Olzhas Abdukhamitov and Aigerim Shadeyeva are the conveners of the Astana EUDC, Olzhas volunteered at Novi Sad and Aigerim competed, making it to the ESL Quaters. Raffy Marshall and Monica Forman are the CAs of Astana EUDC. We sat down with them to talk about bringing the EUDC to Central Asia. ...

Following days of massive discussion on social media, the EUDC Council held an extraordinary meeting regarding events at the EUDC in Novi Sad, where a team from Qatar University refused to debate Israeli teams. In order to clarify what happened, we summed up the recent developments for you. ...

The Novi Sad EUDC, lasting 30.07.-05.08.18, came to an impressive conclusion: Teams from Tel Aviv won both the ESL (English as a Second Language) and the Open final! The ESL dominance continued with - originally Mexican - debater Lucía Arce, starting for Sheffield, being both top speaker in ESL and in total. Read more about the constellations, teams, speakers, judges and motions below. ...

As the 2018 European Universities Debate Championship progresses, the break is now online. ...

Kanat Nogoibayev and Chyngyz Ibraimov represent Kyrgyzstan for the first time in the history of EUDC. We spoke to them about their hopes for future EUDCs in Central Asia and what debating in a post-Soviet states is like. ...

Dhalia Alayassa, Tamara Abdel Lafit and Iman Sarj are students at the Alquds University and the An-Najah University. They are the first university students from Palestine to compete at the EUDC. Additionally, Weenta Mehari coaches Alquds University and Mariel Golden is the coach of An-Najah University. We interviewed them about Palestine joining the EUDC. ...

In Warsaw, 2016, Scotland was, after a tough race against Hull and Riga, selected as the host of EUDC 2018. Jan-Gunther Gosselke, president of the EUDC Council’s Executive Committee, describes how a chain of events led to this year’s Euros taking place in Novi Sad, Serbia instead. Last summer in Tallinn, the Scottish bid was to be ratified. This is when Scottish OrgComm first brought an issue regarding accommodation to council’s attention: The hotel no longer was available at the initial week planned for EUDC because one of their long term customers asked for accommodation at the same time and they ...

As announced on our international facebook page we planned doing an interview with the newly elected hosts of the EUDC 2018 in Novi Sad. Everything has happened rather quickly since the former hosts from Edinburgh declared their problems with hosting the EUDC 2018 and we wanted to give the community the opportunity to ask the questions they had in mind. So we ended up having a conference call with Jovan Petronijević, the convener, and Miriana Muntean, the logistics officer and asking them a bunch of question you guys had sent in.  ...

A few days ago, we interviewed the magnificient Owen Mooney, current EUDC champion. We asked him some questions about his debating development and which advice he would give to novices and debaters who seek to become better. Enjoy some funny stories, expert suggestions and clever comments! ...

At the EUDC, many teams come together. Some of them are very ambitious and worked hard to have a chance to make the break. So did Milla Huuskonen and Joona Suhonen from Helsinki A. In this interview we asked them about their strategy and more. ...

On the third day of the European University Debate Championship 2017 the pre-rounds come to an end, meaning: The break happens. We've gathered all the information available for you and will edit more once we get our hands on it. ...

The EUDC is attracting many of the same people again and again every year. But there are also always the people who come to Euros the first time and don’t know what to expect and what will be happening. The Achte Minute has talked to some of the people who are at their first EUDC here in Tallinn about their experiences, expectations and how those expectations were met. Hilla Schwartz Tudor Musat Emma van der Horst and Fenna ten Haaf Rachel Mullally Mrinal Kumar Hila Schwartz, Ben Guiron University of the Negev (Israel) [caption id="attachment_32549" align="alignleft" width="213"] Hila Schwartz - © H.Hecke[/caption] AM: So for how long have you ...

Day one is over and the participants of Tallinn EUDC are still hopeful and excited. At least it seems like it. The Achte Minute went around asking participant to deliver their best case for either Government or Opposition on the motions “TH supports coming to Tallinn EUDC” The overwhelming majority proposed that it was a great idea to join and also the voice who regrets coming, can’t really been taken seriously. Some of the arguments focused on the beauty of the city: I generally like traveling. The city and the old town is fun to go around and the waterfront is beautiful. There is ...

With the EUDC 2017 in Tallinn coming closer, people might want to prepare their trip - but what to prepare for? We've asked convenor Selene Gnadenteich about the tournament, including the questions we got from the community. ...

In this article, I’d like to argue for more knives in BPS debating. Not because I’m the owner of a knife shop – which I’m not – but because there are certain cases where the current rules are unfair towards certain teams and this could be easily corrected. ...

[caption id="attachment_29710" align="alignright" width="344"] View over Warsaw - © Lennart Lokstein[/caption] At the EUDC 2016, hosted in Warsaw, the following teams make the break. Note that, different to WUDC, ESL (English as a Second Language) teams can be in both the EPL (English as Primary Language) and ESL break if they are high enough in the total ranking. ESL teams in the EPL ("main") break are marked. In the EPL category (English as Primary Language): Durham A PEP A LSE A Cambridge B TCD Phil B Durham B Oxford C Hebrew A Tel Aviv A (ESL) Cambridge A Oxford A Tel Aviv ...

Coming Sunday at the 14th August the European Debating Championship 2016 will take place in Warsaw and, as usual, the Achte Minute will be there to report. But for now the big question is not yet who managed to break but rather what to bring along. As a wonderful German proverb states: "Life ain't no pony yard" - it means that life isn't easy. Most participants have to pack their own bags, since mother or father don't do it for them anymore. So we want to have a chat out of the sewing box with you about things we deem ...

The WUDC - World Universities Debating Championship - are hosted annually around New Year and decide, who will become the english speaking university debating champions in one of three language categories. [caption id="attachment_28793" align="alignleft" width="400"] An Komfort völlig ausreichend? Jugendherberge in Tübingen // Sufficient comfort? Youth hostel in Tübingen // © Lennart Lokstein[/caption] In the German (in this article meaning: German speaking language region - primarily Germany, Austria and Switzerland) debate szene international tournaments aren't really important. The WUDC 2013 in Berlin and the EUDC 2015 in Vienna may have risen attention and as far as I'm informed the number of VDCH ...

The European Universities Debating Championships (EUDC) are almost over. Time to publish the break and the results of the outrounds so far:The BreakThe following teams broke into the quarterfinals of this year's EUDC:     The outrounds were judged by Adam Hawksbee, Amanda Moorghen, Anat Shapira, Andrew Ford, Annabelle van Beusekom, Ary Ferreira de Cunha, Ben Adams, Bethany Garry, Beth Eades, Bionda Merkens, Claudia Hyde, Cerys Bradley, Christine Simpson, Craig McDonald, Daan Welling, Daniel Bregman, Eitan Har Oz, Eliot Pallot, Emilia Carlqvist, Franny Solnick, Fred Cowell, Gavin Tucker, Gavin Illsley, Gareth Williams, Sarah Jennings, Hannah Metcalfe, Harish Natarajan, James Clough, James Dixon, Jamie Batchelor, Jess pierce, Jess Redmond, Joe Mayes, Karin Merckens, Kitty Parker Brooks, Leela Koenig, Louis Collier, Luke Murray, Madeline Schultz , Mark Haughton, Matthew Wilmore , Michael Shapira, Niels Schröter, Nika Jelaska, Omer Nevo, Oskar Avery, Penny Sadeghi, Pete Doughton, Radu Cotarcea, Rebecca Irvine, Richard Hopps, Rosie Unwin, Ruby Holmes, Sam Block, Samuel Ward Packard, Sella ...

The first three days and six open rounds of the European Universities Debating Championships are already over. Tomorrow the competing teams will debate three more rounds without getting the results before the break will be announced at the Pratersauna.The Adjudication Team published the resultes in a Google-Doc, which is available online.The results of competing teams of debating societies of the VDCH - Association of German Speaking University Debating Societies are listed here:[caption id="attachment_27073" align="alignright" width="400"] Registration Desk on the first day of Vienna EUDC 2015. (c) Vienna EUDC 2015[/caption]Berlin A - 9 points (Florian Grünwald and Tanja Maximow, Berlin)Berlin B - 8 points ...

This summer, about 1000 people will travel to Vienna for the 17th European Universities Debating Championships (EUDC or Euros). The Debattierklub Wien (DK Wien) hosts the week-long tournament. Stefan Zweiker is the convener, overseeing 23 other members of the organising committee and international volunteers.One year after and 267 kilometres to the north of Zagreb EUDC, the championship is again up for grabs. Until then, Sheffield holds the title; in the category of English as a Second Language (ESL), the current champions are from Belgrade.The Blue Danube Euros, as the organisers call them, will last from August 2-8.The Chief Adjudicators (CAs) ...

The Organising Committee (OrgCom) of the European Universities Debating Championships (EUDC or Euros) 2015 in Vienna published their call for international volunteers. Everyone can apply to support the existing crew and be part of the this year's EUDC.Stage one of the application process consists in reading the International Crew Recruitment Guideline and filling out the International Crew Recruitment Survey. In stage two beginning in mid-April, the OrgCom will contact the applicants if they have questions or need their expertise and knowledge. Stage three is the tournament itself.Everyone can apply for being an international volunteer - the OrgCom emphasizes that age, ...

Shortly after this year's World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) in Malaysia, Gemma Buckley wrote down her thoughts on the topic of discrimination based on language skills and the existing power structures in the debating community. Her article caused a broad debate on that issue on Facebook. She allowed the Achte Minute to republish it on this blog. You can discuss it here or add a comment to the existing discussion. Judging at this year's WUDC was an eye opening (and occasionally devastating) experience for me, as has been made clear through my recent posts on Facebook. After many took offense to ...

From the 9th to the 10th of August, the Westminster IV will take place in London and gives debaters another opportunity to prepare for the European Universities Debating Championships (EUDC) in Zagreb. Only participants from the same university are allowed to compete at Westminster IV. The tournament features five rounds, an open final as well as an ESL final, if at least 12 ESL teams register. Chief Adjudicators (CAs) are Matt Handley, EUDC finalist and a two time semi-finalist of the World Universities Debating Championships (WUDC), and Amanda Moorghen, designated Deputy Chief Adjudicator of the EUDC 2015 in Vienna. Becki Howarth, ...

The Adjudication team of the European Universities Debating Championships (EUDC) 2015 in Vienna, Austria, is now complete as the hosts have released the names of the three deputy chief adjudicators. Gavin Illsley, Emilia Carlqvist and Amanda Moorghen will join the Chief Adjudicators (CAs) Christine Simpson and Michael Shapira. Together, the five will set the motions for the tournament, set up the judging panels and select independent adjudicator for Euros. Gavin Illsley has won Euros in 2006 and has judged two finals of the World Universities Debating Championships (WUDC). Emilia Carlqvist has won Euros 2013 in Manchester in the category English ...

From Augst 15th to August 17th 2014, the Splitska Debatna Unija will host the Split Open 2014 in Split, Croatia. The city, founded in 300 A.D., is the second biggest city in Croatia and is situated directly on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The hosts promise beach parties and historical venues for everyone not only interested in debating. 3,5 hours by car from Zagreb, the Split Open is also designed as a preparatory tournament in the run up to Zagreb EUDC 2014. With the Ljubljana IV taking place at the same time, debaters now have a choice of tournaments ...

The Organisation Committee of Zagreb EUDC 2014 has now announced the tab team of the tournament: It consists of Bob Nimmo, Richard Coates and Calum Wor. On the EUDC 2014 website, the members of the team are introduced as follows: "Bob Nimmo - Bob has worked on the tab teams of a huge number of competitions over the last decade, including assistant tab director of EUDC 2004, tab director of EUDC 2008, 2009 and 2012, tab director of WUDC 2009 and 2012. In addition, he has tabbed over 80 University and Schools level tournaments throughout the UK and Ireland. He has competed ...

The Debattierklub Wien (DK Wien) has opened an online nomination process for Deputy Chief Adjudicators (DCAs) for the European University Debating Championship (EUDC) 2015 in Vienna. From now on, every debater can nominate somebody he deems suitable to be part of the Chief Adjudicator team for the EUDC using this online form. However, as the Chief Adjudicators Christine Simpson and Michael Shapira emphasise, a nomination neither is necessary nor sufficient to be selected as DCA. The nomination process serves the only purpose of calling attention to apt candidates who do not apply on their own. The actual application process starts on ...

The registration for the Zagreb EUDC 2014 will start on Sunday, March 2nd at 12 o'clock CET and will be open for 24 hours. For the registration one should send a mail to zagreb.eudc.register@gmail.com. During the first phase of registration the convenors need the institution name, country, delegate representative name, contact e-mail and number of teams and judges. Every institution will be granted one team. The distribution of the 2nd and 3rd teams will be similar to the procedure at WUDC, that is to say allocation will be according to the instition's performance (number of ESL and open breaks) at the ...

The Org Com of Zagreb EUDC 2014 has announced the date for the registration and the registration policy. On their website they say: "Dear European Debating Community,Registration for all institutions that wish to participate in Zagreb EUDC 2014 will open on Sunday, March the 2nd, at 12:00 CET (Central European time). That is 11:00 London/Dublin/Lisbon, 12:00Belgrade/Paris/Amsterdam/Berlin, 13:00 Athens/Ankara/Tallinn and 14:00Moscow/Doha time. Registration policy Registration will stay opened for 24 hours. Every institution will be able to register a maximum of 3 teams. We will be following the registration policy set up by Manchester EUDC and similar to one used at WUDC. All registered ...