From 8 to 11 June 2026, 42 young professionals from the NATO Field School and Simulation Programme participated in a four-day Negotiation, Mediation and Decision-Making Exercise (NMDX) conducted at the NATO Defense College (NDC).
The NMDX is a core component of the NDC’s Senior Course curriculum and tests senior military officials’ ability to navigate intricate geopolitical scenarios under NATO’s international crisis management framework.
The cohort of young professionals embarked on a similar journey with a modified scenario that introduced them to the complexities of multinational consensus-building and decision-making processes.
Participants received a briefing from Faculty Advisor Colonel John O. Birkeland and were guided throughout the exercise by senior mentors Mr Patrick Andrews, Mr Ted Whiteside and Colonel (Retired) Soren Knudsen, who all have extensive experience working within the NATO framework.
Rafe Murphy, a student from the University of Victoria who played the role of NATO Secretary General during the simulation exercise, stated that “the NMDX provided [him] with phenomenal insights into the negotiation and mediation processes behind NATO’s various political organs – while also offering a unique glance at the cooperative elements that underlie the Alliance’s forward-facing strategic communications. The NMDX is an undeniably powerful experience that has helped me develop various skills that I will carry with me well into the future.”
Daisy Mottershaw, a student in the dual degree programme between Sciences Po and the University of British Columbia, explained the simulation “sharpened [her] strategic thinking and mediation skills” and brought “unparalleled insights into how NATO navigates its most critical moments.” Prior to the NATO Field School’s visit to the NDC, the students visited Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Germany, where they gained valuable hands-on experience learning from experts in the political, diplomatic and military fields. The NMDX provided the students with many learning points before embarking on the next portion of their studies in Belgium, where they will be participating in the NATO Summit Simulation (NSX) at NATO Headquarters.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Mr Thomas Park, CAN C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN