The middle weekend in Oxford is traditionally the time for our cohorts to come together from their various campuses and take part in The Great Debate, and Sunday was no different. The Catz students came together with those from Balliol and Queen’s colleges and tackled the relationship between climate change and national security.

The debate was held in the iconic Sheldonian Theatre, a building which truly symbolises Oxford’s close ties with the world of academia. The incredible setting spurred the students on, as they walked in the footsteps of some of the greatest thinkers the world has ever seen.

Not only did the debate take place in a building steeped in history, but it was also attended by a remarkable guest speaker, who offered expert insight and observed the proceedings. The speaker was Baroness Manningham-Buller, who is the former Director General of MI5 – the British internal security service!

The Baroness gave an inspiring speech, before the debate got underway. The topic of contention was: “This house believes that climate change is the single most immediate threat to national securities.” Catz were joined in opposing this motion by Balliol, and they put some very good points across.

Despite this, they narrowly lost out in the debate as the proposing team won. The students drew acclaim for their erudite and engaging discourses, and overall the experience was a very useful one for them. A taste of real academic discussion in such a fantastic location is sure to inspire them, especially when the time comes for them to consider their own paths through the world of higher education.