Swansea Students Praised for Performance at International Competition

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Students who represented Swansea University at a high profile debating competition have been congratulated by the University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Richard B Davies for their achievements.

Layla Sabeel, Rahaf Darmerli, Abdulkarim Saud Alotaibi and Safwat Rihawi were presented with certificates during a special event on campus.

Qatar post event

All four showcased their communication skills at the International University Arabic Debating Championship in Doha, Qatar, organised by the Qatar MICE Development Institute, a Qatar Foundation Joint Venture.

Over forty universities world-wide were selected to take part and this was the first time a UK University had been invited to attend the annual event.

Preparing for the competition entailed months of research, analysis and discussion to develop the students’ argumentation and persuasion skills.

Coached by two trainers, the University’s Muslim Students Adviser and Students Union International Officer, regular practice sessions and a trial debate were held in the Mosque on campus.

Sheik Mohsen El-Beltagi and Mahaboob Basha were also congratulated by Qatar Debate Centre’s Executive Director, Hayat Maarah for their dedication, enthusiasm and positive spirit as well as the support and guidance they gave to the team throughout the competition.

Professor Richard B Davies, Swansea University’s Vice Chancellor said: ‘‘We are tremendously proud of what our students and trainers have achieved. They managed to raise Swansea University’s profile and represent the University with professionalism and confidence whilst winning considerable friendship in the process.’’