Public Events

The Union Debating Society is the only debating society in Scotland to hold weekly public debates, single speaker events and panel discussions. We have welcomed a number of esteemed speakers from a variety of backgrounds, including journalism, politics and academia. Previous speakers have included Hong Kong activist Benedict Rodgers, the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, and Willie Rennie (Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats).

All matriculated students of the University of St Andrews are automatically members of the Union Debating Society and our events are free to attend for all members. Please note we may check your matriculation card at the door. Our public debates usually occur every Thursday evening in Lower Parliament Hall. Check our Facebook Page for up-to date information. Gowns, whilst traditional aren’t required. We usually hold a pre-debate port reception before we commence.

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Upcoming events.

We have some exciting events planned in the new year 2025. Check them out via the button below. We look forward to welcoming you!

Past Events

We photograph and video most of our public events. Use the links below to access media and minutes for a number of our past public events, including Thursday Public Debates.

Society Traditions

Being an incredibly old society, our public events have a number of weird and wonderful traditions. See our guide to traditions below.

Bluffers Guide