
   • Order in bulk to hit supplier minimums and cut per-unit cost.
   • Proof every printed item against the brand file before the full run.
2. Deploy a secure digital note-passing system
   • Ditch physical paper notepads to minimize environmental and fiscal waste.
   • Use an InterMUN-style platform or a custom digital dashboard.
   • Test it under full committee load before conference day.
3. Source accessibility assets
   • Use universal fonts for printed materials to assist dyslexic delegates.
   • Equip sensory breakout spaces with fidget tools and noise-canceling headsets.

Keep stakeholders informed and lower operational anxiety through structured communication phases.

1. Send the allocation dispatch
   • Email each delegate individually with their assigned committee and country.
   • Include a direct access link to their specific background guide.
   • Never send these as a single non-BCC email.
2. Distribute the resource bundle
   • Delegate Handbook.
   • Official Rules of Procedure (RoP).
   • Finalized schedule.
   • Direct portal link for position paper submissions.
3. Host the pre-conference briefing
   • Make a digital briefing or workshop mandatory.
   • Run through the Code of Conduct.
   • Cover foundational MUN mechanics for first-time delegates.

Ensure the visual components of the live conference match the academic quality.

1. Print country placards
   • High-visibility and double-sided, so they read from the dais and the floor.
   • Print spares for late allocation changes.
2. Design certificates and ID cards
   • Clean, official, forgery-resistant certificates of participation and awards.
   • ID cards that define conference roles at a glance: Delegate, Chair, Secretariat, Faculty.
   • Proofread every name before printing.
3. Produce ceremonial slide decks
   • Draft high-energy Opening and Closing Ceremony decks.
   • Embed sponsor reels and keynote introduction slides.
   • Add dynamic multimedia, and test playback on the venue hardware.
4. Standardize the chair master presentation template
   • One template used across all committee rooms.
   • Unified visual tracking for timers, speaker lists, and procedural rules.