UADC 2014: UGM, Atma Create 5th All-Indonesia EFL Final

For the fifth time in as many years, two Indonesian teams will meet in the final of the United Asian Debating Championship's English-as-Foreign-Language category. #1EFL Universitas Gadjah Mada 2 (Erwina Salsabila, Nabila Aghniarizqa, Romario Tambunan) tomorrow will face #7EFL Universitas Atma Jaya 1 (Cindy Fransisca, Kario Teguh, Silvya Suwandy) who defeated the last non-Indonesian team standing #3EFL Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. The 5th UADC will have the tournament's fifth Indonesian EFL champion.

While the Indonesian streak in the EFL division of UADC is a proud achievement, success in the open category has been elusive. No Indonesian team has managed to sail into the main knockouts of the current form of Asia's top debate competition, which only started in 2010. UGM 2, the best performing Indonesian team in the prelims of UADC 2014, came out as #30 when only 24 teams could advance. Several Indonesian teams broke into the main elimination rounds of previous forms before 2010. 

UADC 2014: Bali to Host Next Edition, Boby Ruitang Part of A-Core

The 2015 United Asian Debating Championship will take place in Bali after the bid made by debaters from Jakarta-based Binus University and their Balinese partner Universitas Udayana received council approval. The ones taking the vital posts in the organizing committee will come from Binus, which has sent debaters to major international competitions for years, while Udayana, which has a thin debating track record, will provide the venue and army of volunteers.

The council also selected members of the adjudication core for UADC 2105, including Universitas Indonesia's Boby Ruitang. The panel will be speaeheaded by Kelvin Chong from National University of Singapore who championed the 2012 Asian British Parliamentary Debating Championship, the last major international tournament held in Indonesia.    

UADC 2014: No Unbeaten Team After 8 Rounds

All of the 24 teams that are eligible to compete in the main elimination stage of the 2014 United Asian Debating Championships have at least lost once in the preliminaries, indicating the tight competition in Asia's most prestigious tournament. #1 Universiti Teknologi Mara 2 (Maizura Mokhsein, Shafiq Bazari, Rafiq Saladin) broke first with a 7-1 win-loss record after 8 rounds. The knockouts start tomorrow.    

1. Universiti Teknologi Mara 2 (MY)
2. Nanyang Technological University 1 (SG)
3. National University of Singapore 1 (SG)
4. International Islamic University 1 (MY)
5. San Beda College 1 (PH)
6. Ateneo de Manila University 1 (PH)
7. University of Tokyo 1 (JP)
8. Universiti Teknologi Mara 1 (MY)
9. National University of Singapore 2 (SG)
10. Ateneo de Manila University 2 (PH)
11. Singapore Management University 2 (SG)
12. University of the Philippines Diliman 1 (PH)
13. National Law Institute University 1 (IN)
14. Universiti Malaya 1 (MY)
15. Multimedia University Melaka 1 (MY)
16. Nanyang Technological University 2 (SG)
17. Lahore School of Economics 1 (PK)
18. National Law School of India University 1 (IN)
19. Far Eastern University 1 (PH)
20. International Islamic University 3 (MY)
21. Korea University 1 (KR)
22. Singapore Management University 1 (SG)
23. National University of Singapore 3 (SG)
24. Nanyang Technological University 2 (SG)

UADC 2014: 6 Indonesian Teams Reach EFL QF, None in Main Break

Seeing an Indonesian team performing in the main elimination stage of the United Asian Debating Championships continues to be elusive. The highest ranked from Indonesia in UADC 2014, Universitas Gadjah Mada 2 (Erwina Salsabila, Nabila Aghniarizqa, Romario Tambunan), reached #30, missing the top 24 break on speaker points.

The good news is 6 Indonesian squads broke into the English-as-Foreign-Language knockouts with UGM 2 leading the way. Since UADC started in 2010, every edition had an all-Indonesian EFL final. The streak would prevail if the Indonesians could beat 2 teams from China. Here is the EFL break list, which came out late today due to technical errors. In brackets are the teams' win-lose record in the preliminaries and overall rank.

1. Universitas Gadjah Mada 2 (5-3, #30)
2. Binus International 1 (4-4, #61)
3. Shanghai University of Finance and Economics 1 (4-4, #64)
4. Binus University 1 (4-4, #65)
5. Institut Teknologi Bandung 1 (4-4, #69)
6. Institut Teknologi Bandung 2 (4-4, #76)
7. Universitas Atma Jaya 1 (3-5, #78)
8. Sun Yat Sen University 1 (3-5, #80)

Indonesia has presence in another form in UADC. Two Universitas Indonesia students, Boby Andika Ruitang and Colley Windya, along with Arifian Adin from Institut Teknologi Bandung qualified to adjudicate the out rounds. Main and EFL knockouts start tomorrow.  

ITB Alumni Beat Bakrie Alumni in 1st NEARO Final

Former debaters from Institut Teknologi Bandung and Universitas Bakrie met in the final of the 1st National English-Arabic Olympic at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, leaving student participants out of contention. In the end, the ex-ITB team dubbed as 'The Whip' (Kirana Kania, Luthfi Abdurrahman, Rifan Ibnu Rahman) defeated Bakrie A (Alfan Rezani, Ammarsyah Anwar, Yudha Mustafa). All six graduates were in the best 10 speaker list with Rifan topping the tab. 

WSDC 2014: Five Selected for Team Indonesia, None from Bali

Five students made it into Team Indonesia for the 2014 World Schools Debating Championship that is scheduled to take place in Bangkok next August. Four of them came through the normal state-sponsored selections while the fifth member won the self-financed seat that is exclusive for underclassmen.  None of them come from Bali, the province that had two representatives in each of the 2012 and 2013 teams. The selected five are as follows:

Alif Azadi (SMA Modal Bangsa Aceh)
Kevin Bonaparte (SMA 17 Makassar)
Marsa Harisa (SMA 9 Yogyakarta)
Regina Cara Riantoputra (SMA 2 Tangerang Selatan)
John Amadeo (Raffles International Christian School Jakarta)

Australs ESL champion Subarkah Syafruddin, an Universitas Indonesia alumnus, returns as the coach after guiding Team Indonesia to respectable 4-4 finishes in WSDC 2012 and 2013. His Australs teammate and fellow UI graduate Riza Aryani accompanies him as co-coach. The 2013 team won the best EFL team award. Indonesia has only broken twice into the WSDC out rounds, in 2003 and 2004, both times with a 5-3 record in the 8-round mandatory stage. The 2010 team also won 5 times in the preliminaries but came short from breaking.

UADC 2014: R3 Delayed, UGM Team Still Unbeaten

The first day of debates in the 5th United Asian Debating Championship ended with the organizers postponing preliminary round 3 due to technical issues. UADC 2014 has 8 prelims that must finish on May 29 when the break should be announced. This could mean the third day would have 3 debates, one more than scheduled, affecting the time for the announcement.

Twelve Indonesian institutions sent teams to Nanyang Technological University for Asia's most prestigious 3-on-3 debate tournament. One of the strongest among them, Universitas Gadjah Mada 1 (Alif Satria, Indriani Pratiwi, Thoriq Murtadho), concluded the day undefeated after beating teams from Hong Kong Polytechnic and reigning champion University of the Philippines Diliman. While Indonesian teams created all-Indonesia finals in the English-as-Foreign-Language category in all four past UADC editions, none of them succeeded to break into the open knockouts. With almost 20 Indonesian teams in this year's tournament, the hope is some could slip into the top 24 teams that will be eligible to advance into the main elimination stage.     

UADC 2014: Indonesia Comes With Big Delegation, Bali Bid

The 2014 United Asian Debating Championships will see dozens of debaters from 12 Indonesian institutions and a campaign to bring the tournament to Bali. The intention to boost the nation's presence on the regional debating map is stronger than ever. Indonesian teams have dominated UADC's English-as-Foreign-Language category with four consecutive all-Indonesia EFL finals. But none from Indonesia has been able to break into the main knockouts. Asia's number one competition, which started in 2010, also has never been hosted in Indonesia.

Several Indonesian teams had broken into the main elimination stages of Asian tournaments that preceded UADC - the Asian Intervarsities Debating Championships (All-Asians) and the Asian Universities Debating Championships (AUDC). In 2007, Institut Teknologi Bandung hosted AUDC. But since the two events merged into UADC in 2010, those two accomplishments, breaking in the open category or hosting, have been elusive.

This year's UADC starts today at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, a place where Indonesian varsity debating took off. When NTU hosted the 1997 All-Asians, teams from Universitas Indonesia and Universitas Parahyangan became the first from Indonesia to compete in a major international debating championship. As soon as the debaters came home, UI established the pioneer debating society in Indonesia and Unpar launched the country's first tournament using an internationally accepted format. The two trailblazing universities are now back at NTU along with an army of Indonesian debaters, seeking to create new history.

Nanyang Technological University - Venue of UADC 2014 

One historical feat can be made if the combined package of Binus University and Universitas Udayana wins the right to host UADC 2015 in Bali. They have prepared a campaign that promises debaters an unforgettable experience of debating on paradise island where the world's best natural beaches meet the highly artistic Balinese culture. A winning bid along with success in the debating chambers will excite the Indonesian debating scene. On the 17th anniversary of Indonesia's participation on the Asian debating stage, it is time for Indonesian debaters to shine at the embarkation point where the journey began. Here are the institutions that sent delegates to UADC 2014.

1. Binus International
2. Binus University
3. Institut Pertanian Bogor
4. Institut Teknologi Bandung 
5. Universitas Atma Jaya Jakarta
6. Universitas Gadjah Mada
7. Universitas Indonesia
8. Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
9. Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar 
10. Universitas Padjadjaran
11. Universitas Parahyangan
12. Universitas Pelita Harapan

UGM Teams Win NNDC, E-Fiesta On The Same Day

NNDC 2014 Champions - UGM A

Universitas Gadjah Mada teams championed two debate competitions in separate cities today. In hometown Yogyakarta, #1 UGM A (Aryanda Putra Tony & Nalaputi Basoeki) won the 3rd National Newbies Debate Competition, the main British Parliamentary contest exclusively  for novices. They defeated  cross-city rival #14 Universitas Sanata Dharma A (Franssisca Xaveria & Ivonne Kezia) and two Universitas Indonesia teams that failed to retain the title - #4 UI A (Gayatri Kancana & Imam Taufiq) and #3 UI C (Hudzaifah Abdullah & Ayu Sistiafi). UGM's Aryanda Putra Tony and UI's Ayu Sistiafi came out as the co-best speakers.

In Malang, another #1 UGM A (Noel Hasintongan, Ganjar Dennis, Aufia Espressivo) outclassed #2 Universitas Brawijaya Formasi (Nadya Ayuning, Nur Rizki Oceano, Haris Apriyanto) to win the 2014 English Fiesta debate. UB's Nur Rizki Oceano topped the speaker tab while his teammates came second and third.

UI Debaters Win National IHL 2014, Ticket to KL Round

NDC IHL 2014 Champions - UI 

#1 Universitas Indonesia (Colley Windya, Garlan Archista, Egalita Irfan) triumphed in the 6th National Debate Competition on International Humanitarian Law, giving their school its first ever victory in this tournament. In the final, they knocked down the motion "This House Believes That International Humanitarian Law Is Losing Its Relevance After 150 Years" that was proposed by dark horse #2 President University (Made Yaya Sawitri, Gilang Agam, Putu Ayu Mas Amanda). UI's Egalita Irfan was the best speaker in the final.

Universitas Gadjah Mada debater Syadza Annisa came out as the best speaker of the tournament although her squad fell in the quarterfinal. UGM teams have grabbed 4 out of the 6 national IHL titles, including last year's. This national contest is exclusively for students of International Relations. The victory also grants the UI trio entry to the IHL debate competition in Kuala Lumpur where the participants are not limited to a specific field of study.  

UGM Teams Break First in This Year's NNDC, E-Fiesta

Teams from Universitas Gadjah Mada progressed first in two nationwide debating tournaments that reached their breaking announcement today -- the 3rd National Newbie Debating Competition in Yogyakarta and the English Fiesta in Malang. There is also a third championship going on this weekend in Tangerang, the 2014 International Humanitarian Law National Debate Competition, but it will only have its last preliminary round tomorrow morning. 

At NNDC, UGM A (Aryanda Putra Tony & Nalaputi Basoeki) led the list in the British Parliamentary style contest exclusively for novices. Three teams from rival Universitas Indonesia followed straight after. UI won all two of the past editions of NNDC. Here is the complete list.

1. Universitas Gadjah Mada A
2. Universitas Indonesia B
3. Universitas Indonesia C
4. Universitas Indonesia A
5. Universitas Diponegoro A
6. Politeknik Negeri Malang B
7. Universitas Brawijaya A
8. Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta A
9. Universitas Diponegoro C
10. Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta C
11. STMIK Amikom A
12. Universitas Negeri Surabaya B
13. Universitas Gadjah Mada B
14. Universitas Sanata Dharma A
15. Universitas Negeri Surabaya A
16. Universitas Diponegoro B  

In Malang, another UGM A (Noel Hasintongan, Ganjar Dennis, Aufia Espressivo) won all of their preliminary debates and cruised into the elimination round of the 3-on-3 EF before the rest. The eight teams that advanced into the quarterfinals are:

1. Universitas Gadjah Mada A
2. Universitas Brawijaya Formasi
3. Universitas Indonesia A
4. Universitas Indonesia B
5. Universitas Ahmad Dahlan A
6. Universitas Ahmad Dahlan B
7. Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang A
8. Universitas Brawijaya ESP-FTP 

WSDC 2014: Additional Debater Sought for Team Indonesia

Coaches of Team Indonesia are looking for an additional member for the 2014 World Schools Debating Championship squad who can debate for at least one more year. All of the top candidates for this year's Team Indonesia will graduate before the Bangkok WSDC 2014, which will take place this August, and start their university lives a few days after the competition, making them ineligible for WSDC 2015.

Suggestions to the ministry to consider underclassmen or students outside the mainstream national education system for the WSDC team selection are nothing new but they usually hit the bureaucratic wall. This year, coaches M. Subarkah Syafruddin and Riza Aryani, who are both former Universitas Indonesia debaters, managed to convince the ministry to think out of the box. The government will allow a fifth member for the team without demanding endorsement from his/her school or provincial education office. The other four should come from the existing system. 

For the last decade, WSDC selections in Indonesia are highly bureaucratic. Only students nominated by their schools can enter regional selections that prioritize state-run institutions. This system discourages private and international school students who may have better level of English than the general student population.

Furthermore, WSDC coaches can only choose from teams representing provinces that compete in the National Schools Debating Championships. If a star debater is overlooked by provincial selectors, WSDC coaches cannot take the person regardless of his/her stellar performance. Schools and provincial selectors tend to also overlook underclassmen and prioritize upperclassmen. Some exceptional juniors often need to wait until their seniors get their turn before teachers select them to represent the school in regional selections.

Indonesia last broke in WSDC in 2004, using the same team that reached the octofinals of WSDC 2003. The ministry allowed it due to the close gap between the two tournaments that made it difficult to create a nationwide search from scratch. All members of Team Indonesia 2003 and 2004 came from private schools in or around capital Jakarta. They could join the WSDC selection because organizers had the power to ask their schools to compete in the 2002 national debate tournament, in which a team from the ultra-expensive, English-language Sekolah Pelita Harapan became champion although it was not invited for the earlier provincial selection.

That fact triggered flak from some bureaucrats who complained about the lack of representatives from state schools in Team Indonesia. They demanded guaranteed seats for those taking public education. Unfortunately, that translated into the current system that tends to sideline exclusive schools. There are no more invitations to exceptional private schools. Achievements in 2003 and 2004 backfired against the institutions that produced the successful debaters.

The current search for the fifth member opens the chance for underclassmen from state schools and private English-language institutions to enter the team. There is a caveat, though. The ministry will allow it but won't pay the registration fee and transport expenses of the additional debater. The selected student must be ready to cover the cost that can reach up to $1500. Coaches will try to find external financing to subsidize this but there is no guarantee. For those who are unnerved by this condition, they should register before May 10 to muhammadsubarkah@gmail.com. Indeed, the chosen one must commit to intensive training ahead of the August 5-15 tournament.

Other requirements are as follows:

-10^th or 11^th grade student of a school based in Indonesia  before July 2014  

-Will not commence university education before August 2015

-Upload two debate videos (one as prime minister and the other as whip).
For more details, read the official letter about this selection here.

Binus Wins Climate Change Debate, UI Keeps Atma IV Title

Atma Jaya IV 2014 Champions - UI A

Binus University (Marchella Febriyanti & Rivera Kathrin) won the 2nd Climate Change Debate Competition this afternoon while a few hours later Universitas Indonesia A (Aulia Anggita & Dennys Kapa) championed the 2nd Atma Jaya Intervarsity. Both British Parliamentary style debate tournaments were held in Jakarta. The clashing date was quite unfortunate as it split the pool of debaters who could compete in the capital.

In CCDC, a debate held by Indonesian government's National Council on Climate Change, Binus outclassed UI B (Reza Mardian & Badai Yuda), Universitas Padjadjaran (Westra Tanribali & Erfan Supradhono) and Universitas Brawijaya (Leiditya Naristi & Fahri Akbar). The tournament did not offer awards for top speakers.

At Atma Jaya, UI A defended the title after defeating Institut Teknologi Bandung (Vicario Reinaldo & Aulia Widyaputra), Universitas Gadjah Mada A (Indriani Pratiwi & Wida Wahyuni) and dark horse Universitas Pelita Harapan (Saagar Teckchandani & Dharma Dwitama). UI's Aulia Anggita topped the individual tab. This is the second trophy for UI in as many weeks. Last week, another UI team won the classic ALSA UI English Competition debate.

DOTY 2014: UI Debaters Contest Gadjah Mada Reign

Universitas Indonesia debaters Roderick Sibarani and Magreta Kailla Adenta sailed to the top of the 2014 Debater of the Year table after their win in the recent ALSA UI E-Comp, breaking the dominance of speakers from Universitas Gadjah Mada. The UGM trio of Romario Tambunan, Indriani Pratiwi and Alif Satria had been taking the lead since they won the Indonesian Varsities English Debate in January. Romario still holds pole position for now but the margin is razor thin. The UGM reign may still emerge this year as the trio seem to be present in almost every tournament while UI debaters are more selective.

The other competition that contributed to the table for April 2014 was the English Parade in Malang. Although SKEPTIC, a competition in Yogyakarta in April, was billed as national, it was not considered due to its lack of participation from strong debate clubs from outside that city. The full list can be accessed here. The top 10 individuals on the DOTY 2014 as of April 2014 is as follows:

1. Romario Tambunan (Universitas Gadjah Mada)
2. Roderick Sibarani (Universitas Indonesia)
3. Indriani Pratiwi (Universitas Gadjah Mada)
4. Magreta Kailla Adenta (Universitas Indonesia)
5. Alif Satria (Universitas Indonesia)
6. Vicario Reinaldo (Institut Teknologi Bandung)
7. Cindy Fransisca (Universitas Atma Jaya Jakarta)
8. Melisa Irene (Binus International)
9. Erwina Salsabila (Universitas Gadjah Mada)
10. Revian Wirabuana (Universitas Parahyangan)  

ALSA UI E-Comp 2014: Key Results (Varsity)

Champion: #1 Universitas Indonesia A (Terry Muthahhari, Magreta Kailla Adenta, Roderick Sibarani)
Finalist: #3 Universitas Atma Jaya Jakarta A (Cindy Fransisca, Kario Teguh, Silvya Suwandy)
Best Speaker: Roderick Sibarani (Universitas Indonesia A)

Top Speakers
1. Roderick Sibarani (Universitas Indonesia A)
2. CIndy Fransisca (Universitas Atma Jaya Jakarta A)
3. Wida Wahyuni (Universitas Gadjah Mada A)
4. Magreta Kailla Adenta (Universitas Indonesia A)
4. Romario Tambunan (Universitas Gadjah Mada A)
6. Indriani Pratiwi (Universitas Gadjah Mada A)
7. Albert Santoso (Universitas Indonesia B)
7. Kirana Kania (Institut Teknologi Bandung A)
9. Terry Muthahhari (Universitas Indonesia A)
9. Aulia Widyaputra (Institut Teknologi Bandung A)

ALSA UI E-Comp 2014: Key Results (High School)

Champion: #2 SMA 4 Denpasar A (Denny Adiputra, Yunindita Prasidya, Putu Ayu Saraswati)
Finalist: #4 SMA 1 Denpasar A (Elizabeth Hanakata, Biani Himawan, Keila Ayu Anandasita)
Best Speaker: Yunindita Prasidya (SMA 4 Denpasar A)

Top 10 Speakers
1. Yunindita Prasidya (SMA 4 Denpasar A)
2. Putu Ayu Saraswati (SMA 4 Denpasar A)
3. Alif Azadi (SMA Modal Bangsa A)
4. Denny Adiputra (SMA 4 Denpasar A)
5. Gracia Nicole Tan (SMA 4 Denpasar B)
6. Vincentius Michael (SMAK 1 Penabur Bandung A)
6. Kevin Bonaparte (SMA 17 Makassar B)
8. Yandiaz Siregar (SMA 4 Denpasar B)
9. Muhammad Armiya (SMA Modal Bangsa A)
9. Keila Ayu Anandasita (SMA 1 Denpasar A)
9. Bagus Santosa (SMA 1 Sidoarjo B)