Global Negotiation Conference

The annual Global Negotiation Conference (GNC) is the flagship event organised by the IGN. The conference brings together teams of graduate students from around the world to participate in five-days of workshops and presentations by leading academics and practitioners in the field of negotiation and conflict resolution. Each year the conference culminates in a multiparty simulation, designed by members of the IGN, based on a pressing global issue.

As of 2025, the global community is at a crucial moment in determining the future of seabed mineral extraction. Although many states and industries push for early permissions to mine in the deep sea, thirty-two countries urge for a precautionary pause due to concerns about environmental impacts. Representing a trillion-dollar industry, deep sea mining poses a critical test for the international community to navigate economic ambitions, environmental conservation, technological development.

The 2025 Global Negotiation Conference will bring together graduate students and young professionals from around the world to explore the negotiation avenues crucial for developing balanced frameworks to mitigate economic, social, and ecological interests in deep sea mining.