2025 Global Winners

This year, 25 global winners have been selected from thousands of submissions, representing over 350 universities and institutions from 99 countries spanning every corner of the world. Each of these students has demonstrated an extraordinary level of originality, focus, and rigour in their work, impressing a panel of over 500 expert judges. Global Winners will receive the Thomas Clarkson Gold Medal, a certificate of recognition, and the opportunity to have their work published in The Undergraduate Library.

The winners also receive a fully-funded trip to Dublin, Ireland, where they will attend the GUA Global Summit 2025 to celebrate their achievements alongside fellow winners, academics, and industry leaders.

Homegrown Winners:

• Maria Cooper, Trinity College Dublin, Earth & Environmental Sciences 
• Rían Coady, Trinity College Dublin, Philosophy

These exceptional Irish students join their peers from across the world in receiving this top honour, representing their universities on a global stage.

The Global Undergraduate Awards (GUA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 competition, recognising the very best undergraduate work from students worldwide. Our prestigious programme spans 25 diverse academic disciplines, from Design & Architecture and Engineering to Life Sciences and the arts, highlighting exceptional research, innovation and academic achievement.

The Global Undergraduate Awards celebrates the brightest young minds and showcases their future thought leadership to a global audience.

Global Winners by Category

• Ridwan Noor – Architecture & Design – Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
  
• Bryen Isaac Chen Tze-Yang –  Art History & Theory – Nanyang Technological University
  
• Cameron Schmidt – Business & Economics – Toronto Metropolitan University
  
• Clarissa Joanna Lim – Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences – Nanyang Technological University
  
• Jadyn Faith Zajac – Classical Studies & Archaeology – Western University
  
• Yong Jian Ng – Computer Science – Nanyang Technological University
  
• Maria Cooper – Earth & Environmental Sciences – Trinity College Dublin
  
• Shaikha Yousef Mohammed Rahmah Alshamsi – Education – Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE
  
• Balvinder Kaur Dhillon – Engineering – Queen Mary, University of London
  
• Waron Maneenetr – History – University of Hong Kong
  
• Leana Shin – Law – University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
  
• Raegan Cordelia Sim – Life Sciences – National University of Singapore
  
• Rachel Wee Hui Ying – Linguistics – Nanyang Technological University
  
• Bryen Isaac Chen Tze-Yang – Literature – Nanyang Technological University
  
• Michael Chow – Mass Communication – University of Southern California
  
• Nikolai Argatoff – Mathematics & Physics – University of Helsinki
  
• Emilia Herdes – Medical Sciences – Brown University
  
• Madison Torkoff – Music, Film & Theatre – New York University
  
• Tung Kin Chong Colin – Nursing, Midwifery & Allied Healthcare – Nanyang Technological University
  
• Rían Coady – Philosophy – Trinity College Dublin
  
• Bavan Pushpalingam – Politics & International Relations – University of Toronto
  
• Angel Yee Fong Au – Psychology – University College London
  
• Bavan Pushpalingam – Social Science: Anthropology & Cultural Studies – University of Toronto
  
• Claire Lee Si Hui – Social Science: Sociology & Social Policy – University College London
  
• Brigette Teo & Nicky Josephine Tjandra – Visual Arts – Nanyang Technological University
  

Recognising the Exceptional

This year marks a historic moment for The Global Undergraduate Awards, with two exceptional students achieving the unprecedented distinction of Double Global Winner. Bavan Pushpalingam, from the University of Toronto, earned Global Winner titles in both Politics & International Relations and Social Science: Anthropology & Cultural Studies. His work stood out for its intellectual depth, interdisciplinary insight and its ability to bridge political theory with cultural understanding.

Equally remarkable is Bryen Isaac Chen Tze-Yang of Nanyang Technological University, who became our second first student to earn two Thomas Clarkson Global Winner Medals, recognised in both Literature and Art History & Theory. Bryen’s submissions demonstrated extraordinary creativity, analytical sophistication and a connection of artistic expression with critical thought. Together, with Balvinder Kaur Dhillon of Queen Mary, University of London who celebrates her second year in a row as Global Winner for Engineering all these achievements highlight the exceptional calibre of student research recognised.

Honouring Excellence

This year’s Global Undergraduate Award winners represent the top 1% of undergraduate talent and we are immensely proud to showcase their contributions to global academia. The calibre of their work speaks volumes about the depth of talent and commitment to academic excellence around the world.

The 2025 winners have set an incredible standard for future generations and we look forward to celebrating their continued success at the upcoming GUA Global Summit.

Congratulations to all our winners! For the full list of global and regional winners, visit our Winners page.