InternationalSecurityExperience '27
Three days. One scenario. Teams from across the country build a strategy, defend it through two rounds of competition, and one is named champion.
One Scenario.
72 hours.
One champion.
Teams of four to six undergraduates receive a live national security scenario, take a full day to research and build their strategy, then defend it through two rounds of competition - with the final round decided in front of a panel of practitioners and scholars. Hosted by GNSI and the Future Strategist Program at USF.
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How the week runs
The scenario drops the day before competition begins. Select a day to see what your team will be doing.
The scenario goes out
Every registered team receives the competition scenario on March 30 — the day before the event opens. Teams get it at the same moment, so no one starts early. Read it, assign roles, and arrive ready to work.
A full day to build the strategy
Teams work the scenario at the Marshall Student Center — defining policy goals, weighing tradeoffs, and shaping the broad strategy they'll defend. Faculty advisors and GNSI staff are on site.
Two rounds. Judges. No script.
Teams present and defend their strategy through the first rounds of competition. Judges press on assumptions, second-order effects, and what the team would do when the scenario shifts.
The final round
The advancing teams face a panel of practitioners and scholars for the last time. The week closes with one team named ISE 2027 Undergraduate Strategy Champions.
Agencies, firms, and
grad programs on site
Hosted with USF's Center for Career & Professional Development and the Office of National Scholars. Recent participation has included:
2026 teams
register first
If your team competed in ISE 2026, your spot is held until November 2, 2026. After that, registration opens to every team — and spots are filled in the order they come in.
Returning Teams
Reserved for teams that competed in the 2026 competition. Register before the deadline and your spot is guaranteed.
All Teams
Open to every university, new and returning. Spots are assigned first come, first served until all slots are filled.
Returning teams: your priority only holds through November 2, 2026. You can still register after that date, but from November 2, 2026 onward other teams may claim the remaining spots ahead of you.
Register your team
We'll match your details against the 2026 competition roster to confirm your priority spot. Roster changes are expected — just note them below.
Team registered
Confirmation sent to your team captain. Final roster forms and travel details follow in January.
Before you register
Any team that officially competed in the 2026 Undergraduate Strategy Competition — regardless of how many original members are returning. Register under the same university and team name so we can match you against last year's roster.
You can still register. What you lose is the guarantee — from November 2 onward, spots go to whoever registers first, so a new team could take the slot you were holding. Register before the deadline if you know you're coming.
March 30, 2027 — the day before the competition opens. Every registered team receives it at the same time. March 31 is a full research day to build your strategy before the first round on April 1.
Four to six undergraduates. You can adjust your roster after registering — we'll collect final names in January.
The Marshall Student Center on USF's Tampa campus. Room assignments and a full agenda go out to registered teams closer to the event, along with recommended hotel blocks.
Fee details for 2027 will be published here. Teams should budget for travel and lodging in Tampa.