Deciding under uncertainty: International Relations Master students put MEDOT to the test

16 February 2026

  • IR program

  • Partnership

  • Menu Education

Taking on responsibility means having to make decisions in situations that are often complex and fraught with uncertainty.
During an immersive workshop at the Maison de la recherche, students in the Master 2 International Relations program took part in an emergency decision-building exercise, using the method for developing a tactical operational decision (MEDOT). The scenario involved the evacuation of nationals from a crisis zone.
A group of students sitting around a table, a map hanging on the wall behind them.
Group discussion on the evacuation scenario for French nationals © DR‎

This exercise is part of the simulation workshops of the Master 2 International Relations training model. Held over a full day on February 3rd, it was led by four officers from the Enseignement militaire supérieur scientifique et technique (EMSST), illustrating the value of exchanges between the academic and military worlds.

In this way, the International Relations Master also promotes the signing of the recent agreement between Inalco and the Centre de l'enseignement militaire supérieur-Terre.

The military method of developing a decision enables a team with varied skills to work in symbiosis, integrating all the data on a problem, discerning priorities and deciding on a course of action. It focuses on the spirit of the mission and encourages innovation and creativity.

A student and a man in uniform stand in front of a map. A group of students give a presentation to a seated man in uniform.
Risk assessment and definition of an evacuation route in a crisis context © DR / Final group presentation to Lieutenant-Colonel THELLIER © DR‎