Background
National Conference on Graduate Entrepreneurship
Seminars and Workshops on Entrepreneurship
IDEATORS - an Entrepreneurship Competition
3-Way Debate on Graduate Entrepreneurship
Enterprise Education Exhibition
Roundtable Discussion and Action Planning on Graduate Employability

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NEW 08 Proceedings and Outcomes

Three-way Debate on Graduate Entrepreneurship

This debate on Graduate Entrepreneurship was held between three teams as part of NEW 08 on Saturday 29 November 2008 at BMICH Colombo. The general topic for the debate was ‘Graduate Entrepreneurship Education’ which was discussed in three aspects:

1. Graduate Entrepreneurship Education in universities should only focus on developing Entrepreneurs
2. Graduate Entrepreneurship Education in universities should only focus on developing Intrapreneurs
3. Graduate Entrepreneurship Education is difficult to implement in all areas of studies in universities

This debate was held in the English medium

DEBATE OBJECTIVES

To critically discuss ‘Graduate Entrepreneurship Education’
To create awareness about ‘Graduate Entrepreneurship’ amongst the universality community and general public
To develop close links with undergraduates of the UK and Sri Lanka

TEAMS
There were 3 teams in the debate and each team consisted of 5 members. 2 teams were made up of undergraduates representing different Sri Lankan universities while the third team was made up of undergraduates representing 5 UK universities

SELECTION
Sri Lanka undergraduates were nominated by their respective universities and were selected based on a selection debate. Sri Lankan undergraduates were divided into 2 teams by drawing of lots numbered 1 and 3. Each team was by default given the topic according to their number.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE DEBATE
Each speaker was given 5 min to make their case in the following structure:

Captain: Introduction & foundation
Speaker 2: Extension
Speaker 3: Extension
Speaker 4: Extension and breaking opposition points
Speaker 5: Extension, breaking opposition points and summary

Opposing teams were allowed to request to ask questions from the speaker before the 4th min but it is the right of the speaker to grant the request or to ignore. If anybody wishes to ask a question he/she must raise their hand so that the speaker will see the request.

JUDGEMENT
The team proposed the topic ‘Graduate Entrepreneurship Education in universities should only focus on developing Entrepreneurs’ won the debate by the unanimous decision of the judges.

AUDIENCE
The audience was made-up of undergraduates, lecturers, industry representatives, press and interested public.

FINDINGS

English language skills of the debaters were at a high standard
UK team could not be prepared as much as the Sri Lankan teams because they were busy with the conference and seminars/workshops followed by IDEATORS. However the debating skills of Sri Lankan students were comparatively higher than the UK students who took part in the debate
UK students do not generally train in debating in their schools and graduate studies
The debate was lively, interesting and heated which was appreciated as an effective way of taking the message across to the target audience.

CALL FOR ACTION

Organise a school level debating competition on ‘Entrepreneurship’ to create wider awareness
UK universities to promote debating as an effective tool to improve presentation skills and critical thinking

DCSIMG

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