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
Join the Competition in 2026!
Debate topic: That Australian politics is alive and well
Seriously Social and the National Library of Australia, supported by the University of Canberra, have joined forces to bring learning to life with an exciting new Social Sciences Week event just for schools.
On Thursday 17 September, two teams of student debaters will battle it out on the topic “that Australian politics is alive and well” at the National Library of Australia in Canberra.
Seriously Social is inviting all high schools (and homeschoolers too!) around Australia to enter the competition to have the opportunity to see your students debating in front of an audience at the National Library during Social Sciences Week 2026.
To enter, download the application pack below, complete it and submit it before the closing date on April 3, 2026.
Further information can be found in the FAQs below.
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:
