The World Universities Debating Championship in Spanish or Campeonato Mundial Universitario de Debate en Español (CMUDE) 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.
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 (proposition in the UK and North America) 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 octo-finals, with the best 2 from each debate qualifying for the quarter-finals, and the best 2 of each quarter-final subsequently proceed to 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.
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" (Spanish As Second Language) 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,.[1]
| Year | Hosts | Winners | Finalists | Semifinalists | Quarter Finalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/2021 | Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Held Online) | Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Francisco Vergara y Mauricio Jarufe | Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Rubén Sanchez y Benjamín Vigueras Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso Fernando Contreras González y Matti Durán Santis Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México y Institute of Development Studies Marcela Gómez y Samuel Ortiz | Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (x2) | Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (x2) Universidad Nacional de Colombia Universidad San Francisco de Quito |
| 2019[2] | Universidad ESAN Lima | Universidad del Rosario Juanita Hincapié & Jorge Portocarrero | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Carmen Sánchez & Enrique Marchán Universidad del RosarioHernando José Castro Palma & Ana Díaz Ávila Universidad Rey Juan CarlosAlejandro Bellanco Sánchez & Desirée Herrera Rodríguez |
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Composite** Universidad Iberoamericana (Ciudad de México) 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 |
| 2018 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | Fundación Cánovas Cánovas A (Málaga) María García & Carmen Vallecillo | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (B) Pablo Molins & Carlos Pérez Universidad del Rosario (C) Juanita Hincapié y Jorge Portocarrero Universidad Pontificia de Comillas ICAI-ICADE (B) Javier Alberite & Luis Ignacio Belzuz | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Universidad Pontificia de ComillasICAI-ICADE (D) Universidad de Guadalajara Virtual (A) Universidad de Guadalajara CUCEA (A) | Universidad Carlos III CMU Loyola ISIPA Universidad de Guadalajara CUCSH (A) Universidad Santa María La Antigua |
| 2017 | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala | Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICAI-ICADE (A)Antonio Fabregat & Javier De La Puerta | Universidad de Córdoba Álvaro Ortega & Gonzalo Herreros Universidad Pontificia Comillas ICAI-ICADE (B) Javier Alberite & Didier Martín Díaz Universidad del Rosario Ángela Parra Rojas & Paula Ovalle | Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) UMA - CÁNOVAS | Tec de Monterrey (Campus Estado de México) Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú (x2) SICODI Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos |
| 2016 | Universidad de Córdoba Córdoba | Universidad de Santiago de CompostelaAida 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 Noam Vilches & David Hansen Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales |
| 2015[3] | 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 MadridIrene Miguelsanz Villanueva & Mariella de la Cruz Taboada Universidad de MurciaPilar 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 Nacional de Bogotá |
| 2014[4] | 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 MadridIrene Miguelsanz Villanueva & Javier Moreta Llovet Universidad Pontificia ComillasAntonio Fabregat & Alberto de Unzurrunzaga Rubio | Universidad del Rosario | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú
Universidad Nacional de Colombia- sede Medellín Universidad Nacional de Bogotá (x2) |
| 2013[5] | 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 Central de Venezuela (x2)
Universidad de Colombia Universidad de Santiago de Compostela Simón Caaveiro Fraga & F. Adrián Fernández Tojo Fuerzás Aéreas de Chile Universidad Santo Tomás Viña del Mar |
| 2012[6] | 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 (x2) Universidad del Rosario (x2) | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello Universidad Católica Andrés Bello |
| 2011[7] | 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 Nacional de Colombia Universidad Central de Venezuela (x3) Universidad Simón Bolívar Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México |
**Both speakers were Peruvian: one from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Pimentel), and one from Spanish; Castilian: Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (Cortijo), and did not have ties to HKUST, but were allowed to participate on representational grounds.
| 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 | None | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9th | 91st | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17th | 61st | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17th | 95th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17th | None | ||
| 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 | None | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78th | None | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82nd | 150th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105th | 64th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105th | None | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117th | 221st | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | 36th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | 89th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | 100th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | 125th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | 211th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | 218th | ||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | 218th |
| Year | Hosts | Champions | Runner-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/2021 (Copa Máster) | Universidad Complutense de Madrid | Diego Duarte, Giza Pavone, Juanita Hincapie | & Jorge Bullon, Giovanni Begossi, Adriana Barrantes | & Sebastián Ezeta, Fabián Yaksic, Fernanda Crousillat & Erika Silva, Valeria Hernandez y Daniel Espinosa | No Quarters Break |
| 2019 (Copa Máster) | Universidad ESAN Lima | Jorge Álvarez Palomino, Víctor Corpa Rubio & Iñigo Vallejo | | Mixed Team | No Quarters Break |
| 2018 (Copa de Naciones) | 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 | No Quarters Break |
| 2017 (Copa de Jueces) | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala | Londoño, Bermúdez, Gutiérrez | López, Carvajal, Duarte | & Luisa Salazar, Salma Infante Osorio, David Alatorre López Deza, Ruiz, Lozano | |
| 2016 (Copa de Jueces) | 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 (Copa de Naciones) | Universidad del Rosario Bogotá | ||||
| 2014 (Copa de Naciones) | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Atizapán de Zaragoza | Central America | Mixed Team | ||
| Year | Hosts | Best Speaker | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Universidad Complutense de Madrid | Juanita Hincapié | ||
| 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 | None |
| 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 | ||
| 2017 | Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala | University of Denver Selene Figueroa & Quinn Seremet | ||
| 2016 | Universidad de Córdoba Córdoba | TU Munich
Reinhold Koch & Katrin Fallmann | University of Denver HSE Wageningen University | |
| 2015 | Universidad del Rosario Bogotá | Felix Plassman & Alexander Wisse | Colgate University (x2) HSE | |
| 2014 | Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de México Atizapán de Zaragoza | Willamette University Shamir Cervantes & Andrés Oswill | Colgate University (x3) |