Debating Club is the ideal place for students who are new to debating and would like to develop the fundamental skills necessary to flourish in debating. The program focuses on policy debates, among other types over the course of the term.

Debating is a great source of personal development at university level. It helps the student develop essential critical thinking skills, improve responsiveness when challenged and increase resilience in the face of adversity. Debating is taking on a leading role in secondary education, both as a co-curriculum activity and as an assessment style.  The ability to make well-reasoned arguments and question evidence behind a particular stance, holds in good stead both personally and later on professionally. 

SMi Debating Club program provides students with all the tools they need when starting out in the world of debating. Whilst always covering the basics concepts involved in policy debating – cases, arguments and rebuttal – the focus of Debating Club changes every term:

• Term #1 looks at how to best develop cases as a team;
• Term #2 focuses on deeper argumentation and making strong points;
• Term #3 emphasises persuasive debating to help students better persuade their adjudicators; and
• Term #4 hones in on rebuttal, and how to best tackle your opponents.
• This club is perfect for students looking to see what debating is all about!