This essay competition is open to students from around the world and this year saw 19,000 candidates across seven categories – a great majority of submissions were of a very high standard but only the very best were shortlisted. Winners and runners up will be announced from those shortlisted at the awards ceremony in the University of Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre followed by a gala reception at the Ashmolean Museum, on Saturday, 16 September. Congratulations to Aditya Swamy (Sixth Form) and Philip Barahona (Upper Eighth) shortlisted in the Economics Category, Mustapha Sadiq (Upper Eighth) shortlisted for the Psychology Category and Eshan Hall (Upper Eighth) shortlisted for the Law Category.