On January 5th, ISHCMC KK, a brother and sister duo—Kun (Tuong) and Kin (Thy) from ISHCMC—made history. They became one of the first teams from Vietnam to qualify for the finals of the prestigious Oxford Schools’ Debate Competition 2025. Their hard work has paid off, earning them a spot as one of only two teams representing Vietnam at the University of Oxford this March.
The Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition is the largest British Parliamentary school-level debate competition globally, attracting over 350 schools annually. The final, held at the historic Oxford Union will consist of four rounds of impromptu debates, students will have only 15 mins of preparation time after the topic is announced. Topics can range from politics to sports and social justice.
In the regional round held in Ho Chi Minh City, ISHCMC KK not only ranked 1st as a team, but also came in joint 1st at individual speaker level. Kun & Kin will now go on to compete against the top schools in the world and proudly represent ISHCMC and Vietnam on a global stage.
The first step of the journey
It all started with the encouragement from their mother. Kun recalled how their mother introduced them to debating, and they decided to give it a try. “It was really interesting” - Kun said, “So we’ve been doing it for three years now.” Kin shared that their journey began with the World Scholars Cup competition, where they were exposed to multiple categories, including debating. However, at that moment, Kun and Kin realized their passion and decided to hone their debating skills.
Nurturing Debate Skills at ISHCMC
Kun, Grade 10 and Kin, Grade 8 have been studying at ISHCMC for over 7 years. When these two young talented debaters were asked how they built their debating skills Kun and Kin talked about their teachers at ISHCMC. Kun explained that at school, they were given the opportunities to develop their critical thinking, creative problem-solving skills and the ability to respond to arguments effectively. For Kin, public speaking played a significant role in helping to overcome fears: “Because a lot of time we have to do presentations in the class, so that helped us with our nervousness, especially in competitions”.
Teamwork & Collaboration
Throughout their debating journey, Kun and Kin had formed a strong companionship, a team spirit with trust in each other. Both siblings emphasized the importance of teamwork, with Kin highlighting that having a strong teammate made a huge difference: “Having a good teammate is actually quite important, you really need a strong connection and teamwork as well. Because without that, most of the time, you only do it by yourself and won’t get a good result”.
However, for Kun & Kin, competitions are more than just prizes and pressure - they are fun and healthy spaces to connect with people sharing the same interest and build lasting relationships. They excitedly told us how they got a chance to reunite with some of their friends and coaches while participating in these competitions.
The stepping stone at Oxford Schools’ Debate Vietnam Qualifier
The Oxford Schools’ Debate Vietnam Qualifier 2025 was intense, with multiple rounds of debating in which teams faced off against each other. The judges evaluated teams based on how convincing their arguments were.
Preparing for the competition was no easy feat. Kun and Kin dedicated themselves to extensive practice, attending various training sessions and competitions. Kin mentions how attending a recent competition in Hanoi helped them focus on the specific skills they would need for the Oxford finals. “We learned a lot from other people, from new judges, and how the competition will be based.”
The road ahead: Preparing for the finals
As they looked ahead to the final round in Oxford with many strong competitors, despite feeling anxious, Kun and Kin had a clear plan for the preparation. Kin shared her approach: “(I’ll) go to different competitions, debate against older people and new people, so that when I get to the specific competition and I meet people that I've never met before, I don't get scared and lose my composure, so that I can do with the best effort”.
As Kun and Kin prepare for the final stage of the Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition, we wish them the best of luck and we are excited to see them continue their journey. Stay tuned for more updates from the ISHCMC KK team as they take on the world stage in March!
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