Welcome back to school and to the well-established tradition of a show debate!

This year the University of Helsinki Debating Society will again offer to watch a lively debate by our old members for the public to see and engage with. The debate will take place on Tuesday September 7th at 18:30 in Mannerheim-sali (New Student House, Mannerheimintie 5 A, top floor).

The subject for the debate is: ‘Does China offer a better development model than the West?’

Come and watch the debate, take part in the discussion afterwards and come to the bar later on to chat over drinks with us!

Spring term is about to end, but we still have some entertaining debates coming up!

Next week we have a regular debate at 18:30 Tuesday 11.5. in Cajsa (Mannerheimintie 5B, 4th floor).

The motion will be disclosed 15 mins before the debate.

See you all there!

Use your debting expertise to present your business ideas and get some initial funding for it!

On Monday 10th May Helsinki University Debating Society is proudly hosting a pitching competition with Helsinki University Entrepreneurship Society and Hanken Entrepreneurship Society. The grandprize for the competition is 5000€ of Tuli-funding. Free Pizza and soft drinks for all.

The pitches are 4 min long and could be structured around following themes:

The agenda for the evening is as follows:

18:00 – 18:15 Arrival of participants, pizza & drinks
18:15 – 18:30 Keynote speech by Petteri Kankkunen
18:30 – 19:30 Pitches
19:30 – 20:00 Break
20:00 –> Judges announce the winner, proceeding to the bar

1. PROBLEM
2. SOLUTION
3. PROFITABILITY
4. YOUR NEED? (Funding, team, mentor, help etc.)

The evaluation will be based on:
1. Presentation
- Body language/charisma
- Clarity
- Articulation
- Passion

2. Opportunity
- Market identification
- Size and attractiveness
- Target customer identification

3. Solution
- Value proposition
- Differentiation
- Financial viability/profitability

If you want to pitch your idea please REGISTER by sending an email to helsinkies@gmail.com with a short desription of your team and business idea.
The deadline for registration is 6th of May @ 23.59.

We’ve lined up an excellent judging panel for our competitiors:

- Moaffak Ahmed (Veturi Venture Accelerator)
Moaffak is Uni.Helsinki alumni, a serial entrepreneur and an early stage investor.

- Petter Kankkunen (Founder of Havain Communications)
Petteri consults and trains executives and managers to move their message from one of information to influence.

- Antti Aarnio (Aalto University)
Antti has over 10 years of practical experience in business development and is currently working as business development manager at Otaniemi International Innovation Centre.

-Antti Sekki (Helsinki Business Science Park)
Antti was Secretary-General in Finnish Venture Capital Association and is now in charge of the business incubator activitiy at Helsinki Business Science Park.

We’re having regular debate session on Tuesday 27th April from 18:30 onwards in Cajsa (Mannerheimintie 5B, 4th floor).

Students from ‘Polho’ student organization (subject organization for Social and Economic History) will join us for the debate – don’t miss this chance to get to know new people and show case your debating skills

The motion for the debate is ‘This House Believes That A Father Should Not Be Forced To Pay For The Child He Did Not Want’.

Due to room arrangements, this week we’ll have a debate on Wednesday 21st April.

Time: 18:30
Place: Cajsa (Uusi, 4th floor)
Motion: ‘This House Would Criminalize Demand but Not Supply of Paid Sexual Services’.

Next week Debating Society is performing a Show Debate as part of the Development and Cooperation Week at the Student Union of the University of Helsinki. Therefore, instead of a regular Tuesday debate session we’d meet on Monday 12.04 at 18:30 in Mannerheim-sali. The motion for the debate is Free trade, not aid, is the answer to Africa’s problems’. Some light refreshments will be served after the debate.

Hope many of you would be able to make it!

Hope you’ve all enjoyed Easter holidays

Sorry for a late notice but we’re meeting for regular debates tomorrow at 18:30 in Cajsa (Mannerheimintie 5B, 4th floor).
The motion will be disclosed 15 min before the debate and we’ll go to the bar afterwards because some routines are so enjoyable we never grow tired of them!

P.S. The motion we debated was ‘This House Believes Citizens Have The Right To Bear Arms’.

My apologies for a late reminder but as usual we are going to meet this Tuesday 30th March for another weekly debate.
Time: 18:30
Place: Aurora (Mannerheimintie 5B, 3rd floor)
Motion: “This House Would Allow Doctors Actively Lie To Their Patients To Create Placebo Effect”

This week will be more about food and fun than about regular debate session. We’ll meet at 17:00 in front of S-market underneath Sokos and do the grocery shopping. We’ll then proceed to the kitchen attached to the debate premises to cook the chosen ingredients and produce a tasty dinner for the ones interested. This will be followed by light debate games and festivities!

So, if you’d like to join, meet me on Tuesday 23rd for grocery shopping at 17:00 in front of the S-market underneath Sokos.

We’ll start the program at around 18:30 in Aurora (same building as always, 3rd floor). Contact me if you have questions or suggestions for recipes

Our next weekly debate session will take place on WEDNESDAY 17.03 at 18:30 in AURORA (Mannerheimintie 5B, 3rd floor). The motion for the debate will again be announced only 15 min before but I promise it will be something more fun this week

As per usual, we’ll hang out in the bar after the debate.

P.S. The motion for the debate was ‘This House Would Ban the Use of Runway Models Below a Healthy BMI’.