Xiaohongshu
Big ideas, real conversation
At a time when conversations can feel increasingly polarised, the ability to engage thoughtfully with those who see the world differently has never been more important.
As part of our UCL200 Summer Festival, we've teamed up with Disagreeing Well and our Impartial Chairs to bring you an evening of thoughtful conversation and lively debate. Bringing together engaging speakers and industry experts, this event will explore a topic that speaks directly to the issues students care about most.
The Programme
Change my mind
We'll get the conversation started from the moment you arrive. Grab a drink from our drinks reception and accept our challenge: change the minds of some of our Debating Society students. They'll be making some bold statements on big conversations, and we're inviting guests to join them in debate, challenging their position and questioning their stance, offering their own opinions in return.
The headline discussion
In the early years of UCL, an annual ‘Foundation Debate’ was held to mark the foundation of the university. We think the Bicentenary year is the perfect time to revive this annual tradition. Foundation Debates were focused on a topical subject of the day. In 1933, students debated the motion ‘There is no place for the student in politics’. In later years, debates were held on whether students should be subject to military conscription, and on apartheid.
Our 2026 topic is misinformation and the risk it poses to liberal democracies. More and more young people today learn about current affairs through social media; algorithmically shaped news feeds crammed full of AI content designed to maintain engagement with platforms. Trust in traditional media and journalism is declining across the Western world, coinciding with rising populist movements and growing division. Our panel will discuss the impact misinformation is having on the world today, the role traditional media and journalism have to play in a rapidly changing society, and whether media literacy will be a survival skill of the future.
Full panel details to be released shortly.
Speed-debating
Watch the sparks fly in our one v one speed debates. Each round pits two speakers against each other in a rapid-fire exchange, with just a few minutes to argue their point and respond to their opponent.
It’s fast, focused, and full of energy. You'll see sharp thinking, quick comebacks, and compelling arguments unfold in real time.
Timings
Please arrive promptly for a 19:00 drinks reception. The main event will begin at 20:00, and we'll wrap up around 22:00.
Dress Code
We're celebrating UCL200 in style, and we'd love for you to dress to mark the occasion. Please wear something smart casual.
Arrival
Please arrive to the event via Gower Street, through the black gates at the main entrance of the Quad. Entry will not be granted via any other entrance, including through the Cloisters or surrounding buildings. A UCL200 steward will be there to greet you, so please have your ticket ready. Strictly no entry without a ticket.
Tickets
To ensure as many of us as possible can come together to celebrate UCL during this milestone year, we have limited tickets to members of the UCL community only, including students, staff and alumni. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate members of the public or students from other Universities at this event.
UCL200 Summer Festival by Students' Union UCL
This event is part of our UCL200 Summer Festival, and we've got a whole programme of activity planned to celebrate the bicentenary in style. The Main Quad will be transformed for a week of music, film, debate and a big student-only celebration - the Bicentenary Ball. During the days, come and get involved in a range of activities, workshops, and events, or just join us in the sunshine to take in the atmosphere in the Quad.