To help develop critical-thinking and public-speaking skills among students, the Open Society Foundations announced on Wednesday that it would spend $20-million to support debate programs around the world. Colleges, universities, and other educational organizations will be eligible for the grants. The foundations, which were established by the financier George Soros, will work with the International Debate Education Association to administer the new Global Debates program.

Officials of the philanthropy said they had decided to start the program near the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, “to help ensure that young people are taught the skills necessary to debate the public-policy issues of our day.”