Hosting a debate for your Student Group can be a great way to engage your members in varied and interesting discussion. However, it is important to make sure your debates are well managed so that everyone feels comfortable and included.
Who should chair your debate?
The chair moderates debate from a neutral standpoint. It is important that the chair is from neither side of the debate but instead comes from an unbiased perspective. The Debating Society can often offer a neutral chair person. They can be contacted at Debating@royalholloway.su.
Managing expectations at the start of your Debate
To ensure a positive and constructive atmosphere, it is important to set boundaries, rules and expectations at the start of your event. There are some keys things to bare in mind when hosting a debate:
- Remind participants they are challenging the argument being made not the speaker themselves
- Make sure the topics being debated are advertised ahead of time so participants and spectators can make an informed choice about whether they wish to attend, you should also consider the guidance on handling sensitive topics when thinking about what warnings to give ahead of time
- Try to make sure the same person is not repeatedly chosen to speak for either side
- There doesn't always have to be a winner in a debate, sometimes a debate can be interesting and constructive without a winner
Do I need to submit an event proposal for a debate?
As with all events outside of your General Risk Assessment, you must submit an event proposal two weeks in advance through the Student Group Admin Form. If your debate includes a Guest Speaker, you must submit the event proposal four weeks in advance.