Created: 2025.03.13. 15:12
ConSIMium is the European Union Council’s student simulation event, where each EU member state is represented by a six-member delegation. Among the Hungarian team was Sándor Rácz, a student of International Relations at Széchenyi István University, who participated in this two-day Brussels programme for the third time. The event provided him with first-hand experience of the challenges of EU negotiations and legislative processes.
Over 160 enthusiastic university students recently took over the negotiation rooms of the European Union Council in Brussels. At the third ConSIMium simulation exercise, each EU member state was represented by a six-member delegation. The programme’s objective was for participants to assert their country’s interests while negotiating critical issues, such as boosting European industry and securing critical raw materials. To do so, they had to precisely follow the decision-making procedures of the European Council and the Council of the European Union.
Students from 27 nations took on roles as heads of state and government, ministers, national experts, journalists, and ambassadors. In the Hungarian delegation, the role of ambassador was assigned to Sándor Rácz, an International Relations student at the Apáczai Csere János Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences at Széchenyi István University. Previously, he had served as a liaison officer for the Danish delegation during Hungary’s EU presidency in the second half of 2024.
“My application for ConSIMium was supported by Professor Dr Lívia Mihályka Ablonczyné from Széchenyi University, and I was ultimately selected by the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference as one of the top six students to represent Hungary. During the programme, we followed the entire ordinary legislative procedure within the EU, focusing specifically on the work of the Council of the European Union,” explained Sándor Rácz. The third-year student elaborated that this year’s simulation covered two main topics: strengthening the European defence industry through joint procurement and securing critical raw materials. These issues sparked intense debates among the delegations.
As a future diplomat, Sándor Rácz was assigned the role of Hungary’s ambassador in Brussels, with his main responsibility being to support the work of the Council of the European Union as a member of the Permanent Representatives Committee. “This role serves as a bridge between the technical and political spheres. While we did not have decision-making authority, we carried out extensive preparatory work and amendments to ensure that by the time the proposal reached ministerial discussions, it was already well-developed and refined,” he explained.
Sándor Rácz expressed his gratitude for being part of a highly prepared and dedicated Hungarian team, which enabled them to fully represent national interests—a remarkable achievement. He takes particular pride in this, as the team had to navigate complex issues in discussions with their European counterparts, helping him further develop his diplomatic, analytical, and negotiation skills.
Sándor Rácz (far right), an International Studies student at Széchenyi István University, with members of the Hungarian delegation at the simulation exercise.
