Visiting the Oxford Union means entering one of the world’s most prestigious centres of intellectual debate, with a history spanning more than two centuries. Its stage has hosted Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, Stephen Hawking, Malala Yousafzai, and many other Nobel laureates and global leaders, shaping a tradition of rigorous argumentation and exceptional rhetorical practice. The Oxford Union is a place that values the power of ideas, academic freedom, and the development of future leaders. Being there allows one to connect with a remarkable legacy of debate and become part of a community that influences the direction of global discussions.
One of the established opportunities for high school students to engage with the distinguished debating tradition of the Oxford Union is participation in the Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition. This tournament represents one of the largest and most prestigious school-level debating championships in the world, providing young debaters with early exposure to a highly competitive international environment.
In Kazakhstan, eligibility to take part in the regional qualifying round is granted to students aged 14 to 18, who are enrolled in any secondary school across the country. Due to the international nature of the competition, proficiency in English is a strict requirement, as all rounds — including the qualifying stage — are conducted exclusively in English.
The Kazakhstani regional qualifying tournament is organized by COSMOS NPIO in collaboration with Debat Eli Foundation, an organization widely recognized as a leading institution in the national debate community. This partnership ensures a high level of organizational quality and adherence to internationally accepted standards of adjudication. Both institutions share the common objective of enhancing the competitive capacity of Kazakhstani school students and supporting their representation on the global stage in a dignified and professional manner.