Compostela Debate Academy
The Compostela Debate Academy is jointly organised by the Compostela Group of Universities (CGU) and the University of Pécs.
It is an online activity to train CGU students in debating techniques to help them in their professional development and future careers, regardless of their academic background.
The fifth online training course runs from 3 to 7 November 2025.
Objectives
With the online Compostela Debate Academy, CGU students are expected to develop and improve their public speaking skills, learn to formulate and structure their critical thinking, public speaking and debating skills.
Target group
This training activity is aimed at bachelor, master and doctoral students from CGU’s member universities.
Deadlines and dates of the activity
5 October 2025. Deadline for applications.
Second half of October 2025. Publication of the list of selected students.
3-7 November 2025. Compostela Debate Academy.
Tuition fee
This is a free training course for the students of the CGU member universities.
Working language and modality
The course is conducted entirely in English and online, through Zoom.
Academic recognition
Students who pass the course receive a diploma of recognition.
At the moment, the following higher education institutions, university centres or studies recognise the participation of their students with credits:
- University of Pécs. 3 ECTS.
- Anáhuac Veracruz Cultural Workshop of the Anáhuac Veracruz University (Xalapa Campus). 3 credits.
- School of Social Sciences at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. 1 academic credit.
- General Studies – Arts at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. 1 academic credit.
Others that shall be recognising the training for credits will be announced here.
Programme
Participants learn to argue by practising, individually and in groups, the techniques of British parliamentary debate, the basics of rhetoric, the fundamentals of public speaking and everything a speaker needs to know to connect with their audience persuasively and convincingly.
A special part of the programme includes an online debate tournament where both written arguments and real debate speeches are presented.
The tournament is conducted by internationally renowned debate experts.
Promotional flyer
Contact data
For any questions, the CGU team is available at grupo.compostela@usc.es, and the team of the Summer School of the University of Pécs is available at summerschoolpecs@pte.hu
Application for participation
CGU students interested in participating must complete an online application form by 5 October 2025, where they are asked to upload the following documentation:
- Copy of passport or id card.
- English language official certificate.
Criteria for selection
- Knowledge of English language.
- Motivation to do the course.
- Diversity of participation (universities, gender and geographical ratio).
Resolution
The University of Pécs Summer School team will be in charge of communicating by email the selection to the students and being in direct contact with the selected group for all matters concerning the course. For this reason, students will asked to keep an eye on their inboxes and junk mail in their messaging system.
Academic responsible units at the member universities
CGU higher education institutions are called upon to appoint an academic responsible unit of the activity to support their students in the process of credit recognition or validation of studies.
Some universities already have an academic responsible unit as follows:
Anáhuac Xalapa University (Xalapa Campus)
Nayeli Escobar Tapia
Head of the Internationalisation Office
nayeli.escobarta@anahuac.mx
Pontifical Catholic University of Peru
Alberto Ferrand Noriega
Academic Direction for Institutional Relations – DARI
Organisers
The Compostela Debate Academy is jointly organised by the University of Pécs and the Compostela Group of Universities.
