IT Debates

Structured open discussions on the questions the industry argues about, run as real debates in universities and partner institutions.

Format: Structured debate
Topics: Technology, science, IT trends
Venue: Universities and partners
Open to: Students and community members

About the project

IT Debates takes a live question about technology, gives the case for it and the case against it the same amount of time, and lets the audience weigh both.

Positions are prepared in advance and the floor is shared evenly, so every claim has to hold up against the answer that follows it. A strong argument is not the one that wins the room. It is the one that survives the reply.

On the floor

What happens in a session.

01
Structured debates
Sessions follow a set format on technology, science and current IT trends, so both sides get the same floor.
02
Topics with something at stake
Innovation, the digital future and the real impact technology has on work and everyday life.
03
Held where students already are
Debates take place in universities and at partner institutions rather than behind closed doors.
04
Room to disagree
Critical thinking and open discussion inside the IT community, without one approved answer to arrive at.

Purpose

What the project is after.

01Analytical thinking and the confidence to defend a position
02A shared platform where different views on one IT topic meet
03Students and members brought into technology conversations that go somewhere

Audience

Who is in the room.

01
Students
Any year, any faculty. The only requirement is a willingness to think on your feet.
02
IT Community members
Engineers, designers and organisers who already work with the questions being argued.
03
Anyone interested
No technical background is needed to follow a debate, and none is needed to take a side.

Host a debate