UM hosts World Universities Public Speaking Invitational Championship, bringing together top talent from 11 leading universities worldwide

The University of Macau (UM) hosted the World Universities Public Speaking Invitational Championship 2025 on 30 August. The contest brought together students from 11 prestigious universities worldwide to showcase their exceptional English public speaking skills and promote cross-cultural exchange. After being assessed by an international panel of judges, Kamal Ashraf Bin Kamil Jumat from the National University of Singapore won the championship. The 1st and 2nd runners-up were Sofia Lopez Castillo from the University of British Columbia and Benjamin Thomas from Stanford University respectively.

The contestants came from leading universities including the University of Oxford, Stanford University, Tsinghua University, Peking University, the National University of Singapore, the University of Tokyo, the University of British Columbia, Zhejiang University, UM, Korea University, and the University of Lisbon. The contest also featured awards for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speakers, with Wang Xinyi from Tsinghua University winning the championship, and Li Xiang from UM and Chen Shihua from Peking University taking second and third place respectively.

Speaking at the event, UM Rector Yonghua Song said that the future of education rests upon on the open exchange of perspectives, experiences, and ideas that transcend borders. He highlighted the university’s commitment to fostering an innovative and international academic environment, and to providing students with diverse and inclusive learning experiences. He added that the contest provided an important platform for outstanding students from around the globe to showcase their public speaking skills and share their insights, thereby promoting cross-cultural exchange and collaboration.

The contest, themed ‘Creating a Diverse Future Together’, saw 11 contestants share their stories and global perspectives. They demonstrated how language can serve as a bridge that connects different cultures. Their speeches covered topics such as dreams, perseverance, cultural exchange, and inclusion. Speaking with sincerity and passion, they encouraged the audience to embrace differences, respect diversity, and work together to create a more inclusive society. Kamal Ashraf Bin Kamil Jumat said that as a member of the indigenous Malay community, he was honoured to have the opportunity to discuss the theme with speakers from leading universities worldwide. He dedicated his achievement to his family and friends, who had supported him throughout his journey. Wang Xinyi said that it was her first time visiting Macao, adding that both the city and UM had left a deep impression on her. She also gained a deeper understanding of multiculturalism through the contest.

The judging panel comprised Kwong Yue Yang, champion of the World Championship of Public Speaking in 2011 and 2014; Sherrie Su, 1st runner-up of the World Championship of Public Speaking in 2018; Brian Hodgson, an experienced public speaking coach; Kevin Goh, District 89 Learning and Development Chair of Toastmasters International; and Yuki Wong, a professional multilingual emcee.

In addition, UM hosted two public speaking workshops, one led by Kwong Yue Yang on ‘Stand ‧ Speak．Lead’ and the other led by Brian Hodgson on ‘How to Wow—5 Strategies for Impromptu Speaking’. Both workshops were well attended by students and teachers from secondary schools and universities in Macao. Participants spoke highly of the insightful workshops.