World Schools Debating Championships

The World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) is the premier international English-language debating tournament for high school students, bringing together national teams from dozens of countries each year. It uses the World Schools Debating format, which blends elements of British Parliamentary and Australian debating styles, and focuses on both prepared and impromptu motions on global, political, social, and ethical issues. Participation is typically through nationally selected teams, usually composed of secondary school students chosen and trained by their country’s national debating federation or equivalent body. While individual students cannot usually apply directly, interested debaters can get involved by joining their national debating circuit and working toward national team selection. WSDC offers substantial benefits, including advanced argumentation and public speaking skills, exposure to international perspectives, networking with top debaters worldwide, and a highly competitive academic environment.