THE DEBATE CHALLENGE – LET’S DEBATE FOR INNOVATION

Debate is a crucial skill in connection with research skills, analytical thinking, critical thinking, and creativity. In the era of globalization, these skills are becoming more important and attract attention from young generations.

With the aim of giving opportunities for high school students to practice academic debate, VnExpress and Swinburne Vietnam announce The Debate Challenge 2021 nationwide from March to June 2021.

I. Objectives

– An academic competition boosting high school students’ essential 21st-century skills: analytical thinking, logic, creativity, research skill, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, presentation, etc.

– Encouragement for innovation by learning, debating, collaborating to improve study skills, aiming for a future of development and innovation.

Organizations

– E-magazine VnExpress

– Swinburne Vietnam

II. Eligibility and benefits

– Eligible candidates are high school students, from 16 to 19 years old, interested in refining debate skills.

– Benefits: Participation in a national debate tournament to improve skills and connections in the debate community. Teams qualified for the Knock-out Round will receive certification for participation and a chance to win valuable prizes from Swinburne Vietnam and VnExpress.

III. Time and Venue

1. Online opening ceremony

• Mar 31, 2021

2. Preliminary Round

• Submission: Apr 07 to May 08, 2021
• Result announcement: May 17, 2021

3. Knock-out Round in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City

• Double Octofinal: May 29 – 30, 2021
• Octofinal: Jun 12, 2021
• Semifinal: June 13, 2021

4. The Grand Final in Ha Noi: Jun 19, 2021

IV. Registration

For debaters

– Register in teams of 3 to 5 members, in either Vietnamese or English division, for two regions of Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi by filling in the registration form.

– Attach 01 video (5-7 minutes) according to the following prompt

Make a video introducing every team member, your debate experience, and give your opinion on Margaret Heffernan’s idea ‘For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate…’

– Rubrics: Criteria to evaluate the videos are timeliness, spirit, attitude, and knowledge in academic debate, with score ranging from 1 to 7.

1. Manner refers to presentation skills and the teams’ manner.

– Presentation skill: vocal control (tone, pitch, speed), independence from notes, fluency. There is no penalty for dialects.

– Manner: posture, paralanguage, eye contact

1. Method refers to speech structure and time management

– Structure: clarity, development, logic

– Time management: within the time limit and each member presents in 40 seconds at minimum.

1. Matter refers to arguments and supporting details

– Argument: relevance, logical explanation

– Supporting details: relevance, accuracy, integrity.

1. Teamwork refers to collaboration among members.

– Natural and smooth transition

– Support/interaction during speeches, demonstration respect for each member.

For adjudicator

– Positions are now open for high school and college students within the age of 16 to 23.

– Register for the division and demonstrate achievements and experience in debate in the form.

– Tests are given for appropriate assignment in the rounds.

V. Schedule

1. Preliminary Round (Apr 7 – May 8, 2021)

Videos from teams will be assessed by the Committee and uploaded on the website for popular voting. Nationwide, 64 teams from the Vietnamese division and 32 teams from the English division will proceed to the Knock-out Round.

– 31 teams from the Vietnamese division and 15 teams from the English division with the highest scores in Ha Noi proceed to the Knock-out Round.

– 31 teams from the Vietnamese division and 15 teams from the English division with the highest scores in Ho Chi Minh City proceed to the Knock-out Round.

– 01 team from the Vietnamese division and 01 team from the English division with the highest votes proceed to the Knock-out Round for each region of Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.

2. Knock-out Round – World School Debate Championship (WSDC) Standards

Teams will be provided with WSDC debate rules before joining the Knock-out Round. Training and consultation will also be provided. Knock-out round are organized simultaneously in both Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese Division:

– Regional Double Octofinals (May 29 – 30, 2021):

32 teams proceeding to the Double Octofinal shall debate 5 other teams according to the Judging Schedule of WSDC. The top 16 teams shall debate in Octofinals.

– Regional Octofinals (Jun 12, 2021): The 16 teams shall debate to determine the top 4 teams to debate in Semifinals.

– Regional Semifinals (Jun 13, 2021): The 4 teams shall debate to determine the top 2 teams to debate in the National Grand Final.

English Division:

– Regional Octofinals (Jun 12,2021): 16 teams proceeding to the Octofinals shall debate 4 other teams according to the Judging Schedule of WSDC. The top 4 teams shall debate in Regional Semifinals.

– Regional Semifinals: The 4 teams shall debate to determine the top 2 teams to debate in the National Grand Final.

3. National Grand Final (Jun 19, 2021)

This round will be open for observers and broadcast on the competition’s social media. The top 2 teams in Vietnamese division and 1 team in English division from Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City shall join the National Grand Final in Ha Noi.

VI. Awards (for each division)

01 National 1^st prize

• 15 million VND
• Swinburne Vietnam’s scholarship of 12,000 USD for each team member

01 National 2^nd prize

• 12 million VND
• Swinburne Vietnam’s scholarship of 10,000 USD for each team member

02 Regional 2^nd prize

• 8 million VND
• Swinburne Vietnam’s scholarship of 8,000 USD for each team member

02 Regional 3^rd prize

• 5 million VND
• Swinburne Vietnam’s scholarship of 6,000 USD for each team member

04 Individual Prize

• 02 Best Speaker Prizes
  • 2 million VND
  • Swinburne Vietnam’s scholarship of 8,000 USD
• 02 Best Adjudicators Prizes
  • 2 million VND
  • Swinburne Vietnam’s scholarship of 8,000 USD

Trung ST