The International Public Policy Forum

The International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) is an annual debate competition sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University. Founded in 2001 as the National Public Policy Forum, the IPPF invites high school debate teams from throughout the world to submit an essay affirming or negating that year's resolution. Essays are critiqued by a panel of judges and the teams with the highest-rated essays advance to a single-elimination, written debate tournament. Teams reaching the "elite eight" (quarterfinals) are invited to New York City to debate in-person for distinguished panels of expert judges. 

Woodward won the inaugural National Public Policy Forum in 2002. 

In 2020, Woodward reached the quarterfinals and was declared a co-champion when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the in-person quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. 

Overall, Woodward has reached the elimination rounds of the IPPF seven times.

2020-2021 — Triple-Octafinalists (Top 64)
Resolved: The benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the harms.
Team Members: Ashna Ghanate '22, Faheem Jivani '21, Praval Kandimalla '21, Isabella Orkin '22

2019-2020 — Co-Champions (Top 8)
Resolved: When in conflict, a nation's self-interest should outweigh its international commitments to migrants.
Team Members: Armaan Ajani '20, Nishita Ghanate '20, Praval Kandimalla '21, Saket Surapaneni '20

2016-2017 — Double-Octafinalists (Top 32)
Resolved: The obligation to provide safe haven for refugees should outweigh a government's right to control its borders.
Team Members: Jayden Khatib '19, Mona Mahadevan '19, Alanna Pearson '18, Malachi Robinson '19

2015-2016 — Octafinalists (Top 16)
Resolved: Genetically modified organisms are essential to global food security.
Team Members: Ali Abdullah '17, Liliana Burgess '16, Gibran Essa '17, Alanna Pearson '18

2014-2015 — Double-Octafinalists (Top 32)
Resolved: Mass surveillance is not a justified method of governmental intelligence gathering.
Team Members: Liliana Burgess '16, Ali Abdullah '17, Gibran Essa '17 and Alanna Pearson '18

2011-2012 — Double-Octafinalists (Top 32)
Resolved: Human missions should be a significant focus of space exploration.
Team Members: Michael Briskin '12, Avery Cobb '13, Alexander Duner '13, Emily Isenstein '12, Nasir Nanjee '12, Zoi Rosado '13, Rahim Shakoor '12, Jason Sigalos '12, Karthik Srinivasan '13

2001-2002 — Champions
Resolution & Team Members Unknown