The top-ranked debate club in the American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA)
Our instructors have reached the highest levels of competition as competitors
The winning teams will be allowed to register with Harvard College World Schools Invitational Tournament
Certificate of Completion and Special awards for winning teams and best debaters
Learn to debate and become a confident speaker, improve critical thinking skills
Welcome letter
Harvard College Debating Union Introduction
Harvard College Debating Union, HCDU is Harvard's internationally competitive debate association, established in the fall of 1981. Currently, we're the top-ranked debate club in the country. In a normal year, we travel across America, Europe, and Asia to compete in American and British parliamentary debate. Over the last seven years, we'vewon four world championships.
We welcome anyone interested in competitive debate. Our team is committed to being a community of equal access. No previous debate experience is required.
Achievements:
Debate camp Introduction
This Debate Camp is coached by HCDU members. The aim of the camp is improving students’ debate, speech, critical thinking and leadership skills through interactive, competitive and fun session. It welcomes anyone interested in debate and speech. No previous debate experience is required.
Participating students: Learn to debate and become aconfident speaker, improve critical thinking skills which is usually not part of the Asian classroom education. Arming with these skills, learners can further develop their leadership potential.
Why debate
Debate is a popular activity in Ivy League and G5 universities. MIT, Yale, Stanford in the US and Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London in the UK all have their own debating union.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States average college enrollment rate for high schools was 70%, while the rate of debate team members was 98.58%. In addition, a lot of universities in the U.S. offer scholarships for college debaters, such as University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin. It shows that debate has become one of the extracurricular activities valued by college admissions officers of famous universities.
HCDU Top-tier Tourments
The HCDU is not just a debate team, but also a family. We train together, with weekly general meetings, practice rounds, and casing sessions. We compete together, from Yale to Oxford to South Africa to Thailand. But we also hang out together, with regular socials, team dinners, and a yearly off-campus retreat. Members also have many opportunities to be involved beyond just competing, including in the organization of our high school and college tournaments, demonstration debates, and travel opportunities as a debate judge.
Harvard APDA
Harvard National Forensics Tournament
Harvard College World Schools Invitational
This Debate camp is coached by HCDU members and invites the team of HCDU to bring Harvard's local debate courses to China, allowing Chinese students to experience the most authentic Harvard debate culture. In addition, the winning team of the program will be invited to participate in the Harvard College World Schools Invitational (HCWSI). Not only do the team get to experience the top debate tournament on the Harvard campus, but they also get to meet top debaters and compete against those who share their passion for debate.
Why us?
Outstanding faculty
Official certification and awards
Diversified curriculum
Real debate environment
Developing multiple skills
Teaching Faculty
*The faculty is subject to change.
Tilly Robinson
Social Studies, Harvard University
Tilly has participated in speech and debate since middle school. She was a finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking at the 2021 Tournament of Champions, a 3-year elimination round qualifier in U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking at NSDA Nationals, the 2022 Indiana state runner-up in Impromptu and U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking, and a 2021 Indiana state semifinalist in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. In college, she competes in APDA and BP.
Catherine Liu
Applied Math, Harvard University
Catherine has been involved in debate for six years, where she has done a variety of different formats, including Lincoln-Douglas, American Parliamentary, and British Parliamentary debate. She was a LincolnDouglas National Finalist, and she won the Georgetown and George Washington APDA tournaments. She also participated in the World Universities Debating Championship, was a semi finalist at the US Universities Debating Championship, and is currently in the top 20 national speakers for APDA.
Grace Kim
Applied Math & Computer Science, Harvard University
Grace joined Speech and Debate in 9th grade, starting initially with Extemporaneous Speaking. She started competing in World Schools Debate at the end of 10th grade and joined the USA Debate Development team in 11th grade. She received 3rd speaker award in World Schools Debate at NSDA Nationals in 2020 and has national accolades in Extemporaneous Speaking and Congressional Debate as well.
Theo Datta
Computer Science & Economics, Harvard University
Theo debated for Newton South High School in Public Forum, where he semifinaled and quarterfinaled the Tournament of Champions, championed the Columbia University tournament, and got top 16 at the NSDA championships. He also has lots of experience coaching, working for both the Potomac Debate Academy and the National Symposium for Debate.
Sierra Valdez
Economics & Philosophy, Harvard University
Sierra is a debate enthusiast and has placed 5th in Novice Team Award at the APDA Wellesley Tournament with her partner. She is also a member of the HCDU board, acting as the Vice President of Public Relations. Outside of debate, she is a member of the Harvard Undergraduate Law Review.
Sample Schedule
Day | 9:00 - 12:00 | 2:00 - 6:00pm | 7:00 - 9:00pm |
Aug 1, 2023 | Students arrive | Students registration | |
Aug 2, 2023 | Theo Datta speech and Coach introductions Icebreakers ● Rose and thorn ● Number ● Picnic game Goals ● Self-reflection and set intentions for camp! Intro to World Schools Debate ● World Schools Debate motion types | Debate Workshop 1:How to Make an Argument
● Introduce fundamentals of argumentation ● Introduce note-taking strategies Debate Workshop 2: Elements of Rebuttal Debate Strategy 1 ● Watch a recording of a national/international Public speaking workshop ● Fluency, Confidence |
Trivia Night! |
Aug 3, 2023 | Debate Workshop 3: Topic Lecture
● Release the prepared motion ● Present a lecture on the topic Debate Workshop 4: Weighing ● Lecture on how to weigh arguments ● Weighing drills Debate Workshop 5: Impromptu Prep ● Lecture on how to generate arguments for impromptu rounds ● Practice prep |
Debate Practice Rounds<
● students prep
● first half of students debate each other ● second half of students debate each other Office Hours ● Debaters meet with mentors in small groups and ask questions about the practice debates. |
Topic Research Time |
Aug 4, 2023 | Debate Workshop 6: Communication
● Teach communication within and between teams Debate Workshop 7: Rebuttal Drills ● Practice rebuttal skills Content Lecture 1 ● Actor Analysis |
Debate Strategy 2
Content Lecture 2 ● Economics Debate Workshops 8: Weighing tournament ● Putting weighing skills into practice Office Hours |
University Preparation Night
● College readiness College application Advice |
Aug 5, 2023 | Debate Workshop 9: Principles and Philosophy
● What are principled arguments ● How to write principled arguments ● How to debate with principles (against and with) Debate Workshop 10: Style and Presentation Office Hours and Goal Reflection ● Meet with a coach and chat about your goals that you set for the camp |
Debate Workshop 11: Impromptu speaking
Debate Strategy 3 Practice Prep |
Talent Show! |
Aug 6, 2023 | Demo debate round
● Featuring your coaches woo! Office Hours |
Practice Debates
Office Hours |
Competition preparation |
Aug 7, 2023 | Debate Competition | Debate Competition | Awards + Final Remarks |
Aug 8, 2023 | Students leave |
Application Information
Information
- Date:Aug 1st-Aug 8th, 2023
- Location:Shanghai
- Junior Division:Grades 7-9; Senior Division:Grades 10-12;
- Language:English
Program Fee
- Included:Tuition fee, instructor service fee, certificate application, ASDAN group leader service fee
- Not included: Transportation fee, meals during the program, hotel residence fee (optional)