Named after the former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kofi Annan (1938-2018), these scholarships provide exceptional university graduates from developing and emerging economies with the opportunity to study at Oxford.
We are grateful to alumnus Jan Fischer (PPE, 1989) for his generous support of the Kofi Annan Scholarships, and to the Kofi Annan Foundation for enabling this inspiring association.
We are delighted to present our 2024-2025 cohort of Kofi Annan Scholars of the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann graduate programme below.
2024-2025 Scholars
Aye Kyithar Swe (Master of Business Administration)
Aye Kyithar Swe is an incoming scholar from Myanmar. She has over twelve years of work experience spanning private and nonprofit sectors as well as a BSc in Economics from the Singapore Management University. Most recently, Aye was the Chief of Staff at Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), an international thinktank with presence in 19 countries. She has held multiple roles within NRGI previously, including being the lead technical advisor on Myanmar’s unprecedented disclosures on extractive beneficial ownership. She has also worked in policy research and advocacy in Myanmar and Indonesia, risk consulting in Singapore, and corporate social responsibility in India. At Oxford and after graduation, Aye plans to develop a deeper understanding of business ethics and related challenges in emerging markets. In the long run, she hopes to work at the intersection of public and private sectors, with the aim of strengthening institutional integrity and governance.
Aiita Joshua Apamaku (MSc Biodiversity, Conservation, & Management)
Aiita Joshua Apamaku is a Wildlife Biologist and National Geographic Explorer from Uganda. Aiita holds a BSc in Wildlife Health and Management from Makerere University, Uganda. He has been involved in a variety of wildlife conservation programmes and projects as well as international biodiversity and climate policy programmes. As a Co-Lead at NatureWILD, his work seeks to redefine conservation through ‘science-telling’ and innovative capacity building programmes with over 168 young conservation professionals. He is currently investigating connections between conservation and cultures in the forest communities of Uganda. He has recently been the Nature based Solutions Thematic Lead at Youth4Nature, helping co-curate the first ever Global Youth Position on nature-based Solutions. He believes in the power of storytelling to transform social structures and to advance robust climate action.
Duong Nguyen (Magister Juris)
Duong holds a Bachelor of International Law from the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. She provides legal counsel to the Heineken company, a multinational alcoholic beverage manufacturer, as a Management Trainee across Vietnam, Malaysia and the company’s global headquarters in the Netherlands. Her work focuses on regulatory compliance, corporate governance, competition law, and data privacy, with the aim of assisting corporations in achieving a balance between economic objectives, social responsibilities, and the rule of law. After Oxford, Duong strives to promote responsible business conduct in the private sectors via practical and technology-leveraged legal solutions. She also wishes to establish pro bono facilitator partnership in Vietnam to match international legal expertise with local need.
Juan Pablo Vásquez (Master of Public Policy)
Juan Pablo, a Colombian journalist, studied Law at the Universidad del Rosario and earned an LLM from the Universidad de Los Andes. His LLM thesis focused on the judicial harassment experienced by a colleague and friend who investigated cases of paedophilia in the country’s Catholic Church. Currently, he is a member of the newspaper El País, where he covers judicial matters and investigates corruption. His recent work highlighted financial mismanagement in the Ministry of Sciences and the multimillion dollar contracts issued by the state oil company Ecopetrol. For his investigation into Ecopetrol, he received the 2023 Simón Bolívar Journalism Award. He plans to return to Colombia and continue his journalistic research, exploring innovative formats to reach a wider audience.
Muminakhon Abdulvohidzoda (MSc Water Science, Policy & Management)
Muminakhon Abdulvohidzoda is a dynamic water and climate activist dedicated to promoting environmental consciousness and youth participation, particularly in Central Asia. Currently serving as the UNV WASH Officer at UNICEF Tajikistan, Muminakhon focuses on climate resilience, youth engagement, and behaviour change. Her role involves policy advocacy, offering technical assistance to government agencies and UNICEF partners, and establishing priorities and performance metrics through the lens of climate resilience and youth empowerment. Mumina has participated in multiple national, regional, and international events including the UN 2023 Water Conference, representing the voice of youth, Tajikistan and the region. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the American University of Central Asia, specialising in transboundary water governance and management in Central Asia. Muminakhon is also a passionate facilitator of the Climate Fresk Game, an innovative scientific tool designed to raise awareness about climate change in an interactive manner.
Vatsal Raj (BCL)
Vatsal Raj is a lawyer from India. Vatsal graduated summa cum laude with a BA LLB (Hons) degree from National Law University, Lucknow. He has worked as a Legal Assistant at the UN International Law Commission, contributing to the development of international law through interdisciplinary legal analyses and empirical research projects. During law school, he spearheaded protection initiatives propelling financial and social inclusion of vulnerable refugees while working as an External Relations Associate with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Further, in the capacity of a judicial intern with multiple Supreme Court judges, including the Chief Justice of India, Vatsal assisted with landmark judgments that evolved new constitutional precepts ensuring enhanced accountability for human rights violations. At Oxford, Vatsal aims to hone academically informed strategies for developing home-grown solutions to understudied human rights issues in order to financially and socially empower marginalised communities in India and across the globe.
Veronika Alieksieienko (Master of Public Policy)
Veronika Alieksieienko is a dedicated public policy and government affairs professional from Ukraine, holding a degree in Finance from Kyiv National Economic University. For the last five years, Veronika has been serving as a Chief Policy Officer at AmCham Ukraine, playing a pivotal role in fostering dialogue between the private sector and the government, shaping a pro-growth agenda, and advocating for legislative changes to enhance the country’s business environment. Committed to Ukraine’s recovery, Veronika aims to equip herself with practical skills and international perspectives needed to aid Ukraine’s postwar rebuilding efforts. She is eager to address evolving challenges hindering Ukraine’s path toward EU and NATO membership. Veronika plans to return to Ukraine and aspires to be an influential policymaker, contributing to the nation’s economic recovery and creating a resilient, prosperous future for all Ukrainians.
Yajju Pradhan (MSc Environmental Change and Management)
Yajju Pradhan is an aspiring environmental researcher and enthusiast from Nepal. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Seoul National University, South Korea and is a recipient of the Korean Government Scholarship Program. Yajju has interned at the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, where she worked on community-based forest management and forest fire prevention initiatives to enhance community resilience in developing nations. In her recent role at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), Nepal, she conducted policy research on various aspects of achieving net-zero in Nepal. Additionally, Yajju has contributed to organising training sessions on climate-smart agriculture and been a part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)’s Foresight Partnership Forum. At Oxford, she looks forward to gaining skills and knowledge that complement real world application, aiming to develop sustainable strategies for pressing environmental challenges, especially those affecting vulnerable communities in the Global South.
