Our Team
Leadership Team
Meet our leadership team. We founded Oxford Global Courses following our studies at Oxford and Cambridge and years of collaboration with schools, educational institutions, and international programmes. Our work is guided by the principles that define Oxford’s academic heritage, intellectual rigour, thoughtful mentorship, and a deep commitment to nurturing potential, values we aim to reflect in every aspect of the experience we provide.
Ahmad Nawaz BEM
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Ahmad Nawaz is a distinguished graduate from the University of Oxford, where he earned his degree in Philosophy and Theology. Ahmad’s life story of exemplary resilience and leadership have made him an influential global advocate for education and youth empowerment. His remarkable journey has led him to address the United Nations, the British Parliament, and international forums, sharing platforms with Presidents, Prime Ministers, and leading global influencers. Recognised widely for his impactful advocacy and contributions to education, Ahmad has been honoured with the British Empire Medal (BEM) by King Charles III, Diana Legacy Award and an Honorary Doctorate (Hon. D.Litt) from Coventry University alongside numerous other accolades. At Oxford Global Courses, he leads on all aspects of programme delivery, having previously served as Head of International Partnerships at one of Oxford’s leading summer schools.
Arif Struthers
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Arif Struthers graduated at the top of his cohort in History from the University of Oxford, receiving the rare Congratulatory First-Class degree classification and numerous academic prizes. Oxford seldom grants a Congratulatory First, which The New York Times described as “a highly unusual honor in which the examining professors ask no questions about the candidate’s written work but simply stand and applaud.” It was historically reserved for only the most exceptional performances, highlighting the rarity of Arif’s academic achievement. This experience has made Arif a passionate and committed educator, keen to share his understanding of learning and academic excellence with students around the world. He has led Oxford summer programmes, spoken on national TV on the importance of education and global trade and tutored many students into leading UK and international universities. His work spans interview preparation, subject enrichment, and the cultivation of the intellectual and soft skills that top universities reward.
June Jiang
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
June Jiang graduated from Oxford. She has extensive experience teaching and tutoring students worldwide receive offers from top universities and schools, including Oxford and Cambridge. A committed educator, June’s approach to teaching focuses on developing critical thinking skills and fostering a passion and enthusiasm for knowledge. She also has experience with the aspects of running Oxford educational programmes.
Michael Garanin
King's College, Cambridge
Michael Garanin graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Biological Natural Sciences. He has extensive experience running Cambridge-based educational programmes, including summer schools for Chinese international students, as well as tutoring students into Cambridge. He also mentors incoming Cambridge undergraduates from underprivileged and international backgrounds.
Academic Team
Our team is built around professors, academics, postdoctoral researchers, and doctoral students from Oxford and Cambridge, many of whom teach Oxford undergraduates and postgraduates and are deeply familiar with admissions processes at top universities. Each brings over 300 hours of tutoring experience each, with subject specialists covering the full range of disciplines offered at Oxford and Cambridge. Meet our academic team, who will provide personalised guidance and mentorship at every stage of your or your child’s academic journey.
Kubilay Ahmet Küçük
Kellogg College, Oxford
Dr Kubilay Ahmet Küçük is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and a former researcher at ETH Zurich. His work focuses on trusted and confidential computing, secure remote execution, and building privacy-preserving systems for modern cloud and IoT environments. Alongside his research, Ahmet has extensive experience tutoring computer science and supporting students in both theoretical and applied computing. At Oxford Global Courses, he teaches on cybersecurity, systems security, and the governance of emerging technologies.
Fantin Lowenstein
Exeter College, Oxford
Fantin Lowenstein is completing doctoral reserach at the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, affiliated with Exeter College. He explores the role of elevated phenylalanine on cardiovascular health, focusing on metabolism, redox-signalling, and vascular physiology. At Oxford Global Courses, he tutors Medicine and contributes seminars on cardiovascular science, physiology, and life-sciences topics informed by his cutting-edge research.
Sebastian Bird
Magdalen College, Oxford
Sebastian Bird graduated from Oxford with a First in Classics, achieving the highest mark in his cohort for both Philosophy and Ancient History. After completing his master’s degree at Cambridge, he returned to Oxford, where he is now pursuing a PhD as a Clarendon Scholar. A passionate educator, he has taught on summer programmes around the world. At Oxford Global Courses, he leads on ensuring the academic standards and alignment with Oxford’s teaching principles.
Israr Khan
Regents Park College, Oxford
Israr Khan is a law tutor at Oxford University. His research focuses on investor-state resolution in the Global South. While completing his law PhD at Oxford, he was elected President of the Oxford Union, and won numerous awards for advocacy, including the Jessup International Law Competition. Israr teaches law to undergraduates and postgraduates at Oxford University. He has also organised and directed numerous Oxford summer programmes for many years.
Maria Shmonina
Regents Park College, Oxford
Mariia Shmonina graduated from Oxford University with a degree of Master of Philosophy in Modern Languages with a fully-funded scholarship. In the course of her undergraduate degree, she studied in Russia and France. An accomplished educator with a strong background in international teaching and a holder of numerous prestigious European and American grants, Mariia shares her expertise on higher education abroad.
Mihai Vasile
Merton College, Oxford
Mihai Vasile earned a First-Class Master’s degree in Physics from Merton College, Oxford, and is now completing doctoral research using advanced optical sensing techniques to study neuroreceptor systems with single-molecule precision. A former International Physics Olympiad competitor at age 15, Mihai tutors in Physics and Mathematics at Oxford Global Courses and is a dedicated mentor committed to helping students reach their full potential.
Ackshay Nagpal
Hertford College, Oxford
Akshay is an AI product leader and Oxford MBA graduate, where he served as Co-Chair of the Technology Oxford Business Network. His work sits at the intersection of AI, product strategy, and cloud systems, helping teams turn ideas into scalable, human-centred products. Before Oxford, he studied at Yale and gained experience across global technology and product roles. At Oxford Global Courses, he contributes to sessions on AI strategy, digital product innovation, and the future of intelligent systems.
Aftab Mallick
Brasenose College, Oxford
Aftab Mallick is a doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford and a member of Brasenose College, as well as the Oxford Centre for Global History. His work examines global capitalism, financial systems, and the political economy of South Asia across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. His interests span capital flows, state formation, trade networks, and the institutional dynamics shaping emerging markets. At Oxford Global Courses, he tutors world history and contributes to sessions on global markets, economic systems, and the historical forces that inform modern leadership.
Bob Sira Sira
Christ Church, Oxford
Bob Sira Sira is an engineer at Microsoft and a postgraduate Software Engineering student at Christ Church, University of Oxford. At Microsoft, he works within the Cloud and AI division, contributing to the development of the Windows Server operating system. Alongside his work at Microsoft, Bob has built a range of applications and websites for multiple organisations. Bob is also an experienced tutor, teaching computer science.