Way ahead, but already we have news from Worlds 2012 in Manila: Applications wanted for deputy chief adjudicators (DCA)! The chief adjudicators of next year’s World Universities Debating Championships (WUDC a.k.a. Worlds) in Manila, Philippines, have just announced that the application process for the office of deputy chief adjudicators is open. Sam Block (best speaker at WUDC 2008 and at EUDC 2007) and Lucinda David (WUDC semi-finalist ESL) emphasize that the DCAs are “key parts of the adjudication team, and contribute to the effort of running the debating side of the tournament.” Responsibilities include the selection of motions, ranking of adjudicators and communicating with tournament participants and officials. From each of the following regions, one DCA will be chosen: the Americas, Asia, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Oceania – depending on where the candidates did the bulk of their debating and adjudication. Further criteria to be achieved by the applicants, as the CAs mention them:

• commit to being available shortly before the tournament’s formal start for on-the-ground preparation,
• provide insight into the debating community they are from, and particularly into its adjudicators, both established and less well-known
• work to ensure that all participants experience an exciting, stimulating, fair and enjoyable tournament
• combine honesty and diplomacy while acting as the ‘faces of the tournament’
• conduct themselves in a manner conducive to a professional, good-natured tournament

Application forms can be found on the homepage of the Worlds 2012, hosted by the De La Salle University of Manila. Sam and Lucinda want you to send your application documents to both of them via sam.block[at]dlsuworlds.com and lucinda.david[at]dlsuworlds.com until 1200 GMT on 3 December 2010. DCAs may expect to be announced at or even before this year’s Worlds at Gaborone.

Since 1981, debaters from all over the world have been competing at the World Universities Debating Championships at alternating locations across the planet. It was not before 1996 that the British Parliamentary Style became the mandatory format for this annual tournament. The African continent has been host to previous Worlds and stages the Worlds now for a third time, this year from 27 December 2010 to 4 January 2011 at the University of Botswana, Gaborone. The tournament’s schedule is accessible on the WUDC 2011 homepage. Language of debate is English and there are three categories: “Main” for native speakers, “ESL” (English as a Second Language, for those who prove great proficiency in English) and “EFL” (English as a Foreign Language, for those who studied English as a mere subject).

apf / glx