UQ Debating Society (UQDS)

The UQDS is one of the oldest and most active societies at UQ. We host a free competition on campus, send teams to interstate and overseas competitions, and run regular socials.

Debating has been a part of campus culture at UQ since its foundation in 1909, with the UQDS tracing our origins back to the early 1920s.

We meet every Tuesday evening at 6:00 for training, dinner and our weekly internal competition. All levels of experience are welcome, and if you come at the beginning of the semester then we’ll pair you up with an experienced debater who will be able to give you feedback and show you the ropes.

We also run various weekend competitions for new members, and host tournaments at UQ where we compete with debaters from interstate. If you find yourself enjoying these opportunities, then you can put your hand up to represent the University at competitions all around the country and the world.

We also run regular social events, host public debates and forums on campus, and run schools competitions to encourage debating.

If you’re interested, the est way to get involved is to join our members’ group at FB.com/groups/UQDSMembers, and buy your membership at uqds.org/join to get email updates for us. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to our Facebook page or info@uqds.org.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our events soon!

Join Now

Do I need to have debated before to join the UQDS?

Absolutely not! Many of our members join having never debated before, some straight out of high school and some even a few years into their degrees. The style of Uni debating differs a lot from school, so it’s a similar learning curve for everyone. We also run lots of programs to help you gain confidence and experience. Many of the best debaters UQDS has produced didn’t debate before joining.

Is the UQDS only/primarily for students who study or are interested in politics and current affairs?

Not at all – fewer than a third of our members have a background in Arts. The UQDS is a great way to meet a diverse range of people from a variety of degrees. Common areas of study beyond Arts include Science, Law, Engineering, IT, Psychology and Medicine, but nearly every degree is represented!

Does being in the UQDS require a large time commitment and lots of work?

Generally, no. All the debates are short preparation, so there’s no need to research or write speeches in advance. While some people practice intensely, this is usually just to prepare for major tournaments, and most people just casually attend our weekly internals competition.