Programme of Events

Debating Science Issues is a cross-border schools science debating competition that encourages young people to engage in debate on the cultural, societal and ethical implications of advances in biomedical science.

A field of 40 schools across the island of Ireland narrows to four throughout the day, representing each of the four provinces - Ulster competes with Leinster and The West squares off with Munster. These teams focus on the statement ‘the potential benefits of embryonic stem cells to develop new medical treatments mean we have a moral obligation to support this type of research’. After lunch the winners of the two previous rounds debate the necessity of animal testing.

The event is supported by a Wellcome Trust People Award for five consecutive years and involves 9 collaborative partners: the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway, W5 in Belfast, the Centre for Cross Border Studies in Armagh, Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI) at DCU, the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, CRANN at TCD, CLARITY at UCD, Cork Institute of Technology and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre at UCC.