Students from the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Prishtina have secured a place in the semifinals of the “Botta & Riposta World Cup,” an international debate competition organized by the University of Padua.

Competing against 16 university teams from across the globe, students Jona Olloni, Dardan Bytyqi, Eraa Morina, and Flandra Hasani finished among the top four teams. They won all three of their matches so far, defeating teams from France, Slovakia, and a combined group representing Indonesia and India.

The Kosovo team, composed of psychology students from UP, was recognized as the best team of the group stage. Individual honors followed as well. Jona Olloni was named the best debater in the opening round of the group stage, while Flandra Hasani earned the title of best speaker three times in a row.

In the semifinals, the team will face the host team from Italy. The University of Padua has organized the “Botta & Riposta World Cup” every year since 2001 to promote debate, critical thinking, and democratic citizenship.

Last year, students from this same department at UP offered psychological advice and distributed informational leaflets to visitors at the “Sunny Hill” festival.