PERC - how to take part

The video

In teams of between three and five people send us a video of up to four minutes in length to tell us about an ethical problem and how you think responsibility is involved. 

Don’t worry about using expensive equipment to make your video. We’ll be judging based on:

• Argument: Does the argument make sense? Is it convincing?
• Clarity: Is it clear what conclusion is being argued for? Is it clear how the conclusion is supported by factual or ethical premises?
• Originality: Does the argument offer something unusual or new to the debate?
• Involvement: Are all team members well represented in the video? 

Your video should be original, and please remember that you will need to check copyright if you feature any pre-existing material. 

To submit your video please send an email to Liz Sanders and we will send you a link to a file share folder. Videos should be uploaded by the advertised
deadline (usually early January). Please email us the following details, and remember to include at least one of them in your file name so we can identify you!

1. Your team members' names
2. Your School name
3. The video title 
4. Teacher support form from the supporting teacher
5. Signed video consent form for each participant

PERC Final

The top four teams will be invited to take part in further competition through presentations and debates during the PERC Final event which will take place in Oxford on the advertised day (usually mid March). 

Debates

Debates will form the final challenge on the day. This exhibition debate will give you an idea of what your debate might look like.

The key dates for the 2026 competition are as follows:

Competition launch date: 4th September 2025
Closing date for video entries: 5th January 2026 (4pm)
Video winners are announced: mid-February
PERC Final: 24th March 2026 

By entering the Uehiro Oxford Institute’s Practical Ethics and Responsibility Competition, you agree to accept the following T&Cs. 

Terms of Entry

1. Entry to the Uehiro Oxford Institute's Practical Ethics and Responsibility Competition is free of charge. The Competition is funded by the Uehiro Oxford Institute.
2. Entrants must be pursuing secondary education and be in Year 11, 12 or 13 (S4, S5 and S6 in Scotland, and Year 12, 13 and 14 in Northern Ireland). Teams should consist of no fewer than three and no more than five persons. All team members must be involved in making the video but they do not all have to appear in the video.
3. All video entries must be original and produced by the teams. Any videos that feature plagiarised material will be disqualified. Copyright must be obtained if videos feature pre-existing material.
4. Videos must be on a topic in practical ethics and relating to responsibility.
5. Videos should be between two and four minutes long. Videos that have been speeded up to include more material within the time allocation will be disqualified. 
6. All entries must be accompanied by a teacher support form and a photography permission form for each participant appearing in the video.
7. The Competition is open to entrants from the UK-only (in a change from previous years).
8. The Competition closing date is 4pm on the 5th January 2026 and late entries will not be considered. 

Video Selection

1. Winning videos will be selected by the judging panel based on the following criteria:
   • Argument: Does the argument make sense? Is it well supported?
   • Clarity: Is it clear what conclusion is being argued for? Is it clear how the conclusion is supported by factual or ethical premises?
   • Originality: Does the argument offer something unusual or new to the debate?
   • Involvement: Are all team members well represented in the video?
2. The judging panel will be comprised of researchers from the Uehiro Oxford Institute and special guests.
3. The judges’ decision is final. 
4. Selected teams (henceforth known as ‘debate participants’) will be contacted during February 2026.
5. Selected videos will be featured on the Uehiro Oxford Institute’s web page, and images may be used in the Institute's promotional materials. 

PERC Final

1. The event will take place in Oxford, UK, on the 24th March 2026.
2. There is no alternative prize available if debate participants are unable to attend the debate. 
3. Reasonable travel costs will be reimbursed for all debate participants.
4. Accommodation costs for the previous night will be reimbursed for debate participants who are based 2 or more hours from Oxford. Please discuss with the Institute in advance of any booking. 
5. Debate winners will receive a cash prize of £250 as a team. The second placed team will receive £150 as a team, and the third placed team will receive £50 as a team. Prizes will be paid directly to the winning schools.
6. The judging panel will be comprised of researchers from the Uehiro Oxford Institute and special guests.
7. The judges’ decision is final. 
8. Videos and photographs may be taken during the event, for marketing and communications purposes. Images may be used in the Institute's promotional materials, such as the annual report, social media and website entries.

If you have a question please email Dr Joanna Demaree-Cotton at joanna.demaree-cotton@uehiro.ox.ac.uk or Dr Gabriel De Marco at gabriel.demarco@uehiro.ox.ac.uk.