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Our Schools Debate Club

At DK Wien, our passion for debate goes beyond university halls. We are proud to be an integral part of shaping the future of schools debating in Austria. Our mission? To nurture young minds and elevate Austria as a renowned debating nation.

Debating at the school level isn’t just about winning arguments. It’s about building critical thinkers, confident speakers, and informed citizens. Our involvement in schools debating aims to foster these skills early, setting the foundation for a lifetime of effective communication and analytical thinking.

  • Expert Coaching: Our university-level debaters bring their rich experience to train school students, sharing strategies, techniques, and insights that are crucial for excelling in national and international debating arenas.
  • Tailored Training Programs: We understand that each school and student is unique. Our training programs are customized to meet different needs, ensuring that every young debater finds their voice and style.
  • Building a Community: We believe in the power of community. Our efforts are aimed at creating a supportive and inclusive environment where students from various schools can come together, learn from each other, and build lasting friendships.

The World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) is the pinnacle of a young debater’s career. This prestigious event attracts the best high school debaters from around the world, offering a unique platform for them to engage in parliamentary-style debates on a range of topics. It’s European analogue, EuroSDC, is similarly prestigious.

Find out more.

  • Global Perspective: They are more than a debating competition; they are a melting pot of cultures and ideas. Participants get the opportunity to interact with peers from diverse backgrounds, fostering a greater understanding of global issues.
  • Skill Development: The championships focus on enhancing various skills such as critical thinking, public speaking, teamwork, and research. These skills are invaluable and extend far beyond the debating arena.
  • Empowering Young Voices: At WSDC and EuroSDC, young debaters are encouraged to voice their opinions on complex global issues, empowering them to become articulate and informed global citizens.

DK Wien is part of the program Misch dich ein!, organized by the Initiative for Teaching Entrepeneurship (IFTE). Misch dich ein! aims to help teachers introduce debating at schools and organizes multiple debating events throughout the year, including the (German-language) Austrian National Debating Championships.

We hold English WSDC debate training every Wednesday at 18:00.

Join our WSDC Debate Training!

Our training is open to all Austrian school students. We welcome debaters of all levels, whether it is your first time debating or you have experience – everyone is welcome! This is a unique opportunity to practice English, public speaking and argumentation. 

Trainings are held every Wednesday at 18:00 in the Teaching Centre of the Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien. You can find the debate training dates and rooms below:

30.10.202406.11.202413.11.202420.11.202427.11.202404.12.202411.12.202418.12.2024
Room 4.15Room 3.10Room 4.15Room 4.28Room 5.12Room 3.11Room 4.04Room 3.10

Team

Our debate training is led by accomplished debaters with a wealth of experience:

  • Marina Kojić is a champion debater, winning the 2023 World University Debating Championships (ESL) and the 2024 Vienna Intervarsity. With a Master’s in Medical Psychology and current studies in medicine, she leads our Wednesday classes and coaches Team Austria.

  • Diggory Waddle has over seven years of experience in schools debating and is currently teaching in China. He’s a Hart House Intervarsity 2022 winner and an Oxford semifinalist, offering monthly online classes focused on skill refinement.

Marina Kojić
Head Coach for WSDC/EuroSDC
schools@dkwien.at

Diggory Waddle
Co-Coach for WSDC/EuroSDC
schools@dkwien.at

Reach out to us

Interested in joining this exciting journey? Our Head Coach and Schools Coordinator are just an email away. Whether you’re a school looking to introduce debating, a student eager to learn, or a teacher wanting to incorporate debating skills in your classroom, we’re here to help. Contact us and let’s make Austria a debating powerhouse!