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SEK International School Catalunya has been awarded Best Speaker at the final of the CICAE-UCJC Pre-University Debate League, held at the Villafranca Campus of Universidad Camilo José Cela, in an edition that brought together some of the most outstanding debate and public speaking teams in the national educational landscape.
Several schools from SEK Education Group took part in the final phase, including SEK-Alborán (one Spanish-speaking team), SEK-Atlántico (one Spanish-speaking team), SEK-Catalunya (two Spanish-speaking teams and three English-speaking teams), SEK-Ciudalcampo (two Spanish-speaking teams) and SEK-El Castillo (one English-speaking team), reinforcing the group’s presence in one of the most important school debate competitions in Europe.
The grand final of the CICAE-UCJC Debate League marked the culmination of an edition that brought together nearly 300 students from more than 30 schools across Spain, consolidating this initiative as the largest pre-university debate competition in Europe.
In the Spanish category, the team from Montessori Palau (Girona) took first place, while in the English category, Yago School (Seville) claimed victory, in a competition characterised by a high level of academic and argumentative rigour.
Students from 3rd year of ESO to 2nd year of Bachillerato faced a highly complex challenge focused on an issue of international geopolitics, requiring extensive prior research, source analysis and the construction of solid arguments.
Critical thinking, public speaking and leadership
One of the most distinctive aspects of the tournament was its format, in which teams do not know until the last moment which position they must defend, requiring participants to develop strong adaptability, critical thinking and respect for opposing viewpoints.
In addition to team awards, the organisation also recognised individual talent in public speaking, highlighting SEK students among the best in the competition, including SEK-Catalunya students in the Best Speaker category in English.
A benchmark in education in Europe
The CICAE-UCJC Debate League has established itself as a benchmark in education, not only because of its scale —with more than 1,000 students and over 40 schools participating throughout the year— but also due to its educational approach, focused on developing key skills such as communication, analysis, argumentation and teamwork.
This initiative, promoted by the Association of Private and Independent Schools (CICAE) and Universidad Camilo José Cela, reinforces the role of debate as an essential pedagogical tool to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century, fostering a critical, informed and engaged citizenship.
