World Universities Debating Championship in Spanish
The World Universities Debating Championship in Spanish or Campeonato Mundial Universitario de Debate en Español is the world's largest and most important debating tournament in Spanish.
It is a parliamentary debating event, held using the British Parliamentary Debate format. The tournament the winners of the open competition are acknowledged as the "World Champions" of debating in Spanish.
The 2016 tournament was held at Universidad de Córdoba in Spain. The 2017 edition will be held at Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala.
Format
The Championship is held in the Northern Hemisphere summer.The competition involves nine preliminary rounds, which become power-paired as the tournament progresses, matching the strongest-performing teams against each other. Two teams form the government and two the opposition in each debate room. The process of scoring and pairing these teams is known as tabbing. The scoring of teams is done by judges, most of whom are students or former students from the competing institutions, who return ballots with their scores to the adjudication team, led by a Chief Adjudicator who is assisted by one or more deputies.
The nine preliminary rounds are followed by a break at which the teams proceeding to elimination rounds are announced. In the current tournament format, 32 teams proceed to the quarter-finals, with the best 2 from each debate qualifying for the semi-finals, and the best 2 of each semi-final subsequently proceed to the Grand Final.
In addition, a public speaking competition is also open to all participants in CMUDE. Since edition held in México in 2014 a Nation's World Cup and a Spanish As a Second Language tournament were introduced.
Particularities
There are some differences with the English-speaking version of the tournament. One of them is that there is no limit on the number of teams that a university may register to the tournament as long as they fulfill the "n-1" rule, where "n" represents the number of teams they bring to the tournament and "n-1" is the number of judges they need to provide.México 2014 introduced a Nations World Cup. While in English Worlds usually this competition is not taken on a serious manner, in the Spanish-speaking version it was envisioned for just one team per nation but the format has also evolved each year, and sometimes more than one team per nation have been allowed, or "humor" has been considered one of the evaluating elements in 2015 and 2019.
Composite teams are allowed at times, usually when there is no other way of guaranteeing participation for students from a university.
The "language status" tournament also has a key difference with Worlds. While Worlds' "ESL" and "EFL" tournaments are only for the teams that were not able or decide not to break into the Open tournament, the "Español como Segunda Lengua" competition features a break of all teams eligible due to their language condition regardless of their performance on the main break, thus crowning the outright "Spanish As a Second Language" world champions.
Some editions have given focus to social service, including a full day was dedicated to teach debate to local students in 2014,.
The Ecuador 2020 edition has announced they will hold a "Champion of Champions" tournament, open to finalists of the first 9 editions of the tournament, as a decade celebration.
Past Champions and Hosts
World Universities Championship
| Year | Hosts | Winners | Finalists | Semifinalists | Quarter Finalists |
| 2021 | |||||
| 2020 | |||||
| 2019 | Universidad ESAN Lima | Universidad del Rosario Juanita Hincapié & Jorge Portocarrero | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Carmen Sánchez & Enrique Marchán Universidad del Rosario Hernando José Castro Palma & Ana Díaz Ávila Universidad Rey Juan Carlos Alejandro Bellanco Sánchez & Desirée Herrera Rodríguez | Cornell University* Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Composite** Universidad Iberoamericana Universidad de Bárcelona & Universidad Autónoma de Bárcelona | Universidad CEU San Pablo Universidad Pontificia de Comillas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Universidad Complutense de Madrid Universidad Francisco de Vitoria Universidad Santa María la Antigua |
| 2018 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | Fundación Cánovas Cánovas A María García & Carmen Vallecillo | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Pablo Molins & Carlos Pérez Universidad del Rosario Juanita Hincapié y Jorge Portocarrero Universidad Pontificia de Comillas ICAI-ICADE Javier Alberite & Luis Ignacio Belzuz | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Universidad Pontificia de ComillasICAI-ICADE Universidad de Guadalajara Virtual Universidad de Guadalajara CUCEA | Universidad Carlos III CMU Loyola ISIPA Universidad de Guadalajara CUCSH Universidad Santa María La Antigua |
| 2017 | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala | Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICAI-ICADE Antonio Fabregat & Javier De La Puerta | Universidad de Córdoba Álvaro Ortega & Gonzalo Herreros Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICAI-ICADE Javier Alberite & Didier Martín Díaz Universidad del Rosario Ángela Parra Rojas & Paula Ovalle | Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia UMA - CÁNOVAS Universidad del Rosario Cornell University | Tec de Monterrey Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú Universidad de los Andes SICODI Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Universidad Francisco de Vitoria |
| 2016 | Universidad de Córdoba Córdoba | Universidad de Santiago de Compostela Aida González Vázquez & Atenea Luana | Universidad de Guadalajara Ricardo Acosta & Julio César Aguilar PUCP Fernando Tincopa & Diego Mera UAM Juncal León & Guillermo Serrano | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Universidad del Rosario Universidad Pontificia Comillas Escuela de Finanzas | Universidad del Rosario Universidad Pontificia Comillas Universidad Andrés Bello Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú Universidad de Córdoba Universidad Francisco de Vitoria |
| 2015 | Universidad del Rosario Bogotá | Universidad del Rosario Santiago Vásquez & Daniel Cardona | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Mariana Morales & Valeria Conde Universidad Autonóma de Madrid Irene Miguelsanz Villanueva & Mariella de la Cruz Taboada Universidad de Murcia Pilar Rodríguez Losantos & Sergio Melero | Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México Universidad Nacional de Bogotá Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú Universidad de Comillas | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú Universidad de Medellín Universidad de Córdoba Universidad de Guadalajara CUCSCH Universidad del Rosario Universidad Nacional de Bogotá Universidad de Tolima |
| 2014 | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Atizapán de Zaragoza | Universidad del Rosario Arturo Vallejo & Daniel Cardona | Universidad de Córdoba Gonzalo Herreros Moya & Jorge Lucena Pérez Universidad Autonóma de Madrid Irene Miguelsanz Villanueva & Javier Moreta Llovet Universidad Pontificia Comillas Antonio Fabregat & Alberto de Unzurrunzaga Rubio | Universidad del Rosario Universidad de Murcia Universidad de Tolima Universidad de Córdoba | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú Universidad de Chile Universidad Nacional de Colombia- sede Medellín Universidad Nacional de Bogotá Universidad Andrés Bello Universidad del Rosario Universidad de Guadalajara |
| 2013 | Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid | Universidad Andrés Bello Ricardo Gómez & Nicole Hansen | Universidad Francisco de Vitoria David Ferrete Camarzana & Jorge White García Universidad Central de Venezuela María Gabriela Vincent Allende & Andrés Ávila Universidad de Extremadura Carlos Seseña & Gonzalo Alonso Pinto | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Universidad del Rosario Universidad Central de Venezuela | Universidad Central de Venezuela Universidad de Chile Universidad de Colombia Universidad del Rosario Universidad de Santiago de Compostela Simón Caaveiro Fraga & F. Adrián Fernández Tojo Fuerzás Aéreas de Chile Universidad Santo Tomás Viña del Mar |
| 2012 | Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago | Universidad de Chile Santiago Daniel Iribarren Abarca & Nicolás Palma | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso César Miranda Reyes & José Meza Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México David Alatorre López & Rodolfo Flores Méndez Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México José Alberto Ramírez & Valeria García | Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello Universidad del Rosario | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello Universidad Católica Andrés Bello Universidad de los Andes Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Universidad del Desarrollo |
| 2011 | Universidad Central de Venezuela Caracas | Universidad Simón Bolívar Jesús Gorrín & Alain Herrera | Universidad Católica Andrés Bello Nicole Hansen & Marcelo Rivera Universidad Central de Venezuela Howard Ávarez & Rafael Bullones Universidad del Rosario Ingrid Rodríguez & Luisa Salazar | Universidad San Sebastián Universidad de Chile Universidad del Rosario Universidad Central de Venezuela | Universidad Nacional de Colombia Universidad Central de Venezuela Universidad Simón Bolívar Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Universidad del Rosario Universidad Complutense de Madrid |
Best Speakers
| Year | Hosts | Best Speaker | Runner-Up | Third place | Foreign Language |
| 2019 | Universidad ESAN Lima | Universidad del Rosario Juanita Hincapié | Universidad del Rosario Jorge Portocarrero | Universidad Pontificia Comillas Elena Gillis & Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona | Cornell University Leonardo Grageda |
| 2018 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | Cornell University | |||
| 2017 | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Ciudad de Guatemala | Escuela de Finanzas Aida González | Escuela de Finanzas Iván Olmos Ferreiro Universidad Pontificia Comillas Javier Alberite | - | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Kyung-Tak Woo |
| 2016 | Universidad de Córdoba Córdoba | Universidad Pontificia Comillas Antonio Fabregat | CEPC Irene Miguelsanz Villanueva | Universidad Pontificia Comillas Javier de la Puerta | |
| 2015 | Universidad del Rosario Bogotá | Universidad Pontificia Comillas Antonio Fabregat | Universidad Pontificia Comillas Alberto de Unzurrunzaga Rubio Universidad de Murcia Pilar Rodríguez Losantos | Universidad Autonóma de Madrid Irene Miguelsanz Villanueva | |
| 2014 | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Atizapán de Zaragoza | Universidad de Extremadura Gonzalo Alonso Pinto | Universidad de Extremadura Carlos Seseńa Vaquero | Universidad Andrés Bello Fernando Vera | |
| 2013 | Universidad Complutense Madrid | Universidad Central de Venezuela María Gabriela Vicent Allende | Universidad de Extremadura Carlos Seseńa Vaquero | Universidad Andrés Bello Ricardo Gómez | |
| 2012 | Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago | Universidad de Chile Santiago Daniel Iribarren Abarca | Universidad Central de Venezuela Rita Sleiman | Universidad de Chile Santiago Nicolás Palma | |
| 2011 | Universidad Central de Venezuela Caracas | Universidad Complutense de Madrid Camila Salazar-Simpson | Universidad Andrés Bello Nicole Hansen Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México David Alatorre López | - |
Performance by country
| Country | Champions | Runner-Ups | Semifinalists | Quarter Finalists | Best Result Ever | Best Ever Ranked Speaker |
| 3 | 14 | 10 | 21 | 1st | 1st | |
| 3 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 1st | 1st | |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 1st | 1st | |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1st | 1st | |
| 0 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2nd | 2nd | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2nd | 10th | |
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5th | 35th | |
| * | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5th | - |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9th | 91st | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17th | 61st | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17th | 95th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17th | - | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28th | 26th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39th | 67th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43rd | 47th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44th | 63rd | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78th | - | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78th | - | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82nd | 150th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105th | 64th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105th | - | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117th | 221st | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 36th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 89th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 100th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 125th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 211th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 218th | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 218th |
- The students did not have ties to an institution from Hong Kong.
Judges' Cup / Nations Cup
| Year | Hosts | Champions | Runner-Up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
| 2019 | Universidad ESAN Lima | Jorge Álvarez Palomino, Víctor Corpa Rubio & Iñigo Vallejo | | Mixed Team | No Quarters Break |
| 2018 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Chile | Valeria Hernández, Mariana Morales, David Alatorre López | Gonzalo Herreros, Aida González, Francisco Valiente | North America Carlos Ortega, Roberto Romeu, Oliver Leung | Various |
| 2017 | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala | Londoño, Bermúdez, Gutiérrez | López, Carvajal, Duarte | & Luisa Salazar, Salma Infante Osorio, David Alatorre López Deza, Ruiz, Lozano | |
| 2016 | Universidad de Córdoba Córdoba | Critina Guerrero, Jorge Whyte, de la Virgen, Alberto Buscató | Nicholas Ferezin, Alfredo Díaz Barriga, David Alatorre López Nicole Hansen | Mixed Team Mixed Team Mixed Team | |
| 2015 | Universidad del Rosario Bogotá | | | ||
| 2014 | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Atizapán de Zaragoza | Central America | Mixed Team |
Judges' Cup Speakers
| Year | Hosts | Best Speaker | Runner-Up | Third |
| 2019 | Universidad ESAN Lima | Diego Cabrera | None awarded | None awarded |
| 2018 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Chile | Carlos Ortega | Francisco Valiente | Mariana Morales |
| 2017 | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala | Juan Martín Londoño | Ernesto Deza David Alatorre López | - |
Spanish As A Second Language
| Year | Hosts | Champions | Runners-up |
| 2019 | Universidad ESAN Lima | Cornell University Luz Dybner & Sara Stober | Colgate University |
| 2018 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Chile | Cornell University Brittany Garcia & Estefanía Palacios | Cornell University University of La Verne University of North Georgia |
| 2017 | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala | University of Denver Selene Figueroa & Quinn Seremet | - |
| 2016 | Universidad de Córdoba Córdoba | TU Munich Warwick Reinhold Koch & Katrin Fallmann | University of Denver HSE Wageningen University |
| 2015 | Universidad del Rosario Bogotá | Maastricht University Felix Plassman & Alexander Wisse | Colgate University HSE |
| 2014 | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Atizapán de Zaragoza | Willamette University Shamir Cervantes & Andrés Oswill | Colgate University |