Overview: Debate Training for Graduate Programs
Find the perfect training with only one click:
Sure! An evening on topic X
I beg to differ! Debate training for research
Achieve mental agility by means of professional debating culture
NEW and eligible for sponsorship by the DFG!
Debate training for the awareness for gender related topics
Debating at the university: The rediscovery of a classic
Debating is a method which brings the art of reading, thinking and speaking into unison. When medieval academics started to create the curriculum of the worlds first universities, three liberal arts were essential in developing the qualities of leadership, and promoting the best ideas: Grammar, reasoning and rhetorics (that is reading, thinking, and speaking). In order to find out how well their students developed these qualities, medieval educators did not ask their students to write essays or exams, but to hold a disputation – a debate. Although the world has changed a lot since the 19th century, hereby the earliest scholars created the foundation for any kind of university degree. In todays world the ability to understand, articulate and assess arguments is not only the quintessence of our democracy, and thus society, but also mandatory for every single person that wishes to be an active player and live an ethical life in our modern, technological and notably complicated society.
Debate Training for Graduate Programs
Sure! An evening on topic X
„An evening where everyone agrees is a lost evening.“
Albert Einstein
Disagreements are present everywhere. But instead of the usual platitudes which are used to handle them, we are going to have a debate about any topic you wish. This will let us experience the enthusiasm that coherent and concrete argumentation can create within us. The real challenge: All positions are allotted by chance – therefore it could happen that we have to speak against our own opinion! One of our experienced debating trainers explains the rules, and after some practical exercises he or she facillitates the structured progress of the debate. After the debate we’ll discuss the experience in a more relaxed atmosphere during an optional get-together
Duration:
- 3 hours
Goals:
- Being able to build arguments in a coherent and convincing manner
- Learning different possibilities of rebutting and weakening arguments
- Experiencing a debate first-hand….
- …and reflecting on the experiences made
Topic:
The topic of the debate is defined beforehand – in consultation with you. It should be chosen according to the occasion and appeal to the participants and their field of study.
Trainer:
VDCH-certified trainer or master trainer
Request your individual offer today! Do you have any questions regarding our seminars? Here you can find further information about our range of offers. A consultation is avaliable at your convenience.
→Request an offer
I beg to differ! Debate training for research
„The great accomplishment of the civil society is getting along with each other, even though there are partially incompatible positions.“
Prof. Dr. Detlef Pollack, Sociologist
By means of debate training, the participants of graduate programs get a true understanding of what debating means. Through debate training awareness of what makes arguments good is achieved. Furthermore the shift from debating being a sport to it being a useful method, not only in research but also for business, is becoming ever clearer. The participants directly experience how applicable and result-oriented debating is.
Duration:
1 day (8 hours)
Goals:
- Finding well-founded arguments as well as checking their relevance
- Building arguments in a coherent and convincing manner
- Being able to refute solid arguments
- Presenting oneself in a self-confident manner, even if the audience is a discerning one
- Handling interruptions and fault-finding questions in a confident manner
Topics for debates:
The topics of the training debates are defined beforehand – in consultation with you. Of course the participants of the graduate programmes can be involved in the selection of the topic.
Trainer:
VDCH-certified trainer or master trainer
Request your individual offer today! Do you have any questions regarding our seminars? Here you can find further information about our range of offers. A consultation is avaliable at your convenience.
→Request an offer
Achieve mental agility by means of professional debating culture
“Debating Culture means: you say something and I disagree with you and you respectfully listen to me […] we need to speak freely and we must learn to respect differently minded people and listen when they speak. Debating Culture is a prerequisite to this.“
Prof. Dr. Bassam Tibi, Political Scientist
What do we need in a fast-moving world? The answer: cognitive agility – a sharp mind able to deal with changes and to question solutions to emerging problems in a critical manner. Debate training teaches one to create arguments in a coherent and convincing way and to debunk counterarguments. The „MeetingDebate“ trains you to think on your feet – even under pressure. In the long term, your discussions become more effective and efficient: In a debate topics are not only touched on, but you arrive at a deep understanding by fully analyzing a topic’s advantages and disadvantages. You will introduce counterarguments in a positive way that helps the progression of a discussion. This way you can protect yourself against bad reactions and manipulation. Fair rules during the debate increase transparency and create an atmosphere of deferential interaction in any group. The abilities acquired through debating can be advantageous during discussions of your research and as preparation for panel discussions, interviews, oral examination or disputation! Make the listeners hear and understand what is truly important to you.
Duration:
2 days
Goals:
- Developing mental agility
- Learning to convince with expertise and reason
- Developing the ability to include others’ opinions in a productive way
- Understanding how to distance oneself from other opinions in a clear and intelligible way
- Finding well-founded arguments as well as checking their relevance
- Building arguments in a coherent and convincing manner
- Knowing different possibilities of rebutting and weakening arguments
- Presenting oneself in a self-confident manner, even if the audience is a discerning one
- Handling interruptions and fault-finding questions in a confident manner
Topics for debates:
The topics of the training debates are defined beforehand – in consultation with you. Of course the participants of the graduate programmes can be included when it comes the topic’s selection.
Trainer:
VDCH-certified trainer or master trainer
Request your individual offer today! Do you have any questions regarding our seminars? Here you can find further information on our range of offers. A consultation is avaliable at your convenience.
→Request an offer
New and eligible for support by DFG:
Debate training for the awareness for gender related topics
„In particular the individuals awareness for problems, the ability and courage for developing, presenting and taking a stand on their own opinions, makes it easy for debaters to participate in the social and political processes, away from competitive debating events, and thus making valuable contributions to the democratic debating culture.“
Bartsch, Tim-C. see: What is a Debate? An international overview. Cuvillier Verlag, Göttingen 2005, S. 13
Debating equally enables women and men to discuss gender-matters. By means of explaining the advantages and disadvantages of a topic, a high analytical depth is achieved in argumentation, which helps participants to reflect their own way of thinking and to voice their opinions in daily life. What you can learn with debate training in graduate programs changes perspectives, and therefore has a direct and positive impact on the personal life of participants and their choices.
Duration:
1 day (8 hours) or 2 days (16 hours)
Contents:
- Finding sound arguments as well as checking their relevance
- Building arguments in a coherent and convincing manner
- Being able to refute solid arguments
- Presenting oneself in a self-confident manner, even if the audience is a discerning one
- Handling interruptions and fault-finding questions in a confident manner
Goals:
- Furthering the capabilities and assertiveness of women during arguments in mixed gender groups
- Sensitization of all participants to the important differences in the communication of men and women, and individuals of different cultures
- Promotion of awareness that the expression of opinions is not dependent on a person’s gender or culture
Debate-topic:
The topics of our debates are chosen so that the participants of the debate are made more aware of gender issues.
Trainer:
VDCH-certified trainer or master-trainer
Request your individual offer today! Do you have any questions regarding our seminars? Here you can find further information about our range of offers. A consultation is avaliable at your convenience.
→Request an offer