About The MDU

MDU - The Growing Society

The MDU is an established society in Manchester, having existed since 1996/1997. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, consistently training new and better debaters and consistently putting in excellent performances at Inter-Varsity competitions. However, competition, although the very nature of debating, is not the only thing which the MDU stands for. Since its inception, membership of the MDU has been growing consistently and as a result many people have met and socialised through it.

The Tuesday/Thursday format of debating

By dedicating a Tuesday afternoon, from 5.00pm, to a public debate where everyone is invited to watch and contribute to an exacting topical debate between MDU members and often external guests, members have the chance to view first hand what becoming a member of the MDU will give to you-confidence, wisdom and wit.

Guide to Tuesday’s Public Debate

Two types of debate are contested within the MDU’s parliamentary style of debating. On a Tuesday, four people split into two teams are invited to speak for seven minutes each on a given topic or policy supported by the opposition. A limited period of time will be allocated for "points of information" from opposing speakers. Speeches from the floor are invited, being of a one minute duration (of which the best will receive a bottle of wine) and each team is invited to spend two minutes summarising their argument before a vote is taken from the audience.

Guide to Thursday’s Training Sessions

On a Thursday afternoon at 5.00pm in the Artuhr Lewis Building, a session is dedicated to polishing the debating skills of all who belong to the MDU. Usually holding two debates (optional, of course) and a specially devised training exercise prior to this, all members of all abilities are invited to learn the basics and improve upon what they already have. Everybody, barring no-one, has the ability and potential to become a top class debater. By attending Thursday sessions, this potential is honed and refined.

We also have online debating tips and debating rules available.

What’s Next?

I hope that this has given you an insight into the MDU- who we are, what we do and how we do this. I congratulate you on taking the time to read this, but warn you that, like playing sport, the skills, pressure and excitement can only ever be experienced by doing this real thing. So come, you’ve taken the time to read this, and so we look forward to meeting you on Tuesday or Thursday