▁E ve , ▁although ▁this ▁is ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁timing ▁of ▁the ▁tournament . ▁In ▁the ▁current ▁tournament ▁format , ▁the ▁top ▁ 1 6 ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁pre lim inary ▁r ounds ▁proceed ▁to ▁the ▁oct of inal ▁round . ▁The ▁teams ▁ranked ▁ 1 7 - 4 8 ▁also ▁break ▁into ▁a ▁partial ▁double ▁oct of inal ▁round , ▁and ▁the ▁winning ▁teams ▁from ▁this ▁round ▁join ▁the ▁teams ▁ranked ▁ 1 - 1 6 ▁in ▁the ▁oct o - final s . ▁While ▁pre lim inary ▁r ounds ▁are ▁usually ▁jud ged ▁by ▁three ▁to ▁five ▁jud ges , ▁the ▁break ▁r ounds ▁are ▁jud ged ▁by ▁pan els ▁of ▁five , ▁semif inal ▁jud ged ▁by ▁pan els ▁of ▁seven ▁and ▁the ▁final s ▁by ▁pan els ▁of ▁nine . ▁ ▁Se par ate ▁breaks ▁are ▁announced ▁for ▁the ▁English - as - a - second ▁language ▁( ES L ) ▁and ▁English - as - a - fore ign ▁language ▁( E FL ) ▁team ▁compet itions , ▁for ▁the ▁individual ▁public ▁speaking ▁competition , ▁and ▁the ▁" World ▁Masters " ▁tournament ▁which ▁is ▁participated ▁in ▁by ▁jud ges ▁( most ▁of ▁whom ▁are ▁no ▁longer ▁students ) ▁representing ▁the ▁countries ▁where ▁they ▁studied ▁or ▁of ▁which ▁they ▁are ▁citizens . ▁In ▁addition , ▁a ▁comedy ▁competition ▁is ▁also ▁open ▁to ▁all ▁participants ▁in ▁World s . ▁ ▁Govern ance ▁The ▁World ▁Univers ities ▁Deb ating ▁Council ▁consists ▁of ▁represent atives ▁of ▁every ▁country ▁that ▁compet es ▁at