Newcastle University aims to play a leading role in the economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England and to this end, we are delighted to be a part of Debating Matters and host the North East & Yorkshire Regional Final 2011/12. We welcome such events that allow young people to evolve their skills in creativity and critical thinking. Newcastle University has a global reputation for research excellence and is committed to world-class academic excellence. A member of the Russell Group, we ranked 12th in The Sunday Times 2012 University Guide.