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End of Year Newsletter 2023

Dear ,

In September, we welcomed our seventeenth cohort to Oxford at the start of their busy year with us. We've also had the pleasure of reconnecting with some of our alumni, and their stories continue to inspire. As the holiday season approaches, we extend our warmest wishes for a well-deserved and restful break to all.

Director's Overview

This year’s Welcome Weekend achieved a first for us…. This cohort of 30 scholars was the first since any of us can remember to have arrived in September in person and on time! This really is a feat when we are welcoming young people from over twenty different countries with a variety of visa issues. So a big thank you to the visa department of fees and funding and Jane in our office who had to guide some through the not inconsiderable hurdles to get to Oxford.

We had a good and busy first few days together but I think, gauging by the feedback- and WHT scholars don’t hold back on this- the cohort felt they had made a good start and that they would not feel too lost as the academic term began since they had WHT friends to march forward with.

Worcester College provided not just a perfect autumnal background for selfies and endless photo opportunities... 

...but also a good venue to kick off our Moral Philosophy sessions and Business Challenge- details of which are below, helpful tips from our alums and of course the Welcome dinner which is always one of the highlights. 

It may seem obvious but it is always a special moment when we in the WHT back office can put a face to the names we have been putting against lists for accommodation and workshops etc. I have also enjoyed catching up with many of this year’s cohort during our meetings over the past few weeks. I would say the WHT intake for 2023-4 are good at keeping their collective head above water!

I would like to thank two partner colleges, Worcester and Mansfield, our supporters, The Sigrid Rausing Trust, The Younger Family Fund and Blavatnik Family Foundation and GRoW @ Annenberg who have made it possible for us to take in our Hope scholars – all refugees or displaced people but who I am pleased to say have found comfort and friendship in the WHT family.

from left to right:
Fareed Fakhoury (Syria, Oxf-WHT-Younger/HOPE, Kofi Annan Scholarship, Mansfield College),
Iggo Kanui (Kenya, Oxf-Hoffmann-GRoW @ Annenberg/HOPE, Ivan Stoyanov Scholarship, Keble College),
Mykhailo Kiktenko (Ukraine, Oxf-WHT-Blavatnik/HOPE, the Elman Poole Graduate Scholarship, Lincoln College),
Amina Suveha (Syria, Oxf-Hoffmann-Chevening-GRoW @ Annenberg/HOPE, Worcester College),
Vladyslava Savytska (Ukraine, Oxf-WHT-Rausing/HOPE, Kofi Annan Scholarship, Mansfield College),
Ksenia Baranchikova (Russia, Oxf-Hoffmann-Blavatnik/HOPE, Kofi Annan Scholarship, Mansfield College),
Tsimafei Malakhouski (Belarus, Oxf-WHT-Rausing/HOPE, Kofi Annan Scholarship, Mansfield College),
Dmytro Lopushanskyy (Ukraine, Oxf-Hoffmann-GRoW @ Annenberg/HOPE, Talbot Fund Scholarship, Keble College)

We are delighted to announce that St. Antony's College will join us as a new partner College and home for three of our scholars in the coming academic year.

We have also been able to welcome a new member to our team- Dr Costas Chryssou who has come from a world of business and education (Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Finance and Administration at Muscat University in Oman) to take on a new role as COO. I hope many of you will have a chance to meet him.

Please take a few minutes to read the scholar blogs which show some of the reflections on these weeks since their arrival and their top picks. I also particularly recommend the reflections sent to us just now from our alum Grace Mzumara (2018, MSc International Health & Tropical Medicine, Malawi), who visited our office recently.

We have heard news from our alums which is always most welcome- please keep those items coming and this autumn also saw the first WHT wedding. Giles Strachan who worked in our office when we first set ourselves up in Oxford has married one of our alums Débora Leão (2017, MPP, Brazil) in Brazil in not one, not two but three wedding ceremonies! Many congratulations to them!

The WHT Community on Telegram is growing... Around half our alums have joined up, and we encourage the rest to do so now. This allows the WHT family to reach across the globe with news, job opportunities, and connections for those looking to travel to a new continent and wanting information and new friends.

The QR code is at the bottom of this newsletter. 

We rounded off this term with a Business Challenge visit to Plexal in East London, an innovation company collaborating with the government, startups, and industry. Their CEO Andrew Roughan was very generous with his time and in the end the scholars had to be dragged away before they asked more and more questions!

And then on to the pub in good British tradition!

Last year Rasha Saïd and I decided to hold a joint Christmas party in London and we agreed to repeat this, only she added two other friends of hers- Elena Branet (Founder of Digital Camp) and Paola Diana (Entrepreneur, Podcast Host, Author)- so what had begun as us taking over a corner of the Cross Keys in Chelsea turned into us taking over the whole pub this year – it was a ‘glittering’ occasion in every sense.

This year has seen some horrendous suffering in various parts of the world. I am very conscious that our complaints about the weather or train strikes are of no consequence- so on behalf of the WHT team, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a peaceful holiday time and hope for a better world in 2024.


Best wishes

Alexandra


Alexandra Henderson

Director and CEO, Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust
Leadership Programme
Moral Philosophy

At the Welcome Weekend, we kicked off the Moral Philosophy Seminar with the question of what makes a good leader, looking at readings from Machiavelli, Confucius, and Mary Wollstonecraft. From there, we went on to tackle questions of what moral duties we have to the places where we grew up, and whether inequality is more important than poverty.

Later in the term, we turned our attention to more practical matters. After thinking about the future in terms of different ways in which businesses might claim to be moral entities, we turned to the present and what the scholars should want from their time in Oxford.

- Stephen Wright, Academic Fellow
Business Challenge

During the Michaelmas term, scholars utilised design thinking, team-building skills, lean start-up methodologies, and viability testing to innovate business concepts in areas such as renewable energies, e-commerce, ed-tech, and fin-tech. For instance, Kawi-safi Ventures aims to transform bagasse and sewage sludge into a cost-effective and eco-friendly source of clean energy. BodyCare focuses on developing a platform to provide services for older adults.

But the excitement didn't tend there! On 4th December, the scholars embarked on a field visit to Plexal Innovation. They explored Plexal's captivating journey as they revitalised the former Press and Broadcast Centres for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics into a dynamic innovation hub, uniting government bodies, start-ups, universities, cultural centres, and the local community.

- Eman Hamdan, Business Challenge Lead
Scholars' Blogs
Life at Oxford and beyond- Grace Mzumara (2018)

"Three years later, I went to visit Oxford again. I am happy to report that Oxford is still Magical, but so am I."
Read more
Good Things Come to Those Who Act- Xenia Baranchikova

"At the end of the Michaelmas term, I reflect on the hurdles overcome, the lessons learned, and the profound gratitude for the unfolding opportunities."
Read more
To new beginnings and inspiring perspectives - Smriti Jalihal

“I had come to Oxford with a strong set of views, but sitting in a room with people giving examples of their own countries helped me question my own views and place them in a larger global context.”
Read more
The Young Shall Grow - Reflections from the 2023 Ditchley Conference on Africa - Oluwatamilore Oni

“Let me close out these reflections with the saying ‘The Young Shall Grow’ - the name of a popular transporter in my home country, Nigeria. The young will grow, and we will grow Africa.”
Read more
Disagree to Agree: Strengthening Community in Distressing Times - Rohan Chopra

"In a sense, empathetic leadership did not emanate from these panels, but from the discussions among ourselves that followed."
Read more
It Takes Two to Tango: Reflections on Partnerships, Confidence, and Representation from the Ditchley Conference - Shawntel Nieto

"Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations where we have to speak up, even if it's frightening. We need to say what needs to be said because if we don't do it, then who will?"
Read more
Scholar Top Picks

Nothing brings new sensations like your first Michaelmas at Oxford!

We reached out to our scholars to uncover their standout spots during the Michaelmas term—be it cozy cafes, restaurants, or serene libraries. They shared their picks and added some cool photos capturing fond memories. We also discovered the biggest culture shocks they encountered in the UK. 
Biggest culture shock in the UK:
 

"Sun setting at 3 pm"
"How does the British butter chicken have sugar in it???"
"Lunch time! too early for me haha"
"No one stands up in the bus before it fully stops"
"The use of the word pudding? I still don't get it."
"Transport means (e.g. riding bicycle, bus operation system, and navigating through train booking)"
"Bland food"
"How polite the people are :)"
"Sunset and darkness at 4 pm (the entire concept of clock change)"
"Drinking tap water"
"People sleep early, no concept of working at night"
Fav restaurant:

Najar's;
Ramen Kulture;
Donburi Inn;
Georgina's, etc
Fav café:

Jericho Café;
Colombia Coffee Roasters;
Gail's;
Missing Bean;
Paperboat Café;
Society café;
"Anywhere with my WHT friends :)"
Fav library:

Rad Cam,

Old Bod,

Taylor Institution Library
Fav place to walk/run:

Uni Parks,

Christ Church Meadows,

Worcester College
Fav place to meet friends:

Worcester College; 

Covered Market;

The Victoria;

Turf Tavern, etc
Alumni News

This year, our alumni continue to excel within their respective professional domains. We take great pride in witnessing their accomplishments.
Shabana Basij-Rasikh (2019, Afghanistan)

WHT alumna Shabana Basij-Rasikh, who founded the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) to provide access to quality education for girls from across Afghanistan, received the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year earlier this year.

Towards the end of September, Shabana came to the WHT office and engaged in a lively dialogue with our new scholars.
Read more
Nsuku Chanakira (2019, South Africa)

Nsuku was named one of Mail & Guardian's 200 Young South Africans under the category of mining and manufacturing for her contribution to responsible environmental stewardship. She is passionate about water and helping the world take better care of this precious resource. She is currently the national vice lead for Young Water Professionals South Africa.
Read more
Irina Fedorenko-Aula (2013, Russia)

Irina was up in lights on the Nasdaq tower in NYC after completing the Milestone accelerator with the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Centre. Irina and the team aim to solve climate emergency by rebuilding natural ecosystems.

On a personal note, Irina and her husband welcomed their son to the world in June this year. Baby Armas has already made several trips to the WHT office.
Read more
Oksana Matiiash (2019, Ukraine)

Oksana has been selected as the first Ukrainian Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University. The Obama Scholars Program recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and a strong commitment to making a difference in their communities and beyond.

Read more
Atherton Mutombwera (2016, Zimbabwe)

Hutano Diagnostics Ltd has been acquired by biotech serial entrepreneur Sir Christopher Evans, Professor for his EDX Medical Group Group PLC for a new 'super test' venture targeting multiple diseases.

Hutano was founded in 2018 by Atherton and Professor William James to disrupt the lateral flow test marketplace through innovative technology.
Read more
Brenda Tanyi Tal (2021, Cameroon)

Brenda has been working to enable Governance, Policies, and Guidance on facilitating and implementing evidence-based Artificial Intelligence into healthcare. She presented her research in Douala-Cameroon (Dec 2022), Geneva-Switzerland (July 2023), and Riyadh-Saudi Arabia (Nov 2023), and spoke on behalf of the WHO/ITU AI4Health Collaborations & Outreach Unit and the Global Health Policy & Partnerships, University of Oxford.
Read more
Vilija Vėlyvytė (2011, Lithuania)

Vilija's book Judicial Authority in EU Internal Market Law was a finalist for the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) Best Book Prize 2023, awarded for the most original and substantial contribution to European studies.
Read more
Nandita Venkatesan (2020, India)

Nandita is one of the TIME 100 emerging leaders globally who are shaping the future of their fields and defining the next generation of leadership.

Nandita is recognised for her petition to get a second patent for Johnson & Johnson’s tuberculosis drug denied. Without this petition, the drug would have been less accessible or affordable for many people worldwide.
Read more
Prerna Wadikar (2020, India)

Prerna is featured in the annual alumni magazine of Lincoln College for her pioneering ESG initiatives. Prerna has been recognised with a UK India Achievers Award, an honour shared with other luminaries such as the ex-Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh. Her work includes the establishment of a new course in this field and she wrote about her inspiration to develop ESG initiatives in India and elsewhere. Prerna has also been recognised as a kindness and leadership leading lights 2023 Asia–Pacific.
Read more
Upcoming Events
WHT Alumni Negotiation Workshop

Missing the practical skill sessions at WHT?

Join us for an online Negotiation Workshop with Professor Emily Jones (Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford) towards the end of the Hilary term (March 2023)! More info coming soon via our Telegram group.
Read More

Stay connected with the WHT!

If you wish to update your bio on the website or to share your news on the next Newsletter, please email chuchu.chen@whtrust.org.

Join the WHT Community on Telegram and share your news- QR code below:

Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust,
23 Park End Street, Oxford,
OX1 1HU,
United Kingdom
info@whtrust.org
+44 (0)1865 411514