International Schools Debating Championship – English

5th International Schools Debating Championship

English Category

The fifth International Schools Debating Championship is back again in a hybrid interactive version. The School Debate Championship is a global event that brings students from different countries across the world in a digital space that allows them to debate about the most pressing societal and global contemporary issues.

Register your team now to take part in the 5th International Schools Debating Championship – English category from 2nd – 7th April 2021.

Registrations are open from 24th Feb till 18th March 2021.

To register as an adjudicator in the 5th International Schools Debating Championship – English category, click on the link below.

Judges Registration

For inquiries email us at: qdep@qf.org.qa

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the English category of the 5th International Schools Debating Championship?
This is the first edition of the English category of the International Schools Debate Championship, a global event that brings students from different countries across the world in a digital space that allows them to debate about the most pressing societal and global contemporary challenges in English.
How can we participate in the English category of the 5th International Schools Debating Championship?
Teams can register here anytime before the registration deadline, which is 18th March:
https://qatardebate.org/international-events/isdcs/isdc5/isdc5-in-english/
How will the championship be organized in light of the Corona pandemic?
Due to the circumstances imposed by the Corona pandemic, the championship will be organized in a hybrid form, as it includes some activities on the ground for participants and adjudicators in the State of Qatar, in addition to holding all debate rounds digitally via the championship website.
What platform is used in the championship?
The digital aspect of the championship is organized through a special website for the championship, as it was specially designed to facilitate the debating process for all participants. All those who are accepted will be informed of all the details related to it, in addition to providing them with a technical guide explaining how to use and deal with the website interfaces.
What format will be used in the English Category of the 5th International Schools Debating Championship?
The tournament will follow the standard WSDC format of 3 substantive speeches and a reply. Substantive speeches will be 8 mins in length, while replies will be 4 mins. POIs can be offered between the first and last minute of every substantive speech.
How many debaters are there per team?
Each team can comprise of 3 to 5 members. Only 3 debaters will speak at any given debate.
Will the topics be announced beforehand?
No, all topics/motions will be impromptu, with the topics released 30 minutes before the debate starts.
How many rounds must we debate?
The main category of the championship will compromise of 5 preliminary rounds, then the top 8 scoring teams will qualify to the knockout stages, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand finale.The English Category of the championship will comprise of five preliminary rounds, octofinals, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand finale. All teams debate all the 5 preliminary rounds, with the top 16 teams qualifying for the octofinals.
How many speeches do I need to give to qualify for speaker awards?
Debaters must have debated at least 3 out of the 5 preliminary rounds to qualify for speaker awards.
Do you provide training before the tournament?
Yes, we do, there will be training sessions offered as well as material released. Please follow our Facebook Events Page for updates : https://fb.me/e/5oHvaRAcU
I am a judge interested in judging at this tournament, is it possible for me to join?
Yes, we accept applications for Independent Judges. Please apply here https://qatardebate.org/international-events/isdcs/isdc5/isdc5-in-english/ By March 18^th 2021.
How will teams encountering technical problems during the championship be dealt with?
QatarDebate Center is keen to ensure smooth and fair participation for all debaters, especially in light of the current hybrid championship version (in-person and virtual). Therefore, all laws that are included in this will be published in the technical guide for the championship.