The Arabic Debate Club within Texas Tech University’s Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures recently placed among the top four schools in the nation during the sixth U.S. Universities Arabic Debating Championship. 

The team placed overall in the top four alongside Harvard, Stanford and this year’s winner, Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT). Additionally, Texas Tech student Mohammed Ali Alabdali earned a spot among the competition’s Top 10 Best Speakers, ranking fourth out of more than 120 students. 

The U.S. Universities Arabic Debate Championship is a national competition hosted by the Qatar Foundation that brings together more than 30 universities for several days of rigorous debate in Arabic. Each year the competition is hosted by prestigious universities like Harvard University, the University of Chicago, Stanford University, the University of Utah, and New York University. The competition brings students together to form them Arabic debate community and equips them with critical thinking skills, the confidence to engage in thought provoking discussions on important topics, and the opportunity to celebrate the richness of the Arabic language. 

Rula Al-Hmoud, senior lecturer and Arabic Debate Club advisor, and her teaching assistant Sanaa Naciri, have a contagious passion for connecting language learning to real-world opportunities and applications. What started as a small group of language learners has grown into a competitive, tight-knit team that represents Texas Tech at this competition each year. 

Al-Hmoud first learned about the championship at a professional language conference and, with persistence and passion, secured a spot for Texas Tech. Six years later, the team’s reputation has only grown stronger as members continue to put in hard work and practice to compete for a top spot each year. 

At this year’s competition, out of more than 30 teams, Texas Tech advanced through round after round of debate, ultimately reaching the semifinals for the first time in program history. 

“I couldn’t believe it. Every time I checked my phone for results, I saw ‘one win, two wins, three wins.’ I was screaming,” Al-Hmoud said. “I lost my voice that day. I was so proud, not just for my students, but also for the name of Texas Tech. Every time the announcer said ‘Texas Tech,’ it made me so proud to hear our name over and over again in a room full of Ivy League schools.” 

Alabdali is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering and will graduate next spring. 

“I joined this group by complete coincidence when I met the coaches, Sanaa and Mrs. Al-Hmoud, at the cultural festival,” he said. “They told me about the opportunity, and since I’ve always been a fan of debates, I decided to join last spring.” 

Alabdali said that on the morning of the competition, all he needed was a cup of coffee and some determination because he and his team had been preparing for months.

“This was my first time competing in a debate, and I was ranked as the fourth-best speaker - just 0.67 out of 100 points behind the top speaker,” Alabdali said. “Next year, I aim to help Texas Tech achieve first place and to improve my own ranking through the lessons I’ve learned from this experience.” 

The Arabic Debate Team’s success didn’t come easy. Preparation began months before the competition in the fall, including virtual practices against other universities during the summer. 

“These students stay very committed,” Al-Hmoud said. “Even after long days, they’re logging on to practice, debate and push themselves.” 

Other student competitors said they took preparation seriously, finding that it expanded their debate skills and challenged them academically. 

Junior architecture major Hussam Al-Haj said that although the team worked hard—filling the three weeks before the competition with intense training—they were still surprised by how high they placed. 

“Sanaa explained the rules thoroughly before the tournament, and we were ready to just gain more experience since it was our first time participating in this competition,” Al-Haj said. “You can imagine our surprise when we qualified for the top four, beating multiple Ivy League schools.” 

Abdulkader Almosa graduated last spring summa cum laude with highest honors from the Honors College with dual degrees: a Bachelor of Science in microbiology with minors in chemistry and health professions, and a Bachelor of General Studies with concentrations in Arabic, biology and public health. He was also the highest-ranking graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences and will attend medical school in 2026 at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. 

Almosa said the team also focused on mastering the nuances of Modern Standard Arabic to ensure clarity, confidence, and eloquence during the competition. 

“I’m still astonished at how far our team advanced—especially considering this was the first time any of us had competed,” Almosa said. “We were the only public university in America to reach the semifinals, alongside MIT, Stanford and Harvard, which reminded me of Texas Tech’s motto: ‘From here, it’s possible.’” 

Beyond trophies and rankings, Al-Hmoud sees deeper impacts in debate, including confidence building, creating connections and fostering cross-cultural understanding. She said debating in another language is not easy and that it’s not just about speaking Arabic perfectly, but also about the art of persuasion, critical thinking and courage. 

“Our students learn to stand up, defend an idea and think on their feet,” Al-Hmoud said. “These students showed that Texas Tech belongs up on that stage. They represented our university with pride, professionalism and heart.” 

For Al-Hmoud, the success and growth of her team represent everything the College of Arts and Sciences stands for: empowering students to communicate, lead and make their mark on the world. 

“I always say our mission is not just to teach and leave,” she said. “I want to see our students shine, grow and realize they can stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone, anywhere.”