Applied law, debate & communication problem set
“Can your child use law, debate & communication thinking on a problem they have never seen?”
What they hand inWorked problems and short write-ups reviewed by the mentor each week.
Early sessionsProgrammes / Law, Debate & Communication
Fellowship · Law, Debate & CommunicationYoung Debaters Fellowship
Structured argumentation, rebuttal and public speaking through live debates, ending in a judged final competition. A Harvard student-led debate fellowship in partnership with HPAIR. Students master structured argumentation, rebuttal, active listening and persuasive communication through practice debates and mentor feedback - finishing with a final debate competition, a personalised progress report and a Public Debater Profile.
Next cohort starts Sat, 26 Sept 2026 · early-bird USD 499
Decide by 16 SeptCohorts of Small live cohort
Length3 weekends · 6 live sessions
Cohort sizeSmall live cohort
EligibilityGrades 8–12 (13–17)
Live sessionsSat & Sun, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM GMT+4 (Sat & Sun, 9:00–10:30 AM ET) · live on Zoom
What your child will actually do
Live, mentor-led sessions - worked problems and real output, not lectures.
1
Learn law, debate & communication the applied way
Structured argumentation, rebuttal and public speaking through live debates, ending in a judged final competition. Every session is live and mentor-led, with discussion instead of lecture.
2
Work on something real each week
Across 3 weekends · 6 live sessions, students produce work rather than notes - cases, drafts, builds or analyses depending on the fellowship.
3
Get individual mentor feedback
Cohorts are kept small so mentors know each student by name and push them at the right level.
4
Finish with something to show
A final project or presentation your child can put in front of a university, a school or you.
Skills your child will gain
Named, practised skills - grouped the way universities read them, tied to how each is used in this fellowship.
Thinking & analysis
How your child breaks a problem down before touching it.
- Evidence and sourcing
Practised on live problems in every session - never taught as theory.
- Judging your own weaknesses
Mentors make your child justify each step out loud before moving on.
Communication
Writing and speaking so an adult expert takes them seriously.
- Rebuttal structure
Rehearsed in front of a mentor and peers, then corrected on the spot.
- Impromptu speaking
Written up each week and marked the way a specialist reader would mark it.
- Composure under cross-examination
Tested in the final presentation, where the work has to stand on its own.
Projects they finish with
Sample briefs from recent cohorts - the actual work that comes out of the programme, not a syllabus.
The main project
“What is worth building in law, debate & communication in 3 weekends · 6 live sessions?”
What they hand inA finished fellowship project - the piece that goes into the portfolio.
Middle of the programmeFinal presentation
“Can they explain the work to someone who was not there?”
What they hand inA live presentation plus mentor feedback in writing.
Final sessionA recorded final debate
The fellowship closes with a full adjudicated debate, recorded, so your child leaves with footage of themselves arguing well - the most useful thing for interview practice later.
What you end up holding
- Recorded speeches for the portfolio
- Adjudicator feedback in writing
- A debate record to build tournament entries on
What they'll take away
Certificate of CompletionLetter of ParticipationPortfolio-ready capstoneParent progress updates
How this strengthens their university profile
The point isn't the certificate. It's the line a family can honestly write afterwards - and the artefact sitting behind it.
Before
"My child is interested in law, debate & communication."
Nothing an admissions officer can check.
After Young Debaters Fellowship
"My child completed Young Debaters Fellowship and finished a recorded final debate."
A line with an artefact behind it.
Why this fellowship counts
Depth. A fellowship is the spine of a profile - several weeks with one mentor, one field and one finished piece of work at the end. This is what turns "interested in medicine" into evidence.
A future-lawyer profile built on argument quality rather than debate trophies alone.
What a university can verify
- Recorded speeches for the portfolio
- Adjudicator feedback in writing
- A debate record to build tournament entries on
- A finished capstone or research piece
- Mentor feedback in writing
Upcoming cohorts
Starting soon
Sat, 26 Sept 20263 weekends · 6 live sessions · Grades 8–12Batch 1
Sat & Sun, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM GMT+4(Sat & Sun, 9:00–10:30 AM ET)
Sat, 12 Dec 20263 weekends · 6 live sessions · Grades 8–12Batch 2
Sat & Sun, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM GMT+4(Sat & Sun, 9:00–10:30 AM ET)
Sat, 24 Apr 20273 weekends · 6 live sessions · Grades 8–12Batch 3
Sat & Sun, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM GMT+4(Sat & Sun, 9:00–10:30 AM ET)
Session times shown in Dubai time (GMT+4) with US Eastern alongside. Fees are correct at time of publishing - confirm on the programme page.
Live mentors, every single session
Young Debaters Fellowship is taught live by mentors from leading universities and partner organisations - never pre-recorded. Small cohorts mean your child is spoken to by name, not counted in an audience.
Parents usually ask
Is my child the right age for this?
It is designed for Grades 8–12. No prior background is assumed - mentors calibrate to the cohort in the first session.
How much time does it take?
3 weekends · 6 live sessions in total, with live sessions sat & sun, 9:00–10:30 am et plus light preparation in between. It is built to sit alongside school.
What if we miss a session?
Tell the team in advance and they will share the materials and arrange a catch-up so your child rejoins without falling behind.
How do we pay and confirm a place?
Places are confirmed on the Young Debaters Fellowship application page. Fees shown here are correct at time of publishing - always confirm on the programme page before paying.
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