Join the Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge and Win $10,000 Scholarship

(Following is a promotional message from the International Debate Education Association, European Council for Foreign Relations and Central European University.)

Are you a full-time university student or recent graduate? Join the Global Debate & Public Policy Challenge today and and become eligible to win a free trip to Budapest and a $10,000 scholarship. Write, present, and defend your policy recommendation and contribute to the conversation about issues affecting the global community. We’ve just kicked off the Second Annual Global Debate & Public Policy Challenge, which is a unique annual competition designed to engage undergraduates and recent grads in ongoing public debate and reflection on issues affecting the global community. The Challenge offers students from across continents and educational disciplines an opportunity to explore issues from different points of view. The competition will culminate in a final competition in Budapest in June 2013.

The Competition will take place in English, but don’t worry if you’re not a native speaker of  English! Judges use evaluation criteria to assess each student’s contribution, which focuses on the ability to develop evidence to support arguments, not language ability. Please Join the Challenge today and then submit your policy memo by 30 November 2012.

This year’s theme “Digital Freedom and Its Limits” explores what policies governments or other groups should adopt to enhance the potential of digital technology to benefit individuals and societies. It also encourages debates about the limits on internet freedom and covers issues related to social networks, privacy, child safety, freedom, censorship, democracy, transparency, national security and much more.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? University undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited college or university anywhere in the world, as well as recent graduates.*

REGISTER NOW AT: www.gdppc.org

How Much Are the Scholarships & Stipends and What Can They Be Used For?

Participants in the 2012-2013 Challenge are eligible to:

• Win a trip to Budapest, Hungary to attend the second annual Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge at Central European University in June 2013.

• Win one of five possible $10,000 prizes: a scholarship towards graduate study or a stipend to work at a non-profit institution of the winner’s choice in a field related to Public Policy.*

From the participants who are chosen to participate at the final stage of the Challenge, the Forum in Budapest, there will be up to five $10,000 winners. Each winner will receive either a scholarship payable to a Graduate School of the winner’s choice for study in a field related to Public Policy or a grant payable to a non-profit institution of the winner’s choice for an internship or placement in a field related to Public Policy. The winners get to choose the option they prefer. Please see the Prizes page for more information. The rules of the competition are available here.

HOW CAN STUDENTS WIN?

1) Register for the Challenge at http://gdppc.idebate.org/content/gdppc-join-challenge

2) Review the materials on the website http://gdppc.idebate.org/news-articles/2012-13-theme-digital-freedom-and-its-limits

3) Prepare and submit your 800-1,200 word policy memo by 30 November 2012. Instructions can be found here: http://gdppc.idebate.org/content/task-one-details-and-instructions

The Challenge consists of two written tasks and culminates at the Forum in Budapest, where the final round of the competition will take place and the scholarships awarded. Any undergraduate or recent graduate* studying any subject, anywhere in the world, can take part by submitting a paper in Round 1. From these submissions up to 200 participants will be selected to proceed to Round 2. Once those are judged, up to 50 finalists will win trips to Budapest with the cost of travel and accommodation paid by the organisers. Finalists will attend workshops with their peers to hone their public speaking and advocacy skills.

What Do I Need To Do To Enter The Challenge and Become Eligible to Win?
If you haven’t already done so, register for the competition at the new Idebate website. Then, prepare and submit your policy memo by 30 November 2012. That’s it!

Step-by-step guide for how to Register

• In order to Join the Challenge, you must have an IDebate username and password, which is free and takes just a second to do.
• If you already have an IDebate account please log-in to Join the Challenge, and then go here.
• If you don’t have an IDebate username and password, you need to register first here.
• After logging with your IDebate username and password, you should visit the Challenge registration page where you will need to answer a few questions about yourself. Then you will receive the code for submitting your task by November 30th.
• If you participated in the 2011-2012 Challenge but you don’t have an IDebate username and password, you will need to re-register on this new Challenge website.

The process is quick and easy.

The View From Budapest: Inside the First Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge
Take a look behind the scenes and meet the 2011-2012 Challenge Finalists.

http://youtu.be/TvK1R_ZR3eo

The first annual Challenge was a huge success (see video) and we hope to attract a wide range of students into the realm of policy advocacy this year as well! Finalists from all over the globe gathered in the Hungarian capital to attend workshops to improve their policy advocacy and public speaking skills as well as compete in progressive rounds of competition for prizes up to $10,000. This year’s 23 finalists represented 11 countries including China, Croatia, Estonia, Ethiopia, India, Macedonia, Mauritius, Moldova, Morocco, United Kingdom and United States, and we would like expand our geographic reach! Don’t worry if you’re not a native speaker of English! Judges use evaluation criteria to assess each student’s contribution, which focuses on the ability to develop evidence to support arguments, not language ability.

Thank you for Joining the Challenge!