 The crest of the Union Debating Society | |
| Predecessor | Literary Society (merged 1890) Classical Society (merged 1890) Parliamentary and Dialectic Society (disbanded 1932) Women's Debating Society (merged 1963) |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1794 |
| Type | Student debating society |
| Headquarters | St Andrews, Scotland |
| Location |
|
President | Jenny Douce |
First Secretary to the House & Treasurer | Flynn Whittaker |
Chair of Ways and Means | Alexandros Avramidis |
Chief Whip | Neva Ensminger-Holland |
Parent organization | University of St Andrews |
| Affiliations | World Universities Debating Council European Universities Debating Council University of St Andrews Students' Association Scottish Students' Debating Council |
| Website | https://www.uniondebatingsociety.org/ |
The University of St Andrews Union Debating Society is a student debating society at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Tracing its origins back to 1794 and established under the current name in 1890,[1] it is the oldest continuously operating debate society of its kind in the English-speaking world (predated only by the College Historical Society at Trinity College Dublin which ceased operations for a period beginning in 1794) and the oldest as a whole in the United Kingdom.[2][3]
It also holds weekly public debates in the Lower Parliament Hall, which are free and open to all students - the only Scottish Debating Society to do this.
In 2015, the society became the first in Scotland to win the European Universities Debating Championship, a competition that they compete at every year.
The society's motto remains "pro amicitia et litteris" meaning "for friendship and learning".
- ^ Stewart, Graham (1991). The Union Debating Society 1794-1990 : a history of debating at St Andrews University. St Andrews Rare Books Collection. Dundee: D. C. Thomson and Co. Ltd. pp. 5, 8.
- ^ Stewart, Graham (1991). The Union Debating Society 1794-1990 : a history of debating at St Andrews University. St Andrews Rare Books Collection. Dundee: D. C. Thomson and Co. Ltd. p. 5.
- ^ "About us". Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
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