NUDC 2013: Binus Scores Hat-trick, Unila Wins Novice Prize

The 2013 NUDC champions Universitas Bina
Nusantara - Invi Atmanegara & Jaran Walia

The national British Parliamentary debating crown went to Universitas Bina Nusantara for the third time in a row. Invi Atmanegara and Jaran Walia secured it yesterday after winning the 2013 National University Debating Championship in Palembang for the Jakarta-based university. They also became the first debaters to marry the national titles for BP and 3-on-3 formats. Representing their club Binus International Pool of English Debaters (BIPEDS), the pair and their teammate Andrew Sadeli championed the 3-on-3 Indonesian Varsities English Debate last January.

The hat-trick, however, belongs to the Binus family, not BIPEDS. There are two active debating institutions in the Binus University system, which take turns in competing in the state-sponsored national BP tournament. The education ministry allows only one team to represent a college in the event. The much-older Bina Nusantara English Club (BNEC) took part last year and defended the title that BIPEDS grabbed in 2011. Invi, a former captain of BIPEDS, also took home the best speaker award.

In yesterday's final #2 Binus, speaking from Opening Opposition, knocked down the motion "This House would only allow individuals who have held a position in the governmental structure to run as a presidential candidate" and defeated opponents #3 Universitas Gadjah Mada (Amir Abdul Aziz & Nabila Aghniarizqa), #4 Institut Teknologi Bandung (Fauzan Reza Maulana & Vicario Reinaldo) and #5 Universitas Bakrie (Aryo Febrian Moedanton & Alifia Firliani). The champions along with second and third winners, Bakrie and ITB respectively, are eligible to receive funding to compete in the 2014 World Universities Debating Championships in Chennai.

#1 Universitas Indonesia (Roderick Sibarani & Egalita Irfan) crashed in the semifinal but also received the golden ticket to WUDC. The ministry decided this year to give the fourth ticket to the top team on the tab rather than the novice champion, which was the recipient in past years.

The winner of the lower novice category this year was #3N Universitas Lampung (Hesti Setyawati & Vianna Maria Ursula). They outperformed #1N Politeknik Negeri Semarang (Laela Ratna & Akbar Prabowo), #2N Universitas Surabaya (Natasha Christina & Jorgy Purnomo) and #4N Universita Khairun Ternate (Indry Anwar & Jasmal Martora) in the novice final. Bahram Naderil from Universitas Jember grabbed the best novice speaker prize.

NUDC 2013: Binus, Bakrie, UGM, ITB Reach Final, UI Out

The national BP title has been elusive for powerhouse Universitas Indonesia. Since the education ministry repackaged the tournament into a 96-team competition involving schools from all over the country and began to fund the best 3 teams to World Universities Debating Championship, UI has failed to claim the crown. From 2009 to 2011, UI, the university with the most successful debating society in Indonesia, fell in the final. Last year, UI debaters crashed in the semifinals. This year, that was where the campaign ended as well.

UI (Roderick Sibarani & Egalita Irfan) broke first into the knockouts of the 2013 National University Debating Championship after garnering 19 points from a maximum of 21 but had to see the chance to get the national title slip away when judges chose two other teams in their semifinal match for tomorrow's grand final. The consolation is they can still receive funding to go to WUDC 2014 in Chennai because this year the ministry will give the golden ticket to the top team on the tab besides to the champion and two other finalists.

The final will still be a competitive affair as the 4 last standing teams are among the 5 pre-tournament favorites. They are:

#2 Universitas Bina Nusantara (Invi Atmanegara & Jaran Walia)
#3 Universitas Gadjah Mada (Amir Abdul Aziz & Nabila Aghniarizqa)
#4 Institut Teknologi Bandung (Fauzan Reza Maulana & Vicario Reinaldo)
#5 Universitas Bakrie (Aryo Febrian & Alifia Firliani)

Invi Atmanegara and Jaran Walia from Binus won the 2013 Indonesian Varsities English Debate, the national 3-on-3 championship, while Bakrie's Aryo Febrian championed IVED in 2012. No debater could triumph in both IVED and NUEDC, the name of the national BP tournament before it became NUDC this year. Becoming the first to marry the 2 national titles will not be easy. The ITB and UGM pairs also have shown excellent performance this year.

NUDC 2013: No Upsets Yet, Favorites All Sail to Semis

The semifinalists of the 2013 National University Debating Championship are all from Java-based institutions with years of experience and cabinets of trophies. They include the 5 teams favored to win the tournament - Universitas Bina Nusantara, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung and Universitas Bakrie.

Emerging clubs failed to break the ceiling while non-Java teams were already out of the contention after the octofinals. The lowest-ranked survivor is #19 Institut Pertanian Bogor,  not a newcomer. One of its debaters went to the World Universities Debating Championships in Berlin and won the novice category at the 2011 Indonesian Varsities English Debate. The top 8 will face off on Thursday. Here they are:

Semifinal 1
#1 Universitas Indonesia (Roderick Sibarani & Egalita Irfan)
#4 Institut Teknologi Bandung (Vicario Reinaldo & Fauzan Reza Maulana)
#5 Universitas Bakrie (Alifia Firliani & Aryo Febrian)
#8 Universitas Brawijaya (Aditya Janu & Nur Rizki Oceano)

Semifinal 2
#2 Universitas Bina Nusantara (Invi Atmanegara & Jaran Walia)
#3 Universitas Gadjah Mada (Amir Abdul Aziz & Nabila Aghniarizqa)
#10 Universitas Padjadjaran (Ratu Istihajar & Westra Tanribali)
#19 Institut Pertanian Bogor (Devi Fitri Yani & M. Iqbal Maulana) 

NUDC 2013: Novice Break List & QF Match Up

Novice Break List
1. Politeknik Semarang
2. Universitas Surabaya
3. Universitas Lampung
4. Universitas Khairun Ternate
5. Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta
6. Institut Teknologi Telkom
7. Universitas Airlangga
8. Universitas Mulawarman
9. Universitas Tanjung Pura
10. STIKES Bali
11. Universitas Muhammadiyah Pare-Pare
12. Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar
13. Politeknik Negeri Ujung Pandang
14. Universitas Bengkulu
15. Universitas Mataram
16. Universitas Diponegoro

Novice QF Match-Ups
#1 PN Semarang v #8 Mulawarman v #9 Tj. Pura v #16 Undip
#2 Surabaya v #7 Unair v #10 STIKES Bali v #15 Mataram
#3 Unila v #6 IT Telkom v #11 UM Pare-pare v #14 Bengkulu
#4 Khairun v #5 UNY v #12 UM Makassar v #13 PNUP

NUDC 2013: Main Knockout Bracket

1. UI
16. Jember	1. UI
17. Untirta	17. Untirta
32. PN Batam		1. UI
8. Brawijaya		8. Brawijaya
9. UPH	8. Brawijaya
24. IT&B	9. UPH
25. UN Surabaya			4. ITB
4. ITB			5. Bakrie
13. IM Telkom	4. ITB
20. PN Medan	13. IM Telkom
29. UKSW		4. ITB
5. Bakrie		5. Bakrie
12. Teknokrat	5. Bakrie
21. UN Semarang	12. UN Semarang
28. Sanata Darma				CHAMPIONS
2. Binus				2. Binus
15. Syiah Kuala	2. Binus
18. Paramadina	18. Paramadina
31. Unhas		2. Binus
7. UNS		10. Unpad
10. Unpad	10. Unpad
23. Udayana	26. Unsoed
26. Unsoed			2. Binus
3. UGM			3. UGM
14. UII	3. UGM
19. IPB	19. IPB
30. Atma Jaya		3. UGM
6. UAJY		19. IPB
11. UMM	6. UAJY
22. USU	11. UMM
27. PN Malang

NUDC 2013: UI Pair Lead the Break List

Universitas Indonesia (Roderick Sibarani & Egalita Irfan) broke first into the knockouts of the 2013 National University Debating Championship. They are on a campaign to deny a Universitas Bina Nusantara hat-trick. Binus (Invi Atmanegara & Jaran Walia) came just behind them. UI and Binus met 5 times in 7 preliminaries, all in the top room. They would only meet again if they reach the grand final.

Find below the 32 teams that will debate in the octofinals. They are genuinely the strongest teams in the competition. Unlike past years, novice teams now are not allowed to avoid clashes with top squads if they collect enough points to break into the main elimination stage. Previously, many strong novices opted to stay in their own category for the sake of more reachable prizes and that practice had led to weak teams getting promoted, affecting the quality of the main out rounds.

1. Universitas Indonesia
2. Universitas Bina Nusantara
3. Universitas Gadjah Mada
4. Institut Teknologi Bandung
5. Universitas Bakrie
6. Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta
7. Universitas Negeri Sebelas Maret
8. Universitas Brawijaya
9. Universitas Pelita Harapan
10. Universitas Padjadjaran
11. Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang
12. STBA Teknokrat
13. Institut Manajemen Telkom
14. Universitas Islam Indonesia
15. Universitas Syiah Kuala
16. Universitas Jember
17. Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa
18. Universitas Paramadina
19. Institut Pertanian Bogor
20. Politeknik Negeri Medan
21. Universitas Negeri Semarang
22. Universitas Sumatera Utara
23. Universitas Udayana
24. STIE IT&B
25. Universitas Negeri Surabaya
26. Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
27. Politeknik Negeri Malang
28. Universitas Sanata Dharma
29. Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana
30. Universitas Atma Jaya Jakarta
31. Universitas Hasanuddin
32. Politeknik Negeri Batam

NUDC 2013: Binus, UI Battle at the Top from R3 to R6

Favorites Universitas Bina Nusantara (Invi Atmanegara & Jaran Walia) and Universitas Indonesia (Egalita Irfan & Roderick Sibarani) have faced off 4 times in the top room since the third preliminary round of the 2013 National University Debating Championship. They are likely to meet each other again this morning in R7 - the last debate before the break.

The two teams have only lost to each other so far. The losing side among them in 3 battles have always claimed the 2nd rank. Reigning champs Binus bested UI in R3 and R4 while the latter turned it around in R5. They hit each other again in R6 but it was a silent round, which will also be the case for R7. Binus won the Greater Jakarta regionals in May after beating UI in the final but a slightly different UI team defeated the same Binus pair in the final of Atma Jaya IV a week before that selection.

NUDC 2013 have run smoothly so far despite a high number of judges who had to start as trainees due to their low test scores. A few top rooms in R4-6 finally got three-member panels after adjudicator promotions although many lower rooms still only could get one qualified judge. Debates have been relatively punctual. Motions have been nice and clear. However, except the R4 debate on boycotting the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, current world and domestic topics have not come up yet. Conflict, political, IR, Indonesian and trade issues may emerge in later rounds.      

NUDC 2013: Reigning Champ Binus Only Unbeaten Team After R3

Universitas Bina Nusantara (Jaran Walia & Invi Atmanegara) finished the first 3 rounds of the 2013 National University Debating Championship as the only team that won all their matches. There are 4 preliminaries to go but the pair look strong in their campaign to give their school its third trophy in as many years. Teams from Bina Nusantara won in 2011 and 2012.

The tab leaders, however, are only one point ahead of powerhouses Universitas Indonesia (Roderick Sibarani & Egalita Irfan), Institut Teknologi Bandung (Vicario Reinaldo & Fauzan Reza Maulana) and Universitas Gadjah Mada (Amir Abdul Aziz & Nabila Aghniarizqa) and dark horses Universitas Pelita Harapan (Clarissa Wijaya & Saagar Teckchandani) and Universitas Sumatera Utara (Elsyam Maulana & Frederick Samuel), which all have collected 8 points.

The running of NUDC 2013 has been smooth so far with fast online match-ups, debates ending on time and clear motions. The one nagging issue is the adjudication pool. With more than 80 judges classified as trainees, which means their test scores came short, there was no chamber in 3 rounds with the ideal three-member panel. Most rooms only had one qualified adjudicator. 

NUDC 2013: Can Bina Nusantara Score a Hat-Trick?

Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya - Venue of NUDC 2013

Universitas Bina Nusantara, a.k.a. Binus University, which has held the national BP debating title for the last two years, is eying to score a hat-trick at the 2013 National University Debating Championship that starts today.

Binus has an unique arrangement in sending teams to the state-sponsored nationals. Although there are 2 active debating clubs in the Binus University system, the education ministry only allows 1 Binus team each year. The solution is Bina Nusantara English Club (BNEC), which carries the name "Binus" in the debating world, and Binus International Pool of English Debaters (BIPEDS), known as "Binus International" in circuits, have to take turns. BIPEDS won in 2011 while BNEC matched the feat in 2012. The baton has returned to BIPEDS this year. Consisting of members of the squad that won the Indonesian Varsities English Debate last January, the 2013 team look strong.

Without doubt, 95 other teams from all over Indonesia wish to end the Binus reign. What are the odds? Factually, there are only 4 other participating teams that can boast national trophies - only less than 5% of the lot. Due to the single-team cap and the emphasis on geographical spread rather than depth, NUDC is a top-heavy tournament. This year it is compounded by the absence of last year's finalist Universitas Parahyangan, due to academic scheduling conflict, and regeneration issues at several strong clubs that have led to the sending of weaker debaters than before.

Here are the 5 favorites, including the BIPEDS team, with their past achievements.

Universitas Bina Nusantara (Jaran Walia & Invi Atmanegara) - (1) Champion of ALSA Unpad EC 2011, Bawor Cup 2013 | (2) Champion of JFF 2012 | (1+2) Champions of UADC EFL 2012, IVED 2013
Universitas Indonesia (Roderick Sibarani & Egalita Irfan) - (1) Champion of ALSA UI E-Comp 2011, JOVED 2012, Atma Jaya IV 2013 | (2) Champion of Bawor Cup 2012
Institut Teknologi Bandung (Vicario Reinaldo & Fauzan Reza Maulana) - (1) Champion of UADC EFL 2013 | (2) Champion of ALSA UI E-Comp 2013 | (1+2) Champions of AEO 2013
Universitas Gadjah Mada (Amir Abdul Aziz & Nabila Aghniarizqa) - (1) Champion of SODC 2013, AUI 2013 | (1+2) Champions of AUI 2012, ALSA Unpad EC 2013
Universitas Bakrie (Aryo Febrian & Alifia Firliani) - (1) Champion of UADC EFL 2011, IVED 2012 | (1+2) Champions of NDC-NES 2012

This situation also offers opportunity for the rise of dark horses and giant killers as long as debaters can match the quality of the above. There are several universities that are sending three-time veterans of the nationals and some emerging schools  that broke into knockouts of recent tournaments can pull off surprises. Nonetheless, short of a spirited challenge against the favorites, the title would go to one of the 5 teams. 

The first, second and third winners of NUDC 2013 are eligible for funding to go to the 2014 World Universities Debating Championship in India, along with the best team on the preliminary tab. The best novice team will no longer get a WUDC ticket. Without that carrot, there is hope that the regrettable preference to debate in the weaker novice category rather than meet strong teams in the main competition that occurred in past nationals would stop.

EUDC 2013: Key Results & Motions

Champions: #2 University of Cambridge A (Anser Aftab & Ashish Kumar) 
Finalists: #1 Trinity College Dublin A (Sally Rooney & Michael Barton), #8 University of Edinburgh A (Marlena Valles & David McCreath), #10 University of Oxford A (Matthew Handley & Natasha Rachman)
Best Speaker: Sally Rooney (Trinity College Dublin A)
ESL Champions: University of Lund A (Emilia Carlqvist & Peer Kluessendorf)
Best ESL Speaker: Viktor Prija (University of Belgrade A)

Motions
Open GF | THW give more votes to citizens according to their performance on a current affairs test
Open SF | TH regrets that the Western media has demonized Islamic terrorists, rather than portraying them as criminals with legitimate political grievances
Open QF |  THBT African countries should adopt English as the principal language of instruction in schools
ESL GF | THBT the state should not fund works of art that average citizens would not recognize as having artistic merit
ESL SF | THBT environmentalists should launch a campaign of sabotage and property destruction aimed at major polluting companies
ESL QF | THBT men should consistently call out and correct chauvinistic comments made by friends and co-workers
R9 | THW provide welfare in the form of basic goods and services rather than cash payments
R8 | THBT Barack Obama should not have granted legal immunity to officials who ordered the use of torture
R7 | THBT it is in China's strategic interest to cease all non-humanitarian assistance to North Korea until it verifiably ends its nuclear programme
R6 | TH applauds the rise of songs by female pop artists that glorify assertive  female sexuality
R5 | THBT Israel should allow members of the Jewish diaspora to vote in its elections
R4 | THW permit government agencies to conduct automated surveillance without court authorization
R3 | TH, as the Muslim Brotherhood, would sincerely offer to cease resistance, participate in elections, and respect a liberal constitution
R2 | THW require international development aid budgets to be approved by popular referanda
R1 | THW ban video games in which the player engages in brutal and immoral violence in a realistic setting

Cambridge Debaters from Asia Win Europe's Top Tournament

For the first time in history, a team entirely made up of debaters from Asia won the European Universities Debating Championship. Both represented their respective countries in previous  World Schools Debating Championships. Anser Aftab, who debated for Pakistan in WSDC 2007, and Ashish Kumar, who was part of the triumphant Singapore squad in WSDC 2011, entered EUDC 2013 as University of Cambridge A and left with the trophy. Asian debaters had won EUDC before but with European partners.

#2 Cambridge A in the final yesterday defeated #1 Trinity College Dublin A (Sally Rooney & Michael Barton), #8 University of Edinburgh A (Marlena Vallas & David McCreath) and #10 University of Oxford A (Matthew Handley & Natasha Rachman). In the ESL division, University of Lund became the first Swedish team to win that category.