Inter-Faculty Student Debates Return to VU to Compete for the Title of the Best 2022 Team

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Faculty of Philology of Vilnius University (VU) is again organising inter-faculty debates in English. This year the theme of the debate is "Leadership in Times of Crisis".

The debate will bring together ten student teams to compete for the title of Best Debate Team 2022. This debate is unique because the student teams represent different VU departments and have to prepare theses based on research most relevant to their discipline and future profession.

"The Academic Debate format is used by prestigious European and DB Universities, which the academic community of Vilnius University has joined. This is a great opportunity for students to discuss leadership and its challenges, and the team that convinces the distinguished jury with its arguments the most will be able to win the Debate 2022 Cup", says Professor Inesa Šeškauskienė, Dean of the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University.

This year, the student teams represent the following VU departments: the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, the Life Sciences Centre, the Faculty of Communication, the Faculty of Philosophy (VU FSF), and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.

A panel of five experts will judge the debaters - leaders who are active in their respective fields: historian Dr Loreta Skurvydaitė (VU, Faculty of History), diplomat Emily J. Hicks (U.S. Embassy), paediatric nephrologist Dr Karolis Ažukaitis (VU, Faculty of Medicine), chairwoman of the board of "Ignitis Grupa" Dr Živilė Skibarkienė and diplomat Mark Pass (UK Embassy).

The VU Applied Debate 2022 "Leadership in Crisis" will take place on 15 December at 18:00. The event will take place at the VU Faculty of Philology (V. Krėvės Auditorium). The debate will be moderated by Assoc. Prof. L. Arcimavičienė. The language of the event is English.