About Us
Established in 1876, the Melbourne University Debating Society (affectionately known as 'MUDS') is one of Australia's oldest and most successful debating institutions, working to promote and encourage debating in all its forms. The Society is easily the oldest student organisation in Victoria, pre-dating even the Student Union (est. 1884).
We organise several internal competitions for our members over the course of a year, providing opportunities for a wide variety of skill levels in a number of different debating styles. In order to assist our members in improving both their debating skills and their general knowledge, MUDS also provides regular training sessions, offering a valuable opportunity to gain experience in debating and public speaking, as well as the chance to improve their knowledge of topical issues.
In addition, MUDS regularly conducts and competes at tournaments on both a national and international level. We participate in several major intervarsity tournaments every year, including the Australian Championships ('Easters'), the Australasian Championships ('Australs') and the World Championships. These tournaments give our members the chance to meet (and debate against) students from other institutions, not just from Australia, but from around the world. Moreover, we often organise competitions and activities with other universities, such as our friends at Monash, and host two invitational tournaments of our own ('Another Day at Melbourne' and 'Melbourne Mini').
Finally, MUDS offers an extensive, highly-demanded, and most importantly, high-quality program of school services - coaching students from a wide-range of primary and secondary schools across Victoria in the skills of debating and public speaking.
MUDS holds regular meetings every Tuesday of semester at 5.30pm in the Melbourne Law School.