Model International Criminal Court (2025) - MICC University – Krzyzowa, Poland

The working language of every simulation is English, and every session comprises sets of trainings, discussions, and workshops with a simulation of the ICC process – preparation, trial, and verdict. Bringing in students from all around the globe, MICC fosters intercultural dialogue and understanding among students of various national and social backgrounds. The goal of this work is to encourage students to study human rights and humanitarian law. MICC program encompasses three projects: MICC School, MICC World, and MICC University.

MICC University

Since 2006, MICC University has annually invited university students from all over the world. MICC University simulates a fictional case dealing with the current dilemmas of international criminal law.

The aim and idea are to promote knowledge about humanitarian law and human rights protection on a university level, especially in those countries where international law is an underrepresented or non-existent part of university curricula.

The core of the project is the simulation itself. For five days, students get the opportunity to learn, train and discuss the issues surrounding the case at hand with professors, trainers, and other professionals in the field. All this happens in an international environment.

A total of 50 students is admitted to the project. Once groups are accepted to the program, the students are divided into teams and composed of students from other countries and universities to foster intercultural dialogue among the participants. The teams are assigned individual tasks and roles (judges, defense, and prosecution) and asked to prepare and submit preliminary papers with their pleadings/judgments. Each team of three students has a total of 45 minutes to argue their case.

However, MICC University is more than a pure moot court. Prior to the simulation, students participate in trainings. They get the chance to prepare their pleadings and train their presentations with professional coaches that help them to argue their case in the simulation. The trainings include legal reasoning, the writing, and preparation of the final pleadings as well as hints and exercises on rhetoric and presentation.

During the project professionals from the field of international criminal law, human rights, and humanitarian law are invited to discuss current issues and give insight into their experiences and everyday work. MICC University also incentivizes students without a legal background to participate. The MICC press team follows the project from a media’s point of view. Under the guidance of a professional trainer with a specialization in human rights reporting, they receive workshops and create a newspaper of their own.

Prior to the project, the organisers offer preparatory seminars in different parts of Europe to enable students who wish to participate in MICC University but do not have the academic recourses for preparation to take part in the project successfully.

Through its work, MICC University promotes the values of human rights and international justice and making a contribution toward intercultural understanding among young people.