There has come a time in each of our academic careers when we first heard the legends about the two most infamous academic varsities in the school: MUN and Debate. The bolder, more curious, or more bored ones among us endeavored to join them, only to find themselves facing a dilemma that they hadn’t anticipated: what’s the difference between them? They have similar concepts and associations, and most people can only offer you a few vague descriptions of them. So, for all the people facing this conundrum, this is the definitive guide to Debate and MUN, and how to decide which one to join.
First, what exactly are they? MUN, short for Model United Nations, is a simulation of United Nations conferences. Students “roleplay” as delegates (ambassadors) of countries and work with each other to find solutions to global issues such as human trafficking and inequitable education. Conferences (MUN competitions) are divided into UN committees like the General Assembly and the Security Council. The exact rules of procedure of a conference can vary based on the chosen format of the conference—such as Harvard (HMUN) or Hague International (THIMUN)—and the choices of the organizing committee, but it usually follows this format: Before conferences, students must research about their topic and country assignment. The HMUN format requires delegates to write a position paper about their past actions and proposed solutions, while the THIMUN format does not necessitate this, but allows you to write resolution papers in advance. During conferences, the students have to make their ideas known, find allies, and create resolution papers, which describe the solutions they came up with. The resolution is then debated and voted upon. If you pass great papers and display diplomacy, ingenuity, and excellent speaking skills, you have a good chance of winning an award.
Debate competitions, on the other hand, vary depending on the format. In British and Asian Parliamentary, the most common formats, motions—the topics that the debate will be about—are given 15 to 30 minutes before the start of the actual round. Motions can be about anything, from current events to culture to economics. There are four teams and eight speeches in British Parliamentary, while there are two teams and six speeches in Asian Parliamentary. In both formats, each speech is seven minutes long. After several rounds—the exact number can vary—the teams that win enough points move on to elimination rounds, and from there, the last team standing is the winner.
Now that we know what goes on in each of them, we can finally look into which one would suit you best. MUN would be the obvious choice if you are interested in diplomacy, international relations, or other countries in general. MUN is far more research-heavy than Debate because it prioritizes the depth of your understanding about a certain issue over the breadth of your general knowledge. Similarly, MUN papers are highly structured and academic, reflecting the specific formats and technicalities seen in actual United Nations resolutions. However, not everything in MUN is controlled and predictable; there are many times when delegates must make one-minute impromptu speeches. It requires more networking and negotiation skills since you need to form alliances and mediate disagreements, but you also must have the firmness to get your point across and not be ignored. Diplomacy is also an extremely important foundation of the varsity. The use of appropriate language, respect towards other countries and cultures, and the willingness to listen and tactfully reply to opposing ideas are all carefully monitored by the chairs and could make or break the chances of you winning.
Debate, however, is ideal for students who enjoy good old-fashioned intellectual arguments without the structure and politics involved in MUN. Debaters tend to be more aggressive and straightforward than MUN delegates because they do not have to abide by the principles of diplomacy, and often don’t hesitate to be brutally honest with their criticism (but they still shouldn’t be rude or degrading to their opponents). Debate does not need lengthy pre-competition preparation, but it entails having as much prior knowledge as possible and being able to write your arguments quickly because, as mentioned above, you only have a short amount of time to prepare. However, you don’t need to write an entire seven-minute speech in that short time; an awful lot of debate is unscripted and relies on expounding more on your points even if you haven’t finished writing everything you want to say. One of the main differences between MUN and Debate is that it is impossible to fade into the background in Debate; you are required to speak, as opposed to MUN, where it’s all too easy to become a silent delegate and fail to make your presence known.
On the whole, these two varsities are somehow remarkably similar, yet have some striking differences that many people only discover after joining them. If one of them spoke to you, don’t hesitate to apply as soon as application season rolls around; they’re both great ways to develop new skills and have a rather outrageous amount of fun (and get a helpful grade incentive). If you’re still undecided, I suggest you speak with someone who is in one or both of the varsities to see their take on the issue. At the end of the day, it’s your decision, and—whether it’s right or wrong—it will undoubtedly be an incredible experience with plenty of opportunities for learning, amusement, and improvement.
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