Social Sciences Week
Social Sciences Week is an annual event that celebrates and showcases the diverse range of social sciences disciplines and research in Australia.
In 2026, Social Sciences Week runs from 12 – 20 September.
Find out how your school community can get involved!
The Great Student Debate
2026 Great Student Debate - competition closed
Debate topic: That Australian politics is alive and well
Congratulations to our finalist schools for the 2026 Great Student Debate!
We look forward to welcoming Lakeland Senior High School from Western Australia and Hurlstone Agricultural High School from New South Wales to the National Library of Australia in Canberra for the 2026 Great Student Debate in September.
Make sure you are subscribed to Seriously Social for information about the 2027 Great Student Debate.
Resources for the Great Debate
Keen to host your own student debate during Social Sciences Week?
The resources below are designed to help prepare students and teachers who are new to debating to give it a go.
If this year’s topic isn’t quite right, check out Seriously Social’s suite of debate kits to suit a range of different subjects areas.
Webinars to support your debate
To help you get started with the skills and knowledge you’ll need to make an insightful and energetic debate, explore these webinars designed specifically for teachers and students.
NLA Education Webinar: Research Skills
Level up your research skills with this free webinar for high school teachers and students led by experts from the National Library of Australia.
Learn how to access more than 14 billion digital items on any topic. Explore source materials from Australia’s libraries, universities, museums, galleries and archives.
Watch the video to give your students the confidence to find reliable sources of information to strengthen their debate arguments.
Learning about Australian politics with Dr Linda Botterill
This webinar is designed to support learning about Australian politics and help students generate ideas and evidence for debate topics in the Seriously Social 2026 Great Student Debate.
Dr Botterill provides a balanced overview of key issues and perspectives, examining arguments both for and against the idea that: “Australian politics is alive and well.”
Great Student Debate Competition FAQs
Who can enter the 2026 Great Student Debate Competition?
To be eligible to enter the 2026 Great Student Debate Competition, you must have a team of three students in years 8, 9 or 10 in 2026.
Must the students be in the same year level?
No! Your team of three students do not have to be in the same year level to be eligible. For example, your team might have one student in year 8, one in year 9 and one in year 10. As long as the three students are in one of the required year levels during 2026, your team is eligible to enter.
Must the students be experienced at debating?
No! This competition is designed for students who are NEW to competitive debating. Only students who have never competed in debating outside of their school are eligible to enter.
Can homeschooled students enter?
Yes! A team made up of three homeschooled students from the specified year levels is eligible to enter. If selected as finalists, all parents/carers will be contacted and terms and conditions adjusted accordingly.
What is the debate topic?
The 2026 Great Student Debate topic is “that Australian politics is alive and well“.
Does it cost money to enter the competition?
It is FREE to submit an entry to the competition.
Can my school enter more than one team?
Sorry, only one team per school may enter.
How do I enter the competition?
View the application pack and work with your team to fill in the entry form. You will find all the terms and conditions, including a list of relevant dates, in the application pack.
Where can I find resources to support my team’s entry?
You can find the Seriously Social Debate Guide for Classroom Teachers here. It contains comprehensive information on how to plan a debate argument, the roles of the speakers, and details of how a debate works.
You can also find the Debate Kit: That Australian politics is alive and well here. This kit provides an introduction to the topic, as well as possible affirmative and negative arguments, and a list of resources to get you started on planning your debate.
If my team is selected as a finalist, how do we get to Canberra during Social Sciences Week?
Teams will be responsible for funding their own way to Canberra. However, there is financial support available to selected finalist teams. The amount of financial support can that be offered to teams varies by region (metro, regional or remote) and specific details are listed in the terms and conditions of the application pack.
Schools may be eligible for additional funding through the Australian Government’s PACER program. Details on the program can be found here.
Got another question? Contact the Seriously Social team via email at info@socialsciences.org.au
Thank you to our 2026 event sponsors:
