Nova SBE's most recent Institute dedicated to Public Policy - Nova SBE Public Policy Institute - announces the 1st edition of the Public Policy Debate Competition.  

This initiative is aimed at young university students from all over the country. It encourages study, promotes debate, and fosters reflection on public policies. A total of 16 teams, made up of 3 to 5 members, will participate in the competition, which challenges young people to reflect on public policies by countering scenarios that perpetuate preconceived views and exploring opposing points of view fairly and critically. The initiative emphasizes the need to understand arguments (for and against each policy) to form informed opinions. It promotes the study and exposition of ideas in the context of public policy.  

Inspired by the Oxford Union tradition, each debate starts from a proposition (such as "Should the European Union levy a carbon tax?") previously communicated to both teams. The random designation of the point of view defended by each team is only communicated at the beginning of the debate, forcing both teams to prepare their arguments in advance. The discussion itself, lasting 15 minutes for the two teams, is judged by a jury of a group of public policy experts. All debates and jury comments are conducted in English.  

The first phase of the competition, scheduled for February 2025, will determine the four teams participating in the semi-final and final debates, which will be held on April 10, 2025, at Nova SBE's Carcavelos campus.  

Applications for the 1st edition of the Public Policy Debate Competition, open until November 30, can be made by sending an application proposal to the Nova SBE Public Policy Institute email address. More information here.