Alright, guys, London Olympics is out – all eyes on Belgrade now: “#EUDC is officially open!” Debaters of Europe have assembled in the Serbian capital to compete for the title of the European Universities Debating Championship (EUDC or Euros). Numbers include 200 teams, nine preliminary rounds, two quarters (in the categories “open” and “English as a Second Language,” ESL), two semi-finals and two finals. That makes a schedule as follows:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday three prelims each
• Thursday both open and ESL quarters, ESL semis
• Friday open semis, both open and ESL finals

A European debating championship needs motions need a chief adjudicator: Art Ward. He was a member of the chief adjudication core at Manila Worlds 2012 and chief adjudicator for tournaments such as the Cambridge IV and the LSE Open in 2011. He was also a finalist at Koc Worlds 2010 and a top 10 speaker both at Koc Worlds and at Newcastle Euros 2009. On top of that he really knows behind the scenes: He was convenor at Cork Worlds 2009.

His deputies are:

• Manos Moschopoulos: best ESL speaker and ESL quarterfinalist WUDC 2010, ESL finalist EUDC 2010, ESL champion London Australs 2010, chief adjudicator of Belgrade Open 2011, Vienna IV 2011, convenor both of the Athens Open 2009 and the Belgrade Open 2010
• Isabelle Fischer (formerly Loewe): ESL champion EUDC 2006, ESL semifinlais 2007, chief adjudicator EUDC 2008, final judge (Open) EUDC 2010, WUDC 2011, ESL final EUDC 2009, EFL final WUDC 2010
• Ben Woolgar: current EUDC champion (2011), finalist WUDC 2011, finalist EUDC 2010, former World Schools’ Debating Champion (WSDC)
• Filip Muki Dobranic: best ESL speaker and ESL finalist WUDC 2011, ESL champion EUDC 2010, best EFL speaker WUDC 2010 and best speaker both at WSDC 2007 and 2008
• Stephen Boyle: WUDC quarter finalist, winner various competitions, chief adjudicator US Championships 2011

Apart from glorious chief adjudicators, exciting motions (most probably!) and a broad field of competitors the participants will be served great socials. Not much is known about them so far – but great expectations have grown after everybody knows the partying of Serbian delegations to international tournaments as well as last year’s legendary Belgrade Open. Sunday, the day of arrival, faced the official opening ceremony already after which John Harper, a debater from St. Andrews, wrote on Twitter: “My favorite #EUDC opening ceremony so far, lovely chill atmosphere.”

Achte Minute will keep you updated about motions, rankings and, yes, a little gossip. Follow us on Twitter (hashtag: #EUDC), Facebook and of course here on the website.

The European Universities Debating Championship (EUDC or Euros) have been held annually since 1999. It was started in Rotterdam where 32 teams of two competed for the title. For the records: In Amsterdam, 192 teams competed for the very same title in 2010. Format has ever since been British Parliamentary Style (BPS), language of debate is English. Debaters from all over Europe and even as far away as Israel and Qatar take part in Euros and compete with each other in two categories: the open break (for native speakers) and “English as a Second Language” (ESL). Current champions are Ben Woolgar and Hugh Burns (Oxford), ESL champions are Sella and Omer Nevo, two brothers from Tel Aviv University. This year’s Euros will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, from 5 to 11 August. Chief adjudicator is Art Ward, his deputies are Manos Moschopoulos, Isabelle Loewe, Ben Woolgar, Filip Muki Dobranic and Stephen Boyle. During the Euros, the EUDC Council will sit and for instance decide about the host of next year’s championship.