The 2025 Oxford-BNU Creative Writing Award celebrated its fourth year with an exciting ceremony opened by Regent’s Principal, Sir Malcolm Evans. The competition continues to go from strength to strength, with this year’s entries surpassing expectations in number and quality. The judging panel commended the originality and depth of the shortlisted works, noting the challenge (and pleasure!) of selecting from such a strong field. As always, the annual lecture and award ceremony reaffirmed the enduring power of storytelling to reflect, challenge, and shape society – even amid rapid technological change and cultural complexity.

The evening began with a warm introduction from Sir Malcolm Evans, who described the Annual Lecture and Creative Writing Award as a calendar highlight not only for the college but also for the wider University community. Sir Malcolm praised this year’s entrants for their creativity, noting the impressive growth in the number of submissions year on year – a testament to the thriving literary culture amongst both students and staff within the University.

“Now in its fourth year, the Mo Yan International Writing Centre project continues to exceed our hopes and aspirations. It’s a privilege to welcome so many colleagues and writers to what has become a vital part of this project’s contribution to the university. The growing number of entries reflects the creative energy of emerging writers and the dedication of those who support this initiative.”

The Annual Lecture began with a personal and insightful talk by Lisa Appignanesi OBE. She shared the story of her evolving career as a writer, reflecting on the shifting landscape writers face today, including the impact of AI on the literary world.

The dialogue between Professor Ankhi Mukherjee and Lisa Appignanesi provided the audience with profound insights into the enduring importance of the ‘immigrant story’ in literature – a theme powerfully woven throughout Lisa’s work. Lisa recounted poignant stories from her mother’s experiences as part of a Jewish family living under Nazi persecution in Poland, highlighting the lengths taken to survive through changing names and relocating cities to avoid persecution. She reflected on how the search for identity and belonging is a universal human experience, regardless of geographical and cultural boundaries. The conversation focused on the ways in which memoir not only preserves personal histories but also contributes to a collective understanding of displacement and resilience.

“I never begin writing with all the answers. Writing, for me, is an act of discovery – it’s the process through which I make sense of my thoughts, my memories, and the world around me. It’s where the personal meets the political, and the imaginative offers insight into truth.”

Following this rich discussion, the event transitioned into the Award Ceremony. The Oxford-BNU Creative Writing Award is dedicated to fostering literary talent and promoting cross-cultural dialogue between East and West. This year’s competition featured an outstanding range of stories that explored a diverse array of themes including mental illness, transformation and hope.

The Oxford-BNU Creative Writing Award 2025 was awarded to Caitlin Upshall, from the Research Support Department at the University of Oxford for her story The Birch Tree. The judges praised Caitlin’s work as a beautifully crafted rendition of place and culture, with an unexpected and delightfully poignant ending that resonated strongly with the panel.

For Caitlin, receiving the award was a wonderful surprise and a true honour: “I write to capture moments in time and to make sense of those moments, my thoughts, and my feelings later on. It is an absolute joy to know that others were moved by my work and able to step into those moments with me. Writing is inherently solitary, so to be in a space where writers and their works were celebrated was really heart-warming. Winning the Oxford-BNU Creative Writing Award is one of the best surprises I’ve had in my writing career, and I’m honoured to have accepted this prize.”

In addition to the winner, two Runners-Up awards were presented to Miles from Geneva by Patrick Merrigan of Oriel College, and Onset by Taneesha Datta of Kellogg College – both stories noted for their compelling narratives and distinctive voices.