U of GH students from various programs competed at Northern Ireland’s Ulster University
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I think it was one of, if not the best, experience of my undergraduate career so far." - Justice Studies student Kate Hilton
In a truly global learning opportunity, six students from various programs at the University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) travelled to Ulster University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to compete in the Ulster University HSFK Cup in June 2026, an international mooting competition where they leveraged their public speaking and analytical skills while competing with peers from around the world.
Competing against teams from Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast, Guelph-Humber was the only Canadian institution to participate – and had a team advance to the finals clinching second place, comprising Justice Studies students Ava Gonsalves and Kate Hilton. Several U of GH students also won awards: Hilton received “Best Speaker” and Justice Studies Student Francesco Deleo and Psychology student Christabell Zalwango received “Best Submitted Skeleton Argument.”
“I think it was one of, if not the best, experience of my undergraduate career so far,” Hilton said.
During a mooting competition, teams are given a real court case where a ruling has already been made, and the teams must prepare arguments for both sides of the case, which is different from a mock trial. Since the Ulster University HSFK Cup took place in the United Kingdom, the Guelph-Humber participants prepared for the competition by familiarizing themselves with UK law, using this as a basis for their arguments, which pushed the students out of their comfort zone.
“Mooting teaches you to be uncomfortable,” Gonsalves said. “It’s a lot of thinking on your feet, being able to respond to a question cohesively in a limited period of time.”
The U of GH participants had about a week to prepare ahead of the competition, with many coming straight from Study Abroad trips. This was challenging because not only did the students have limited time to learn the workings of UK law, but they also had to immerse themselves in the cultural nuances of mooting overseas. For example, judges in the UK are referred to as “my Lord” or “my Lady” while they are referred to as “Justice” in Canada, and while partnered teammates in Canada are referred to as “first speaker” and “second speaker,” they are called “my learned senior” and “my learned junior” in the UK.
Ahead of the competition, the six Guelph-Humber participants had the opportunity to explore Belfast. Their fellow competitors guided them around the city, bringing them to local hot spots and tourist attractions like Titanic Belfast (an immersive museum focused on the Titanic’s history). Gonsalves added they also learned about Northern Ireland’s history during their travels.
This culturally enriching trip was certainly one Hilton and Gonsalves will never forget because it was rewarding and exposed them to new perspectives.
“[The experience] was very different and new to us, but this was the highest Kate [Hilton] and I have ever placed,” Gonsalves said. “It felt so special.”
This fall, Guelph-Humber will open its first dedicated mock courtroom on campus, featuring state-of-the-art technology and an exciting new immersive way to learn.
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