SPPA participates in the United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Model event
From June 9th to June 12th, 2026, Madeline Russell, a graduating MPPA student in the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA), as well as Mahole Morapeli and Cilvius Chin from NPSIA joined a team of law students from the University of Ottawa (UofO) to participate in the prestigious Model ICAO event at the world headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montréal. Dr. Marc Rioux, Adjunct Research Professor and Executive Director of SPPA’s Transportation Policy Innovation Centre, accompanied the joint Carleton-UofO team as academic advisor.
ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The Model ICAO event exposes students to real high-level diplomatic and technical discussions taking place in the ICAO Council (the management board of the organization). Students represent actual Member States and participate in simulated deliberations on important matters related to international civil aviation. They are asked to develop informed policy positions and present them convincingly to other delegations.
The joint Carleton/UofO team represented Australia, a Contracting State sitting on the Council. Team members had the chance to meet the Australian Permanent Representative (ambassador) to learn more about that country’s positions on international aviation issues to be discussed in five technical committees (environment, safety, security, legal and economic) as well as in the Council itself. In addition, they had the opportunity to meet various ICAO and international experts during the deliberations in their respective committees and networking activities.
“Participating in the Model ICAO event was an excellent way to bridge the gap between my MPPA and the real-world dynamics of civil aviation and international negotiation. Having studied transportation policy in the SPPA, getting to apply those specific concepts to international aviation was an incredibly valuable learning experience. The support of the Transportation Policy Innovation Centre truly highlights Carleton’s commitment to providing impactful opportunities for its students.”
Madeline Russell, MPPA student
“Attending this year’s Model ICAO event was an incredible and worthwhile experience. The fast-paced simulation provided valuable insight into the ICAO Council’s work and the challenges of balancing national interests with international civil aviation security objectives. Given my research on civil aviation security and conflict-zone risk governance, the experience was a rewarding opportunity to apply academic knowledge to real-world policy discussions.”
Mahole Morapeli, NPSIA student
“Participating in the Model ICAO event as representative of Australia provided a valuable opportunity to engage in multilateral negotiations on climate adaptation and sustainable aviation fuels. The experience strengthened my understanding of international aviation diplomacy, consensus-building, and the practical challenges of advancing global climate action through international institutions.”
Cilvius Chin, NPSIA student
The registration fees and travel expenses of the three students were paid by the Transportation Policy Innovation Centre.