Dear scholars, alums, supporters, and friends,
It was wonderful to welcome 34 new WHT scholars in September. Our welcome weekend was very busy and the only disappointment was the weather which meant our students could not fully enjoy the wonders of the Worcester College garden - but there will be time for that. As always we introduced the moral philosophy seminars and the business challenge, two of the main planks of the leadership programme
Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust Scholars 2024-2025 with CEO Alexandra Henderson
But for me what stood out on this, my last year of leading this amazing programme, was the session in which the students introduced us to aspects of their country. They only had a short time but we learnt a lot about their homelands from food to culture to politics to sustainability, all in a few minutes with humour and a clear passion for their homes.
Our partner colleges continue to be a very important part of what we do as they welcome our cohort in groups which offer each and every student a sanctuary. The other home from home this year has been the WHT house where we now host all the follow-up sessions and drop-in lunches.
Scholar May Nguyen pointing to Vietnam during the Tell us About Your Country/Culture Session
We also have had lovely visits from alums and I think everyone appreciates the fact that the WHT has a permanent home in Oxford. The term has galloped by and I would like to leave it to our students to tell us how they feel it has gone in their blogs below.
Scholars participating in the Business Challenge warm-up sessions during the Welcome Weekend
Scholars sharing their business pitches during a Business Challenge Workshop at the WHT House
Next, time to share some updates from our recent Trustees and Advisory Board meetings.
Firstly, we want to thank the members of our Advisory Board who are stepping down after several years of invaluable service. Your contributions have been instrumental to the WHT, and we are excited to welcome new members who will continue to drive our mission forward
A special highlight was our Trustees meeting which was held for the first time in Oxford and in person at the WHT home. This gathering was also significant as it marked the first opportunity for our incoming Director, Hilary Boulding, to meet the trustees face-to-face. We are so pleased to have Hilary on board and look forward to her leadership.
We are also pleased to announce the appointment of two new Trustees: Francisca Mutapi, a distinguished professor at Edinburgh University and an Oxford alumna (Linacre), and James Lieber, a businessman based in France. Their expertise and interest will undoubtedly enrich our work.
As we look to the future, we bid farewell to Michael Lewis, our esteemed Chair of the Trustees, who has decided to step down. We are very grateful to Michael for his pivotal role in helping to set up the WHT and for his support to the Trust and advice over the years. We hope to express our thanks to him in person soon.
André Hoffmann, our co-founder will be stepping back in as Chair, paving the way for the next exciting phase of our journey. Some of our scholars had the chance to meet the Trustees before we all headed to the Blavatnik School to hear André speak about his important new book, The New Nature of Business. I was proud to see our students asking the most insightful questions!
George Robinson, Trustee, talking to scholar David Odhiambo
Francisca Mutapi, one of the new Trustees in conversation with scholar Ana Baiadze
We ended the term with our traditional day up in London. This involved some new and memorable experiences including , for many, a first trip on a London bus and surviving the underground in rush hour.
We like to give our scholars a real life taste of business and Plexal, a company that supports entrepreneurs and start-ups, have opened their doors to us very generously for the second year running. It was a great experience for everyone and they emerged wide eyed and happy.
It’s now the third year that we joined up with Rasha Saïd at her ‘local’- it’s a chance for us to bring together our students and supporters and her wide network from her Toucan Project. This year the Cross Keys had really entered into the spirit of Christmas and the interior was festooned with tinsel and greenery and really made us feel this festive time had begun.
We have included some alumni news but I would very much like to think, now that the WHT has gathered almost 500 alums, more will come forward to tell us what they are doing and share experiences with the more recent graduates who are finding their feet in this tricky world. It is wonderful to hear from some alums that they have been helped by their peers - you have a great resource in being part of this global family - please nurture it. Nikita Arora has joined us to enable more interaction but in the end this has to come from you. I hope 2025 may be the year we can see a real breakthrough in this area.
All of us working at the WHT wish you a peaceful end of year and all good wishes for 2025!
Some WHT Scholars at Cross Keys after Plexal
Alum Visit: Muminakhon Abdulvohidzoda, Sagar Dhakal (2018), Sagar Dhakal’s mother, Jane Baldwin, Duong Nguyen, Yajju Pradhan, and Dipankar Ghose
The WHT scholars at Plexal, London
Moral Philosophy
Eman Hamdan, our Business Challenge Lead reflects on the first term:
This year marks my third opportunity to witness the incredible growth of our scholars through the Business Challenge, and every year, I’m inspired anew. The journey is as much about learning for us as it is for them, and it’s been a privilege to be part of their stories.
At the Welcome Weekend, scholars came with a clear understanding of the urgent challenges our world faces. With guidance from Fabio Bianchi and myself, they explored these issues deeply, ensuring their ideas were creative but also meaningful and impactful.
Throughout the Michaelmas term, they tackled these problems head-on, stepping out into communities to ask people what they thought of their solutions. Having the house as our space instead of a traditional classroom created an atmosphere where ideas flowed freely, and collaboration blossomed. Seeing them work across teams and ventures was truly inspiring. We wrapped up the term with a visit to the Plexal Innovation Centre in London, where scholars experienced firsthand the dynamic examples of UK innovation I can’t wait to dive deeper with them next term as they take their ventures to the next level!
Scholars participating in a Moral Philosophy Seminar
Scholars participating in a Business Challenge workshop
Click here to read the full blog.
Reflections
on Michaelmas 2024 by
Carlos Torres White: Learning Thrives in Community
“From the moment I arrived, I felt enveloped by an atmosphere of camaraderie and support Scholars from diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and nationalities had gathered, each bringing their unique perspectives and experiences to the table. Conversations flowed easily, and it was refreshing to connect with people who shared a passion for sustainability and making an impact in their local communities ”
Click here to read the full blog.
Reflections
from CBD COP16: Inspiration, Peace and Action for Biodiversity by
Aiita Joshua Apamaku
“At the conference, I had the opportunity to speak at two panels On the first, I shared my experiences of working with young and early career professionals and advocated for an inclusive approach to Nature-based Solutions policy. My deliberation was in reference to the first ever Global Youth position on Nature-based Solutions codeveloped by the Youth4Nature, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, and YOUNGO ”
Click here to read the full blog.
Joshua Apamaku, MSc Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management, Mansfield College, Kofi Annan Scholarship
CONGRATULATIONS
TO THE COHORT OF 2024-2025!
The WHT cohort of 2024-2025 matriculated on a sunny Saturday in October.
Front row, left to right: Duong Nguyen, Yajju Pradhan, Aye Kyithar Swe, Andreana Awog-Badek, May Nguyen, Sinnah Lamin, Oshil Bansal, Alaa Abushahla, and Lucas Chiu Kit Liu
Back row, left to right: Aiita Joshua Apamaku, Ashim Joshi, Nathawat Traisiwakul, Vatsal Raj, Nickolai Prakofyeu, Emmanuel Olweny, Francisco Kerche, and Dipankar Ghose
David Odhiambo, MBA, St Edmund Hall
Carlos Torres White, MBA, Worcester College
Aiita
THE WHT SCHOLARS WITH ANDRÉ HOFFMANN AT HIS BOOK LAUNCH IN OXFORD
In November, the WHT scholars met Mr. André Hoffmann, co-founder and Chair of the WHT at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford during a talk on his recent book The New Nature of Business.
Scholars had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in conversation with Mr Hoffmann after his talk.
At the end of the Michaelmas term, the WHT scholars organised their own Christmas celebration at the WHT home. During the term, they had a film screening, using the house as a space where they come together as a community. They have also been using various rooms as study spaces and to meet one another.
André Hoffmann with some of the cohort of 2024-2025
The WHT Scholars celebrating Christmas at the WHT home Christmas at the WHT Home
Sudan with IOM-UN Migration.
Melissa Felipe Cadillo (MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, 2023) at COP 16
Melissa Felipe Cadillo, a Kofi Annan and Mansfield alumna, represented the Oxford University Delegation at COP 16. She’s also the Programme Coordinator of the Oxford Martin Programme on Biodiversity and Society.
Fatima Airan (MSc Evidence-Based Social Intervention & Policy Evaluation, 2023) Selected for the International Strategy Forum, Schmidt Futures
Many congratulations to Fatima Airan, a WHT and St. Edmund Hall’s alumna, who has been selected for the International Strategy Forum, Schmidt Futures. Fatima was a senior specialist at the Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan but her work there was cut short when the Taliban eliminated all the positions for women in 2021.
Hanbit Lee (MSc Energy Systems, 2023) awarded the Gordon Wallace Prize
Hanbit Lee, a WHT and Keble college alumna, has been awarded the Gordon Wallace Prize for the best dissertation in Geography and Environmental Science-related Masters course by her college. Many congratulations!
The alums welcomed the new scholars, Dipankar Ghose, Vatsal Raj, and Oshil Bansal to the WHT community and shared their experiences.
Alumni Visiting the WHT Home
This year, we also had several alumni visiting the WHT house: Alan Clarke (2019), Grace Mzumara (2019), Luisa Souza Costa (2023), Alejandro Biondi Rodriguez (2021), Prerna Wadikar (2021), and Rafat Al-Akhali (2014).
The current cohort met some of these alums over drop-in tea and chat sessions, getting to know about various career paths after Oxford.
Cohort Reunion at Bivishika Bhandari’s Wedding
Bivishika Bhandari, a 2019 alumna, got married in Nepal earlier this year and her wedding became a reunion for the WHT cohort of 2019.
The WHT wedding guests: Minah Faiz (Maldives), Kavya Chowdry (India), Andi Terminel (Mexico), Francheska Loza (Mexico), Tania Risco (Peru), Vignesh Kamath (India).
Alumni & Scholars’ Dinner
New Delhi, India
In August, Indian alums Rahul Nayar (2015), Payaswini Tailor (2018), Ammu (2023), and Rohan Chopra (2024), along with Israeli alumna Maya Sherman (2021) who is currently based in India met the incoming WHT scholars from India over dinner at the International Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Scholar Grace Mzumara (2019) at the WHT House posing with her photo in the house
Look out for announcements about end of year celebrations! all the activities of the WHT. This includes making the house more sustainable and environment friendly. For example, by installing solar panels, we expect to reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to over a 150 trees a year.
We would like to thank you for completing our House survey. Your responses will help us work out the next phase of how to use the WHT house.
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