Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association

The Debating Society meets every Wednesday at 6.30pm in the Student Union Building during term time. There's always something happening, whether that be debating or a social event. We run internal debating grades that cater for novices and experienced debaters, as well as offer 'Pro-Am' tournaments, and the opportunity to test your skills in regional, national and international tournaments. In 2010 Vic Debsoc won every local and national tournament, including novice tournaments.   In fact no other New Zealand debating society has won a national competition since 2006.   The Society is run by an elected committee of eleven people (Victoria University of Wellington students), which organises regular debating grades, public debates, debating tournaments, and social events. The Society also organises the prestigious Plunket Medal Oratory Contest, the oldest prize for public speaking in New Zealand. Within New Zealand, Vic Debsoc has won the Officers' Cup for impromptu debating at the New Zealand University Games sports tournament for the last thirteen consecutive years. Debsoc also current holds for the sixth year in a row the Joynt Scroll for prepared debating, a 109 year old competition and New Zealand's second oldest sporting trophy. It is also the current holder of the McLeod Trophy for university debating at a novice level in the North Island.   The Society also has a long history of competeing in international tournaments. Victoria won the Australasian Debating Champs in 2010 and 2011. That competition is the second largest debating competition in the world and is competed for by around 100 teams annually from as far north as South Korea and China. In January 2009, a Victoria team reached the semi-finals of the World Universities Debating Championships in Cork, Ireland. Due to our international ranking Victoria Debsoc gets invited to numerous international tournaments and is always a top favourite. Those international champion debaters are some of the coaches and mentors that take time out for every new member each week and that process is what has ensured continued success, and a big part of why so many people love debating at Victoria.   The Society has honours boards in the bottom foyer of the historic Hunter Building at Victoria University, which are maintained by the University. The original wooden honours boards were maintained and restored when the Hunter Building itself was restored and renovated in the early 1990s. The honours boards list by year Victoria students who have won the Joynt Scroll, the Bledisloe Medal for Oratory, the Plunket Medal, and the now defunct Union Prize.