Warwick Economics team win first place at Grand Economics Debate two years in a row

A team of articulate students from the University of Warwick win first place in The Economics Debate at City Hall in London.

The distinctive oval shaped building known as City Hall on the banks of the River Thames was the venue for this year's grand final of The Economics Debate 2019. Organised by University College London (UCL) , the Institute of Economic Affairs, Oxera Consulting and The Economist Intelligence Unit, the event brought together debating teams from six leading UK universities: London School of Economics (LSE), University of Warwick, University of Cambridge, UCL, Durham University and University of Bristol.

The team from the University of Warwick consisted of Ashish Ramuni (PPE), Jeremy Chen (Economics), Greg Tucker (Economics) and Shermeen Saud (PPE). They debated in favour of the motion that “Open borders do not add sufficient value to the economy” which led them to beat the UCL team in the Grand Final and retain their number one position for the second year in a row. The team impressed a panel of judges composing of Dr Steven Davies, Head of Education at the IEA, Dr Helen Jenkins, Managing Partner at Oxera, and Dr Douglas Lippoldt, Chief Trade Economist at HSBC.

Commenting on winning first place, Shermeen Saud had this to say:

"The debate was a thrilling but challenging experience. Throughout, the Warwick Team definitely had the less convincing side of the motion, from arguing that closed borders are good for the economy to justifying that the IMF is not biased towards developed countries. After evenings spent deliberating over motions and last minute practising, the final result is something I and the team are incredibly proud of. I grew and learnt so much each time, and I would definitely recommend getting involved in it in the future!"

In the previous rounds, the team researched extensively to win their debates against Durham University and University of Cambridge in the quarter and semi finals and are proud to have held onto their unbeaten record. This was especially impressive having also been given difficult motions such as arguing against the proposal that “Developing countries should move towards a cashless economy” versus Durham University, and in opposition to the idea that “The International Monetary System is biased towards developed nations” against University of Cambridge.

Having worked hard and grown in confidence over the weeks, the team was elated to see their hard work and time paid off by winning the top prizes, including an internship at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a fast-track for an internship at Oxera and £300 cash. For the second year in a row, the team is glad to show the skills they have honed over their years at the University of Warwick. The team's success was especially impressive considering the highly technical and interdisciplinary nature of the debates and the fact that they debated against three Masters students in the final.