UMN Hosts The Australasian Intervarsity Debate Championships 2024

Opening of the Jakarta Australs 2024 event held at UMN. (Doc. UMN)

Tangerang – On (30/06) The Australasian Intervarsity Debate Championships was held at UMN. This debate championship also involved several parties from EduDrift & Socrates. Activities. The debate championship was held for six days at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara. 

The Australasian Intervarsity Debate Championships known as Australs, is an annual activity since 2010 held by EduDrift. Australs is one of the major Debate competitions in the world. Australs involves higher education institutions from Australia, New Zealand, Northeast Asia, Southern Asia, and Southeast Asia.

This year Australs was held in Indonesia on the Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) campus. This activity was a collaboration between BEM UMN and EduDrift. Attended by 269 students, this activity occurred from the 2nd of July to the 6th of July, 2024. 

Geri Ami delivers her opening speech at Australs 2024. (Doc. UMN)

Australs 2024 Co-Convenor Geri Ami delivered her opening greetings, “I am very grateful that we can actually hold this event. We have been preparing for this event since January and I myself wondered if we could organize this event. I would like to thank those who have been involved and helped us all to get to Jakarta, starting from the students, the EduDrift and Socrates parties, and UMN for helping us to carry out this activity.” 

Friska delivering a message to the Australs Debate Championship participants. (Doc. UMN).

Friska as the representative of the UMN Rector, also conveyed warm greetings to the students involved, “It’s great that Universitas Multimedia Nusantara can host this activity. Australs can be a forum for students to improve their skills, critical thinking skills and also the art of logical and persuasive thinking. I am sure that all students here can become good leaders in the future by providing critical and innovative solutions.”

Friska also hopes that with this activity, young people can help with existing issues clearly and solve problems from various perspectives. She also advised students to enjoy their time while in Jakarta, enjoying the cuisine and tourism.

The activities held by Australs are not merely debates but also a forum for students to broaden their horizons on existing issues. The Australs debate competition focuses on different global issue topics such as economics, social issues, war, poverty, environment, pop-culture, and philosophy. 

This year’s Australs Debate Championship winners were Oliver Hervir, Sophie Shead, and Udai Kamath from the University of Sydney Union. 

There were also other nominated winners: 

1. Best Speaker “Martin Sorensen Trophy” won by Charlie Ryan from the University of Sydney, Australia.
2. Best Speaker in Grand Final “Jock Fanselow Cup” won by Sophie Sead from the University of Sydney, Australia.
3. Best ESL Speaker “Boby Andika Ruitang Memorial Trophy” won by Annika Wang from the University of Sydney, Australia.
4. Best EFL Speaker was won by Annika Wang from the University of Sydney, Australia.
5. Best Reply Speaker was won by Sophie Sead from the University of Sydney, Australia.

By Rachel Tiffany Tanukusuma | UMN News Service

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara. www.umn.ac.id