The IE Debate Club is part of IE academic and professional clubs – it provides a professional platform for students to prove their oratory and argumentative skills on the global stage. In addition to that, it provides unique opportunities for friendships and networking with a variety of people of all different walks of life.
“There are two Debate Clubs: Debate Segovia and Debate Madrid. We work very closely together in creating events and organizing IE’s international teams. We run everything from Model United Nations to formal British Parliamentary Debate to more informal debates amongst professors and students.” – Adam Rose and Alisher Akhmadjonov, Presidents of the IEU Debate Clubs in Segovia and Madrid.
Find more about the IE Debate Club below.
Interview with Adam Rose, President of the IEU Debate Club Segovia, and Alisher Akhmadjonov, President of the IEU Debate Club Madrid.
Who can join the Debate Club?
While previous debate experience is appreciated and highly beneficial for incoming members, it is not necessary to join or compete in either of the Debate Clubs. However, in order to represent IE University at debate competitions, students must complete a series of Training Sessions with our Debate Coach, Kevin Febres. For example, selection for our delegations to international MUN conferences and competitions are based on performance in Training Session and Mock MUN’s.
What does the club do?
The Clubs host multiple events for its members and the general IE Community. We have coaching as well as training sessions and mock competitions. We attend local competitions like our Annual Debate with the Artillery Academy of Segovia and URJCMUN in Madrid to international competitions like WorldMUN – this time in Tokyo. We also host more informal events, such as debates between professors on topics of their fields and “Coffeehouse Forums” – debating topics ranging from the inalienable rights of people to the best movies of the year.
What is your club most proud of?
Last year, we performed very well in all the MUN conferences we attended. In BIMUN in Bonn, Germany, and GIMUN in Geneva, Switzerland, over half of our delegates received either best delegate or honorable mention awards in their respective committees.
What has the club’s biggest achievement or event been so far?
Our biggest local event would have to be our Artillery Academy Debates. Through friendly competition and discourse, we have developed a special bond with our Spanish neighbors in the armed forces.
What is the club looking forward to next year?
Both Debate clubs are already hard at work planning for the upcoming year. In addition to attending at least 3 international MUN conferences, the Debate Clubs will be hosting IE’s first Virtual MUN conference. This is in addition to the planned academic debates and social events.
How can people contact you, join, or participate?
Madrid
Instagram: @iedebateclubmad
Campus Groups: IEU Debate Club (Madrid)
Segovia
Instagram: @iedebateclubsegovia
Campus Groups: IEU Debate Club (Segovia)
What have you learned as coordinators of the club this year?
“Personally, I learned that Murphy’s rule can come in full force as a coordinator. We experienced quite a few hiccups during our time in Geneva last semester. Thankfully, most of those hiccups turned into funny experiences and treasured memories among our delegates, several of whom are now close friends of mine in the sister club’s leadership. I look forward to making even more of those memories this coming year.” – Adam Rose
“Never hesitate to take the matter in your own hands and just do it. Before re-establishing the club and becoming a coordinator, I used to think “Oh it would be nice if there was a debate club in Madrid” or “it would be cool to have XYZ event at IE”. Once I started doing it without hesitation, all the thoughts and ideas suddenly became a reality.” – Alisher Akhmadjonov
What events did the clubs host this year?
Training Session
We hosted a series of training sessions to provide students with the basics for competing in Debate competitions, while also providing students with a basis for general public speaking and other oratory skills.
Coffeehouse Forums
Weekly informal debates held in Segovia’s La Colonial Cafe near the Aqueduct. These debates are meant to provide students with a place and platform for meeting and discussing topics of interest without any of the impediments of formal debate structures.
Artillery Debate
Debate event held between the IEU Debate Club Segovia and the Royal Artillery Academy of Segovia. The members of the club had the opportunity to practice their debate skills as well as share a cocktail hour with the members of the Artillery Academy.
GIMUN
With our own former President Victoria Lujan as an Under-Secretary General for the event, the IE Delegation quickly became famous as the conference went on. Our students would be seen leading their committees in discussion and winning swaths of awards by day to rocking the karaoke mic and owning the dance floors by night.
“I would encourage anyone and everyone to join our club(s). Through its events and intriguing discourse, our members form close friendships as we open new and unique opportunities to them from anything to international networks to insights in international affairs and economics.” – Adam Rose
