ALUMNI STORIES: BUILDING AN ‘EDUCATIONAL NETFLIX’ FOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES

What inspired you to study at Oxford? 

First, I was drawn by the legacy of the city of dreaming spires. So many world-changing ideas and people have emerged from Oxford that it felt like the natural place to stretch my own ambitions. The decisive moment came during a visit: wandering beneath honey-coloured stone, walking through college archways and watching the libraries glow at dusk. The quiet mystery of those quads, and the sense that centuries of discovery were still alive there, made my choice clear. I wanted to be part of this community. 

What do you miss about Oxford? 

What I miss most about Oxford is its quiet sense of timelessness. Each time I walk back through the quads of Jesus College, I’m reminded that generations have come and gone, yet the place keeps renewing itself for new scholars. 

That said, Oxford never feels out of reach. The alumni network, regular messages from my college and the Vice-Chancellor’s visits keep me involved. I enjoy collaborating with the Admissions Office to narrow the information gap for prospective students and closely engaging in the Oxford Saïd Climate Change Challenge for schools around the world.

The spirit of Oxford continues to shape my life, wherever I am. 

How has your time at Oxford helped you in your journey?

Oxford first prompted me to ask a guiding question: Could solving one challenge unlock solutions to many others, such as climate change, artificial general intelligence, data inequality, mental health and large-scale reskilling? The University encouraged such exploration, with world-class scholars sharing both knowledge and urgency. As a student in the Department of Education, I saw how quality teaching equipped my peers to tackle critical issues in different industries. I’m convinced that solving the one challenge of accessible, inclusive and engaging education is the catalyst for lasting social impact and our humanity.  

Driven by this insight, I founded Know+, an award-winning streaming platform – an ‘educational Netflix’ for lifelong learning about the world’s most pressing problems. I’m particularly proud that Know+ provides free access through schools to one million young people, empowering them to create positive change in their communities. 

You’ve been actively involved in the Shanghai Oxford and Cambridge Society (SOCS). What led you to take on a leadership role in this community and what does the network mean to you? 

I stepped into a leadership role because I wanted to help serve a community that is already part of history. This year marks the 25th anniversary of SOCS. I have watched it grow from a few hundred members to almost 2,000, making it one of the largest overseas alumni groups in China. That growth mirrors Oxford’s own journey: from not many mainland Chinese graduates in the 1980s and ’90s to nearly the largest international student cohort on campus, and soon the largest international alumni group. With greater numbers comes greater capacity to give back. 

 Today our alumni group channels that capacity into impact, supporting alumni-led ventures in areas such as low-carbon construction, AI-driven materials discovery and innovative aviation. In much the same way that Know+ seeks to unlock solutions to humanity’s toughest problems through education, our alumni group in Shanghai aims to do so through an engaged, mission-driven alumni community.

Leading this network allows me to connect talented people, amplify their ideas, and ensure our collective legacy is one of positive change. 

You’ve also contributed to the Oxford Saïd Climate Change Challenge. Could you explain what this initiative is please, and why you wanted to take part? 

The next generation will inherit a planet suffering from the extreme effects of climate change in ways we do not yet fully understand. However, we do know that no country, continent or community will remain untouched. From droughts and floods threatening food and water supplies to the ever-growing number of climate refugees, tomorrow's leaders will face significant climate challenges. 

I’m so proud to be part of the launch of the Oxford Saïd Know+ Climate Change Challenge China Region and to serve as the co-chair of the competition. I believe this global competition is a milestone for Oxford – its first global competition for schools, inviting students and teachers to develop innovative solutions to tackle the world’s most pressing climate challenges. It has grown rapidly, attracting over 1,000 applications from 58 countries in 2024. The competition aims to build a grassroots movement of young changemakers and educators who can develop locally relevant solutions with global impact.

Why is climate action important to you, and what role do you think alumni networks can play in tackling global challenges like this? 

Climate issue are multidisciplinary by nature, which is not emphasised enough – they touch physics, engineering, politics, economics, ethics and much more. I want every student to see that their subject, whether literature or computer science, has a seat at the table. This is also a strong message that the Oxford Saïd Know+ Climate Change Challenge wants to send out. 

The recent Vice-Chancellor’s Colloquium is a good example, which brought together 200 undergraduates and Oxford’s world-leading academics from across the humanities, social sciences and STEM subjects to tackle the global climate crisis. Another example is the Right Here, Right Now global climate summit that Oxford is hosting. 

 Alumni networks can amplify this message. We work across sectors and continents; our careers demonstrate how diverse expertise converges on climate solutions. Education sits at the heart of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, and time is short. By mobilising our knowledge and networks now, we can help the next generation inherit a planet that is still worth inheriting. 

You’ve attended alumni events over the years, including Meeting Minds. What keeps you coming back and what impact have these events had on your connection to Oxford? 

Every event feels like stepping briefly back to Oxford: the same curiosity in the air, the same eagerness to debate big ideas over coffee. Meeting Minds and similar reunions remind me that, whether we left Oxford last year or three decades ago, we share a joint identity as Oxford alumni. It is a renewal of the Oxford spirit, transporting me to the values that shaped me: intellectual generosity, critical thinking and the courage to tackle hard problems. 

What advice would you give to fellow alumni who are thinking of volunteering their time or skills to their local alumni community? 

Start by finding the sweet spot where three things intersect:  

1. Your curiosity – topics that genuinely excite you 
2. Your professional toolkit – skills and sector know-how you can share 
3. The network’s agenda – projects the alumni group is already driving or eager to launch 

When those elements align, your contribution feels less like an extra commitment and more like a natural extension of what you already love to do. Next, seek out younger alumni as collaborators, not just mentees. They bring fresh perspectives on emerging fields. Learning flows both ways.

Finally, remember that volunteering is about connection, not perfection. Show up, listen, and look for small, concrete ways to add value, such as hosting a workshop, making a strategic introduction, or simply sharing lessons learned. Over time, those small acts weave into the larger fabric of an alumni community that is diverse, dynamic and far greater than the sum of its parts. 

What’s next for you – professionally or in your alumni work? 

On the Know+ front, the next chapter is about responsible AI in education. We are exploring AI-generated multimodal content and AI agents for students and teachers. The focus is still on creating learning, experiences and opportunities to inspire young people around the world on the most critical issues, by featuring those who are pushing the boundaries forward.