NUDC 2013: Unhas Still King of Sulawesi Debating

There was no surprise in Region IX when Universitas Hasanuddin (Muhammad Fahmi & Andi Rahmatullah) topped the 2013 National Universities Debating Championships selection for Sulawesi yesterday. Unhas has been winning almost every competition for Sulawesi universities and standing out as the only school from eastern Indonesia that can go toe-to-toe with powerhouses from the west. In the final, the pair denied challenge from Universitas Tadulako from Palu and cross-city rivals Politeknik Negeri Ujung Pandang and Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar. Four other schools that reached the semifinals and also earned tickets to go to the national round were Universitas Negeri Makassar, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Universitas Sam Ratulangi and Universitas Muhammadiyah Pare-Pare. Region IX covers the 6 provinces on Sulawesi island.  

Universities Across Indonesia Set for Final Round of NUEDC

95 universities, 95 teams, and 190 debaters are eligible to fight for the crown of Indonesia's largest debating competition next week in Semarang, according to the Ministry of National Education that is paying for all of the participants' travel, room and board. This is one team short from the original plan of 96 teams due to confusion in a regional selection and more can be absent if invitations fail to reach on time.   

The 2011 National Universities English Debating Championships will take place at Universitas Diponegoro from June 21 to 26, after being pushed back one day from the original schedule. NUEDC uses the four-pairs-in-a-match British Parliamentary format and that is why the ministry first wanted 8 entrants from each of the12 regional divisions to have 24 simultaneous debates in one preliminary round. Each university is only allowed to send one team, regardless of the depth in a school's debating squad.

However, Universitas Sam Ratulangi was allowed to send two teams to the regionals in Sulawesi and both of them broke into the top 8 amid protests. In the end, the ministry dropped one of those teams, forcing the need for a swing team in the national round. Meanwhile, many teams are still looking for the ministry's official invitation and confused with the travel arrangements, opening the chance for pullouts and more swing teams.

Despite the large number of teams, NUEDC will only have 5 preliminary rounds to select the best 32 teams that can break into the octofinals of the main category. NUEDC has a separate category for universities that have never broken into the knockouts of any national-scale tournament with debaters who have never stayed abroad for more than 3 months. This category is called EFL although the requirements are more developmental than honoring those whose first language is not English. Many strong schools are also represented by debaters who consider English as a foreign lingo.

Out of the 95 teams, there are a few teams with debaters who have won a national-scale tournament or become the EFL winners of a international debating event. The teams that may stand out are:

• Universitas Bakrie - Ammar Syah Anwar & Aryo Febrian (UADC 2011 EFL champs)
• Universitas Indonesia - Adlini Ilma Ghaisany & Roderick Sibarani (ALSA UI 2011 champs)
• Binus International - Astrio Feligent & Christian Leonardo (EF 2011 champs)
• Institut Teknologi Bandung - Dito Krista (IVED 2010 champ) & Rifan Ibnu Rahman
• Universitas Padjadjaran - Mayang Puspita (BIND 2010 champ) & Rendy Prahara
• Universitas Gadjah Mada - Astri Agustina (IVED 2009 champ) & Gentur Adiutama
• Politeknik Negeri Malang - Harist Muhtadin (NPEDC 2010 champ) & Asdin Herzegovina (NPEDC 2011 champ)

Dark horses may emerge from other schools as many universities are fielding up-and-coming debaters who can pull upsets amid intense competition. Here are the 95 schools that have qualified for the Semarang debates. 

Region 1 (North Sumatra/Aceh)

Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, STIK Mikroskil, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Politeknik Negeri Medan, STIE IT&B, Universitas Negeri Medan, ASM Cendana

Region 2 (Bengkulu/South Sumatra/Bangka Belitung/Lampung)

Universitas Sriwijaya, STBA Teknokrat, Politeknik Sriwijaya, Universitas Bina Darma, STMIK Teknokrat, Universitas Lampung, Universitas Bangka Belitung, Universitas Baturaja

Region 3 (Greater Jakarta)

Binus International, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Bakrie, Universitas Atma Jaya, Institut Pertanian Bogor, Universitas Bunda Mulia, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Universitas Indraprasta PGRI

Region 4 (West Java)

Institut Teknologi Bandung, Universitas Padjadjaran, Institut Teknologi Telkom, Institut Manajemen Telkom, Universitas Parahyangan, Universitas Majalengka, Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung, STKIP Garut

Region 5 (Yogyakarta)

Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Institut Seni Indonesia

Region 6 (Central Java)

Universitas Diponegoro, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, Universitas Sultan Agung, Politeknik Negeri Semarang

Region 7 (East Java)

Politeknik Negeri Malang, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Universitas Negeri Malang, Universitas Brawijaya, Universitas Darul Ulum, STKIP Ponorogo, Universitas Trunojoyo, Universitas Widya Kartika

Region 8 (Bali/NTB/NTT)

Universitas Udayana, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan, Universitas Mataram, Politeknik Negeri Bali, Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Universitas Nusa Cendana, IKIP Mataram, Sekolah Tinggi Parawisata Bali

Region 9 (North Sulawesi/Gorontalo/Central Sulawesi/Southeast Sulawesi/West Sulawesi/South Sulawesi)

Universitas Hasanuddin, Politeknik Ujung Pandang, Universitas Sam Ratulangi, Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar, Universitas Negeri Manado, Universitas Fajar, Universitas Muhammadiyah Pare-Pare.

Region 10 (West Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, Jambi)

Politeknik Caltex, Universitas Riau, Universitas Negeri Padang, STBA Prayoga Padang, Universitas Bung Hatta Padang, Universitas Lancang Kuning, Politeknik Negeri Padang, Universitas Andalas

Region 11 (West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan)

Universitas Mulawarman, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, Universitas Tanjungpura, Politeknik Negeri Banjarmasin, STIKES Muhammadiyah Banjarmasin, Universitas Islam Kalimantan, Universitas Palangkaraya, Universitas Trunajaya

Region 12 (Maluku, North Maluku, West Papua)

Universitas Pattimura, Universitas Musamus Merauke, Politeknik St. Paul Sorong, Universitas Khairun Ternate, Universitas Kristen Indonesia Maluku, Universitas Al-Amin Sorong, Universitas Muhammadiyah Maluku Utara, Universitas Yapis Jayapura