About
Simulation - Innovation - Action
The SIMUVACTION project is organized under the auspices of France-Atlanta. It is an opportunity for 40 university students from across the world to actively engage, practice, and contribute to the ethical development of AI. Students, coming from different fields, universities, backgrounds, and countries will train for 6-8 weeks through a common course in which they will receive the support of professional partners.
Would you like to experience being a Head of State, Journalist, or Lobbyist? Do you want to see how YOU can impact negotiations? Would you like to draft an international level recommendation on important policy? If so, join us for this exercise replicating a meeting of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence’s (GPAI), be ready to truly invest in your role and stand for the position of your stakeholders !
After attending Zoom conferences, preparing the roles they are assigned, the students will meet in-person in Atlanta for two days of training on negotiation and the D-DAY! they have to advance the position of the entity they represent and to successfully create an agreement that illustrates the interest of all parties involved.
On the agenda for the :
AI, Climate Resilience and Health Disparities on a Global Stage.
More specifically, students will write, debate, and vote on one of the most challenging AI quandaries: How can we ensure that AI, designed to help address health inequities does not, in fact, increase such disparities?
The project fuses young minds - especially GRADUATE STUDENTS - the world of academia, the private and non-profit sectors, as well as the community organizations engaged in issues of health disparity. It provides an opportunity for all actors to meet, discuss, and act around a common goal and project.
Timeline
In enrolling for this program, students must accept the role they are assigned, attend the conferences and the virtual/in-person events, and turn in the assignments on time, as a preliminary condition for receiving the certificate of attendance/ to valid the exercise as an independent study course
Stage 1 - Zoom Conferences from 12 pm to 2 pm EST/ 18.00 to 20.00 CET
Stage 2 - Role assignment - teams of 2 students - play roles and prepare for D-day (research their assigned positions and roles, attend Zoom meetings, post on social media, write a position paper
Stage 3 - 4 days in Atlanta, Georgia, US - In-person attendance is mandatory.
WHAT IS the PROGRAM during STAGE 3?
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Arrival for International Students in Atlanta - Before/ On March 16
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March 17 (9-1 p.m.): First session of Negotiation exercises
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March 18 (9-1 pm): Second Session of Negotiation exercises
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March 19 (8.30 am to 6. pm): the ACTION-DAY!
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Flight back for the International Students
Possibility to combine it with the Healthcare Ethics Conference Annual Conference on March 13 and 14 - "Limits, Inclusion, and Resilience: The Ethics of Caring."
REGISTRATION open from September 15 to December 20.
To proceed, you must be selected by the professors of one of the Partners University.
Objectives & Benefits:
CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM
The Simuvaction exercise is conceived as a way to create an “ECOSYSTEM” through multi-layered objectives - from active learning to international thinking - with stakeholder representatives coming to an accord on common interests regarding Digital Matters applied to Health Care.
A way for STUDENTS to practice "ACTIVE LEARNING"
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fills the gap between their studies and the professional world
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offers them an opportunity to discover themselves, out of their comfort zone, on a professional stage
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enhances the links between knowledge, know-how, and interpersonal skills, through multi-disciplinary teamwork
A way to consider COLLABORATION between ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
Through the preparation and the simulation game, collaboration between different academic partners is under way. We hope that the simulation will be a great milestone in strengthening and expanding such partnerships in Higher Education.
A way to ENGAGE with COMMUNITIES
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It strengthens connections between academic, economic, institutional, and non-profit actors
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It provides an opportunity to work through the different facets of an issue by participating in conferences with experts in the field, by creating contacts with the Consulates of the represented delegation, and by coaching from lobbyists-teams with businesses, associations, and NGOs
A way to DEVELOP INTERNATIONAL THINKING
The project aims to reflect the “THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY,” motto. We consider that “local problems have global connections and implications, and these problems cannot be solved by individuals in a single country” (see NAIR Indira, WHITEHEAD Michele, Models of Global Learning, 2017, v).
Thinking globally requires both a sense of identification and enhanced creativity in problem-solving to truly think and engage in global problems.
Sponsors
OPPORTUNITIES for SPONSORS
As Sponsors, you have the opportunity to share your expertise, make an impact on our students, and shape the world of tomorrow. This partnership could be through your organization:
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LEADING a two-hour conference on the topic
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COACHING two of our students by advising them on how to best represent your position in negotiations on AI and health disparities
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SUPPORTING the recipients of the communication awards by welcoming the two top students for an internship in your organization
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HELPING the preparation of the event through logistic supports
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SPONSORING the event to financially support this groundbreaking educational program
BENEFITS for PARTNERS/SPONSORS
This project allows our partners to:
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PARTICIPATE in a pioneering and innovative international event that has received a prestigious national award from the French Ministry of Higher Education
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RECEIVE organizational and corporate RECOGNITION
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EXPAND your business strategies by engaging with international stakeholders
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Join our global partners “HALL of FAME” which includes groups such as Airbus Defense and Space Industries or Michelin
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SUPPORT an INCLUSIVE PROJECT with a wide range of academic partners from the US, Canada, and Europe
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STRENGTHEN your commitment and social responsibility by investing your efforts in a new generation of globally-connected and innovative students
FOLLOW US
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Which Universities are Partners to the program (Academic Partners)?Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, The University of Montreal, The University of Florence, The University of Leiden, The University of Nantes, The University of Birmingham, The University of Semmelweis, The University of Kohln
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What are the expectations?The main expectation is for you to be committed! Once enrolled, getting the certificate of attendance and/or the credits from your university just depends on your commitment ! Your team partner will also rely on you, as well as all the stakeholders, Businesses, Academic Institutions, Diplomatic Offices, Community Organizations, and NGOs who are mobilized and who want to support you throughout this program… Don’t spoil your chance!
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What assignments should I expect?There are multiple assignments throughout the process set up to help the students prepare for the simulation and ready to get the most of it ! More to learn about in the “presentation – students” document. And should you have any further questions, please contact the responsible faculty member at your University.
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What do the coaching exercises entail within the project?The coaching within the project offers the possibility to students to meet with professionals and experts in the field to receive real-life coaching and help regarding the issues they will have to treat in the simulation and the position they should hold based on the entity they represent (example: journalist or lobbyist).
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Is it conceived as a course?It all depends on the University partner. Some Universities may have conceived it as an extracurricular activity and therefore, the students would get a “certificate of attendance” if they achieve all the requirements. Other universities may have conceived it as an “independent course study”, which means that the initiative is beared by the student who should discuss with the Faculty/professor the possibility to get the exercise recognized as an independent course study and thus get credits for it.
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How does Enrollment work?Enrollment is open to students of the partner universities and will work at the discretion of the responsible members at that particular university.
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Are there awards for this project?Yes. Two prices should be awarded as a one month internship in one partner organization to the program. Students will be selected by their peers through a vote at the end of the simulation. The two prices winners are celebrated as the “most influential” and the “best communicator” students.
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If I were to participate, how much would I have to pay?Participating students should only have to pay for their food (except on Nov 1) as there are no tuition fees attached to the program.
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Is it open to all students?Only the students of the Partner Universities can take part in the program and preferably graduate students.
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What are the requirements involved to obtain the certificate of attendance?1 – Students must prepare and attend all the conferences organized between 12 PM and 2 PM EST (6 PM and 8 PM CET) between the 15th of September and 15th of October. 2 – Students must accept to play the role assigned to them in teams of 2 and prepare a position paper (due on Oct 31) for which you will receive further information once you are admitted to the program. 3 – Students must be committed to come and attend the full simulation on November 1st and to turn in a diary of their own experience of their time in the program.
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Upon completion of the program, How will I receive the Certificate of Attendance?The certificate of attendance will be delivered during the second week of December when all the results will be published.
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What if I have zero experience in negotiation?This project is open to anyone no matter their prior negotiation skills. In reality, everyone negotiates everyday whether it is with family and friends or even at work. Throughout the project, you will be able to practice and learn about negotiation via team building exercises that will enhance your creativity and force you a little bit out of your comfort zone to help you dive into the character of the entity you will represent.
MEDIA
From 2015 Students from Nantes University participated in a European Council simulation
In 2017, the Program won the "Passion on Teaching in Higher Education" from the French Ministry of Higher Education, Innovation and Research - the PRIX PEPS
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For more information on the 2018 simulation on "Bioethics and Regenerative Medicine":
For more information on the 2022 simuvaction on AI,
Pictures Credit: Jack Wang, Alexandra Blank, Samuel Sanchez
Contacts
Interested Students
Dr. Anne-Elisabeth Courrier
Visiting Fellow at the Center for Ethics,
Emory University,
Associate Professor in Public Law,
Political Sciences and Law Department
Nantes University
Potential Sponsors
Natasha Lebowitz
Director of Development
Emory University Center for Ethics
Dr. Anne-Elisabeth Courrier
Visiting Fellow at the Center for Ethics, Emory University
Associate Professor in Public Law,
Political Sciences and Law department, Nantes University