British Council Study UK Alumni Awards 2025-26

The British Council Study UK Alumni Awards celebrate the achievements of alumni who are living outside the UK.

The Awards showcase the outstanding global impact of individuals across four award categories: Science and Sustainability, Culture, Creativity and Sport, Social Action and Business and Innovation. 

Could you be the next winner from Leeds?

Prepare to share your achievements and gain recognition on the world stage in the 2026-27 Study UK Alumni Awards - applications will be open from 1 September to 15 October 2026.

Sign up for the next call for applications to make sure you don't miss out.

In the meantime, meet this year’s inspirational winners and finalists from the University of Leeds and discover the impact they are having around the world.

Loïc Chave

Global Finalist
Social Action
France

Loïc Chave (Sociology 2017) was recognised for their impactful work across public institutions and civil society, helping to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ communities in France. Their contributions include shaping legislation, coordinating networks of lawyers and volunteers, and influencing key policy reforms.

Today, Loïc continues this vital work as the founder of the Observatory of Queer Vulnerabilities with Le Refuge Foundation. Through this initiative, they drive research, advocacy, and support efforts that inform national policies and strengthen protections for vulnerable queer youth. For over 20 years, Le Refuge has provided shelter and supported the social and professional integration of young LGBTQ+ individuals who are victims of intrafamilial violence.

They have also been named the 26th member of the Leeds Pride List, which celebrates LGBTQ+ individuals and allies within our University community who are making a meaningful and lasting impact in the Pride space.

Yasser Badadah

Global Finalist
Business and Innovation
Saudi Arabia

Yasser Badadah (MSc Engineering Project Management 2009) was recognised for his entrepreneurial leadership and his work developing innovative solutions across the education, fintech, and tourism sectors.

Among his most notable achievements is WAKI, a Saudi fintech and school technology platform designed to help schools become completely cashless. It was created in response to challenges faced by schools and parents around cash handling, attendance tracking, and day-to-day administration. The platform provides an integrated system for school payments, parent communications, attendance management, canteen purchases, school trips, books, tuition fee collection and more. The platform is currently trusted by more than 180 schools and serves over 112,000 active users.

Today, Yasser continues to focus on building high-impact projects that support Saudi Arabia's digital transformation and economic development. Looking ahead, he hopes to further expand his initiatives, empowering future entrepreneurs and contributing to long-term social and economic growth across the region.

Dimeji Sofowora

National Winner
Business and Innovation
Nigeria

Dimeji Sofowora (Law 2013) was recognised for his work strengthening healthcare systems and expanding access to quality care across sub-Saharan Africa.

Through Helium Health, Dimeji has helped build one of Africa's leading health technology companies, digitising more than 2 million patient records and supporting over 10,000 healthcare professionals across 400 healthcare facilities. His work is helping healthcare providers operate more efficiently while expanding access to quality care across the continent.

One of Helium Health's most significant innovations is HeliumCredit, a healthcare financing platform that has disbursed more than $11 million to healthcare providers. By improving access to capital, the platform enables clinics and hospitals to invest in better infrastructure, technology, and patient care.

Adanna Enwezor

National Finalist
Culture, Creativity and Sport
Nigeria

Adanna Enwezor (MA Global Development and Africa 2011) was recognised for her impactful work championing African culture, promoting health‑conscious beauty practices, and driving economic empowerment within the beauty and wellness sector.

Through her foundation, Adanna has led initiatives across Africa that raise awareness of the health risks linked to toxic chemicals in hair and beauty products, while promoting natural and culturally rooted alternatives. Her work has inspired millions, supported job creation, and strengthened entrepreneurship within Africa’s natural hair and beauty industry.

Mega Saffira

National Finalist
Culture, Creativity and Sport
Indonesia

Mega Saffira (MA Textile Innovation and Branding 2016) was recognised for her work championing cultural sustainability through textile research, education, and digital knowledge-sharing initiatives in Indonesia.

As the founder of The Textile Map, a digital platform exploring textile culture and phenomena around the world with a particular focus on Indonesia's rich textile heritage, Mega has helped bring traditional textiles to a global audience of more than 10,000 readers. Through her academic leadership, research, and digital engagement, she is advancing cultural preservation while advocating for heritage to be viewed as a dynamic source of creativity and innovation.

Mega's work bridges tradition and contemporary practice, ensuring that textile knowledge remains accessible, relevant, and influential for future generations.

Mohamed Owais Shalaby

National Finalist
Social Action
Egypt

Mohamed Owais Shalaby (MBA 2017) was recognised for his impactful work in advancing economic empowerment and financial inclusion for underserved women across Egypt. Notably, this is his second consecutive year participating in the awards, as well as his second year in a row being selected as a finalist, demonstrating the dedication and ambition that define our alumni community.

Through the Women’s Economic and Social Empowerment programme, Mohamed has developed initiatives aimed at supporting 100,000 women by tackling the financial, behavioural, and cultural barriers that limit their participation in the financial system. His work focuses on helping individuals better understand how biases influence financial decision-making, while also challenging cultural norms that inhibit engagement with conventional financial services. 

Senthilmani Rajendran

National Finalist
Science and Sustainability
Malaysia

Senthilmani Rajendran (MSc Health Informatics 2018) was recognised for her work advancing digital health innovation to improve early oral cancer detection and help shape healthcare policy in Malaysia.

She developed and implemented MeMoSA (Mobile Mouth Screening Anywhere), a mobile health (mHealth) tool that enables trained healthcare volunteers to screen for oral cancer in underserved rural communities across Malaysia, where risk levels can be up to ten times higher and access to healthcare is often limited. The programme has screened more than 1,870 individuals, trained 47 volunteers, gained international recognition, and is now helping to inform Malaysia’s national approach to digital oral cancer screening.

Inspired by the foundations she developed at the University of Leeds, Senthilmani has built a career at the intersection of clinical practice, digital innovation, and public health research. Her work demonstrates how technology can help bridge healthcare inequalities and improve access to life-saving services for underserved communities.