The Glasgow University Union is set to host the prestigious debating championship next summer.
The Glasgow University Union (GUU) has secured a bid to host the European University Debating Championships in the summer of next year.
GUU has secured their bid to host the European University Debating Championships (EUDC) after the selection committee unanimously voted for Glasgow’s bid, which months in the works. The competition is now set to go ahead after ratification was received from Glasgow City Council in August.
The GUU has a long history with the tournament, having won the championship in 2017 and reaching the quarterfinals in the 2022 competition. The GUU is also no stranger to hosting international competitions of this scale, hosting the first World University Debating Championships in 1981 and four other times, most recently in 2001.
The tournament will take place over the summer of 2024 and see students from across Europe compete in the GUU building. Participants will be housed in Murano during these empty summer months. Initial rounds of the tournament are set to be held in the GUU with the final to be held in Bute Hall and the closing ceremony in the Glasgow Science Centre – where the First Minister and Prime Minister will both be invited to attend.
The competition’s organisers have also organised a Scottish night, complete with a ceilidh band and dancing, and a ‘eurotrash’ night to be held in Hive.
Alexander Fraser, one of the event’s Co-Conveners and former Glasgow University student, told The Glasgow Guardian, “It is fantastic that we’ve now been ratified by the European Debating Council – confirming that next year’s European Championships will definitely be coming to Glasgow. There has been a lot of work underway behind the scenes over the last year to put in place all the logistics involved with hosting over 500 people in our city for a week of fierce competition and cultural exchange. Glasgow University Union, University of Glasgow authorities and Glasgow City Council have all provided invaluable support in putting this together, supporting and enabling the efforts of the team of us running this event. Plenty of work remains ahead over the next year.
“The European University Debating Championships are the landmark event in the European debating calendar and will see so many wonderful individuals get to come to the place where the format of modern university competitive debating began. I am personally thrilled to be giving back to the GUU, the University, and the debating community, by helping organise this event. Debating at the GUU was one of the best things I did during my time at Glasgow University and I would encourage anybody interested to give it a try. I’d also encourage the entire UofG community to keep an eye on the event’s social media channels if they want to get involved in some way – there will be plenty of opportunities to help out and see what it’s all about.”
The Glasgow University Union hosts speaker training every Tuesday at 6pm for any students who would like to get involved and welcomes debaters of any experience level.
