sunway essay competition 2023 results

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Sunway-oxbridge essay competition.

The final day for entry is 8 May

This year, we invite the bright young Malaysian minds to submit their reflections on the theme ‘Nation-Building’.

Notable entries stand a chance of winning up to RM172,000 in Sunway bursaries* and RM28,000 worth of prizes! ​

As an integral part of our flagship #SunwayforGood CSR initiatives under the Education pillar, the competition is open to all secondary students nationwide studying the national syllabus.

Applicants may enter one of the two categories: Category A (for Form 1 to Form 3) and Category B (for From 4 to 5). ​

Seize the opportunity to be rewarded for your skill and vision! The final day for entry is 8 May. To learn more, visit https://www.sunway.com.my/essay/ .

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Malaysia’s longest-running English essay competition returns for its 10th year with the theme centred around nation-building .

Entries are now open for submissions online by secondary school students studying the national syllabus.

Entries are split into two categories with bursaries and prizes worth a total of RM200,000 to be won!

Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, 26 April 2023 – The Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition returns for the 10th year running, calling all secondary school students studying the national syllabus to pen their ideas and aspirations for a better Malaysia and stand to win up to RM172,000 in Sunway bursaries as well as up to RM28,000 worth in prizes.

This year’s theme is centred around nation-building, and participants are invited to describe the role they can play in shaping the future of Malaysia. Entries are split into two categories with Form 1 to 3 students (Category A) and Form 4 and 5 students (Category B), with each having their own essay prompts.

The Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition is jointly organised by Sunway Group, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, Sunway University, and the Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia, in partnership with Sunway Super App. It is endorsed by the Ministry of Education Malaysia, with the aim of elevating English proficiency among Malaysian students nationwide.

The competition also aims to equip secondary-level students with soft skills such as critical reasoning, creativity and effective communication that will prepare them for their future careers.

Sunway Group deputy chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Razman M. Hashim said, “The Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition reflects Sunway’s long-standing commitment towards the role of education in shaping the destiny of an individual, our society and the country.

With English being the international language of business and science, this essay competition provides a national platform to promote and encourage the use of English among students in articulating their thoughts and ideas about their place in Malaysia’s future,” added Tan Sri Datuk Seri Razman M. Hashim, who is also trustee of the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation.

The Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition 2023 is currently open for submissions until 8 May 2023 (by 1:00pm), and students can submit their essays online at www.sunway.com.my/essay .

Essay Topics

Meanwhile, Form 4 and 5 students in Category B are invited to respond in 500-650 words to the following prompt: “Look at our society. What is the single most distressing problem our people are facing? How could your generation help to address this issue?”

Following the submission deadline, a judging panel will then select and invite a shortlist of 100 finalists from all over the country to attend a final on-site essay writing competition, where winners from their respective categories will be selected by the same panel of judges.

The panel comprises Margaret Hall, Past President and Executive Committee Member of the Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia, representatives from the Sunway Education Group Centre for English Language Studies and officials from the Ministry of Education Malaysia.

1 st Place – RM5,000 cash prize, Sunway Bursary valued at RM16,000, 10,000 Sunway Points, an award certificate and a trophy

2 nd Place – RM3,000 cash prize, Sunway Bursary valued at RM12,000, 10,000 Sunway Points, an award certificate and a trophy

3 rd Place – RM1,000 cash prize, Sunway Bursary valued at RM8,000, 10,000 Sunway Points, an award certificate and a trophy

10x Consolation Prizes – RM500 cash prize each, Sunway Bursary valued at RM5,000, 10,000 Sunway Points, an award certificate and a medal

Sunway Points can be redeemed via the Sunway Super App, Sunway’s one-stop lifestyle mobile app, which connects users to products and services across Sunway’s expansive and extensive ecosystem.

Since its first iteration in 2014, the Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition has drawn more than 24,000 participants nationwide. For more information regarding the competition, and to submit your essay, please visit www.sunway.com.my/essay/ .

Essay Competition

 “the ideas of economists… both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood… indeed the world is ruled by little else” ,     j. m. keynes (general theory, 1936), essay competition 2023.

We received over 750 eligible submissions this year, with each one being hand-read and marked by our panellists at the University of Cambridge. Overall, we were thoroughly impressed by the quality of the responses to some of the most challenging questions in the competition’s history. We would like to thank every student that submitted an essay this year, and extend our warmest congratulations to the winners and shortlisted essays named below.

We are delighted to announce that the winner of the 2023 Marshall Society Essay Competition is David Lu of Raffles Institution, Singapore. David’s essay in response to Question 4 deftly balanced advanced economic theories with real-world data, clear explanations, and rhetorical flair, and was a pleasure to read. We look forward to publishing it in the forthcoming issue of The Dismal Scientist , the magazine of the Marshall Society, and awarding our top prize of £50.

In 2nd place is You Peng of Shenzhen College of International Education, China. Peng’s essay in response to Question 2 was theoretically advanced and well structured, and we would’ve liked to see even more real-world application. It will likewise be published and receive a finalist prize of £25.

In 3rd place is Hanyun Qian of Suzhou Foreign Language School, China. Hanyun’s essay in response to Question 5 was extremely original, insightful, and entertaining to read, and we would’ve liked to see an even tighter focus on the question set. It will likewise be published and receive a finalist prize of £25.

Our shortlisted essays, in no particular order, were as follows:

To everyone that took part in the competition, thank you for the time and care spent in preparing your essay, and all the best for your future studies. We hope you’re looking forward to the 2024 edition of the essay competition.

A reminder of the essay questions set this year is as follows:

• In what ways could Artificial Intelligence reshape the labour market? Will it usher in Keynes’ ‘age of leisure’?
• ‘Policymakers can’t exploit the Phillips curve to reduce unemployment due to the Lucas critique.’ Evaluate this statement.
• The US Federal Child Tax Credit is scheduled to revert from $2,000 to $1,000 by 2025. Is this policy a mistake?
• Tensions between the US and China have been steadily increasing. Is it in the US’ interest to decouple from China economically?
• ‘There were no meaningful long-run changes in living standards until the Industrial Revolution.’ Discuss.
• Has Economics run out of big new ideas? If so, what are the implications? If not, justify with an example.

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Don't Miss It: Sunway-Oxbridge essay competition

Sunday, 17 Apr 2022

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Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition

Sunway a-level students secure placements in oxbridge, sunway college a-level students head to oxbridge.

Sunway-Oxbridge essay competition

Submission deadline: April 25 (1pm)

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Tags / Keywords: Sunway-Oxbridge , essay , competition , Sunway Group , Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia , Jeffrey Cheah Foundation , Sunway University , Sunway Pals

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Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024

Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024

We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Entry to the competition is free.

About the Competition

The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions. 

Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:

Religion and Politics

Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.

Artificial Intelligence 

Neuroengineering

2024 essay prompts.

This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.

Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.

Awards and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.

Registration and Submission

Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.

Advisory Committee and Judging Panel

The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.

They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.

We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.

The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.

Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates

We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .

They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.

Why has religion remained a force in a secular world? 

Professor Commentary:

Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?

‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)

In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.

‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)

Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.

‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)

This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.

‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)

An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.

‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)

Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.

‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)

Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.

‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)

In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?

Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.

The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge

The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.

The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of  30th July, 2024.

Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel. 

The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting). 

King’s College Chapel

With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture. 

Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event. 

Confirmed Nobel Laureates

Dr Thomas R. Cech

The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.

Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.

He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.

As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado

Sir Richard J. Roberts

The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .

F or the discovery of split genes

During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.

His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.

Dr Aaron Ciechanover

The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .

F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation

Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.

Dr Robert Lefkowitz

The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .

F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors

Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.

Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.

Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.

Dr Joachim Frank

The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .

F or developing cryo-electron microscopy

Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.

In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.

Dr Barry C. Barish

The nobel prize in physics 2017 .

For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves

Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.

In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”

In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.

In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.

In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.

Dr Harvey J. Alter

The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .

For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.

Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.

Dr Ardem Patapoutian

The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .

For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses

Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition? 

The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.

Who is eligible to enter the Re:think essay competition?  

As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Is there any entry fee for the competition? 

There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.

Subscribe for Competition Updates

If you are interested to receive latest information and updates of this year’s competition, please sign up here.

Sunway-Oxbridge essay competition 2021 extended to 31 March 2021

Past winners from 2019 (2020 competition saw virtual prizegiving due to COVID-19). - Pic Sunway

KUALA LUMPUR 17 March –  Sunway Group’s Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition 2021 has extended its closing deadline from 23 March to 31 March 2021.

According to Sunway Group deputy executive chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Razman M. Hashim , “ We are extending the essay writing competition submission period as to allow more students to participate, especially seeing that Form 5 students are sitting for SPM from 22 Feb-25 Mar 2021. Teachers who are invigilating also have the opportunity to focus on the competition once the exam is over.”

In its eighth year, the competition aims to promote and boost English proficiency among schools using the Malaysian syllabus nationwide. The competition offers prizes worth more than RM 200,000 in cash, bursaries, Sunway PALS points and a laptop.

Touted as the longest-running and most popular essay competition locally, the Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition is open to secondary school students, and divided into Category A (Form 1 to Form 3 students) and Category B (Form 4 and Form 5 students).

A new Category C has been introduced this year and is open to Malaysian secondary school teachers.

All Malaysian secondary school students and teachers can participate in the Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition, except for those using international syllabus.

Tan Sri Datuk Seri Razman M. Hashim added that Sunway has been working with the Ministry of Education and the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia to bring this essay competition across schools to equip secondary school students with critical skills such as proficiency in the English language, critical reasoning, creativity and emotional intelligence that will prepare them for the future.

“This programme is part of Sunway’s corporate responsibility encapsulated in the #SunwayforGood initiative that comprises three key pillars – education, healthcare and community enrichment,” he said.  

“ Under the education pillar, we strive towards advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. At Sunway, we are deeply committed to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals towards enriching the lives of communities that we serve .”  

Established in 2014, the competition has drawn a combined 19,042 participants to-date. Just like previous years, the competition will accept original and unpublished English-language stories based on this year’s theme “Health and well-being”.

For Category A, submissions – with a minimum word count of 200 and a maximum of 350 words – will centre on the question: “ The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the challenges of online learning throughout Malaysia. What could make this better?”

For Category B ( minimum word count: 500; maximum 650 words): “The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the challenges of online learning throughout Malaysia. How could this be alleviated in the future?”

Meanwhile, Category C ( minimum word count: 1,000; maximum 1,500 words )  relates to   the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the challenges of online education throughout Malaysia. How could this be alleviated in the future?”

Each participant is allowed to submit one essay only.

The judging panel comprises Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia and English teachers from Ministry of Education.  

Winning entrants must show originality and flair, a link to academic standards and competent use of English as a written language, including proper spelling, grammar and punctuation.

50 finalists in the Klang Valley and 10 to 20 finalists at each venue in other parts of the country will then be selected for the on-site final.

These finalists from Categories A and B will be notified via email to undergo a sit-down essay competition on May 29 at nominated location(s) nationwide by Sunway.

They will bear their own accommodation and travel costs to the nominated location(s).

For Category C, there is no on-site final.

“The Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition is a great opportunity for students to refine their command of the English language and develop values as well as other soft skills necessary for their own future prospects, so that they can thrive career-wise and ultimately succeed in life,” said Sunway Education Group chief executive officer Professor Elizabeth Lee.

“The soft skills include critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, complex problem solving, as well as judgement and decision-making,” Lee added.   

Thirteen winners each from Categories A and B will be chosen and notified via email to attend the prize-giving ceremony on July 10 at Sunway University in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur.

The first prize consists of RM5,000 in cash, a full Sunway bursary, 10,000 Sunway Pals Points, an award certificate and a trophy.

The second prize – RM3,000 in cash, a Sunway bursary worth RM15,000, 10,000 Sunway Pals Points, an award certificate and a trophy.

The third prize – RM1,000 in cash, a Sunway bursary worth RM10,000, 10,000 Sunway Pals Points, an award certificate and a trophy.

There are 10 consolation prizes, with each consisting of RM500 in cash, a Sunway bursary worth RM5,000, 10,000 Sunway Pals Points, an award certificate and a medal.

The Category C champion will receive a laptop and certificate of commendation while the four consolations participants will each receive a token of appreciation and a certificate of commendation.

All entries must be submitted through the official portal www.sunway.com.my/essay from February 24 to March 31. (by 1.00 pm)

The Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition is organised by Sunway Group, the Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia, Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and Sunway University with support from Sunway PALS. The competition is fully endorsed by the Ministry of Education. - DagangNews.com

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Essay Question 2023

Most outstanding essay 2023.

We are very pleased to announce that Hannah de Dombal has won the award for the Most Outstanding Essay 2023, with an essay on the subject of Philosophy. She has won a free place on the Oxford Scholastica Academy (our sister organisation) Oxford Summer School 2024, worth £6,995. Congratulations Hannah!

Her winning essay is available to read below.

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Longtermism: A Philosophy To Last A Lifetime (Or Two...)

This apocalyptic way of thinking will get us nowhere: it’s time for a change. Longtermism, according to Moorhouse (2021) ‘is the view that positively influencing the long-term future is a key moral priority of our time’. This philosophical idea isn’t a completely manufactured or rigid one either – it’s more of a collection of different understandings, agreeing upon the fundamental principle of looking after humanity’s future. MacAskill (2022) states, ‘if you could prevent a genocide in a thousand years, the fact that “”those people don’t exist yet”” would do nothing to justify inaction’, which encapsulates the underlying motif of this philosophy. In essence, longtermism is important simply because future people matter.

Thus, longtermism poses divisive questions of what or which is more important – future generations or our current one? Longtermists would argue that humanity has a ‘potential’ of its own, which surpasses the potential of each individual human being, and therefore there would be an ‘existential catastrophe’, should any event actually extinguish this potential. However, a clear criticism of longtermism would be its reliance upon utilitarian principles. Torres (2021), outlines this clearly when he explains that for longtermists, such as Ord, MacAskill or Hilary Greaves, a world in which 1 trillion people live a life barely worth living, ‘would be morally better’, than one in which 999 billion people live lives which are ‘extremely good’. The suggestion here from Torres being that longtermists tend to treat human beings as a means to an end, due to longtermism’s emphasis on total utilitarianism. However, whilst longtermists acknowledge that total utilitarianism very much favours longtermism, they would offer that one of Toby Ord’s accomplishments in ‘The Precipice’, is pointing out longtermism’s alignment with other ‘ethical traditions’, such as conservatism. Essentially, it’s possible for someone to endorse a whole host of ethical opinions and still support longtermism.

One of longtermism’s greatest merits is the way that it’s put into practice, and it is this element which allows it to foster such hope and optimism for the future. Longtermist thinking is responsible for the founding of various institutes such as the Future of Humanity Institute (FHI) and the Global Priorities Institute (GPI), as well as the Effective Altruism philosophical movement, with the EA movement now possessing $46 billion in dedicated funding (Torres, 2021). Famously wealthy figures such as Elon Musk, or Peter Thiel, have donated huge sums of money to longtermist institutes. Longtermism, through the work of Ord, has also crept into politics, ensuring that its core principles are being enveloped in current political policy. In recent years, Ord has been involved in a report from the Secretary General of the UN, which specifically mentioned ‘long-termism’.

Subject Category Winners

Prizes 2023

Prizes include:

• Most Outstanding Essay (prize: a place on our sister organisation, the Oxford Scholastica Academy’s residential Oxford summer school , worth £6,995)
• Best Essay for each subject category (prize: a place on an OxBright online course or internship , worth £995)
• Highly Commended (for the the top 20% of entries, who receive a Certificate of Achievement)

THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION

Since 1883, we have delivered The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest international schools' writing competition. Today, we work to expand its reach, providing life-changing opportunities for young people around the world.

ENTER THE QCEC 2024

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 is now live!

Find out more about this year’s theme

'Our Common Wealth' and make sure to enter by 15 May 2024!

140 years of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools and has been proudly delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883. 

ABOUT THE COMPETITION 

An opportunity for young Commonwealth citizens to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on key global issues and have their hard work and achievement celebrated internationally.

Frequently Asked Questions for the Competition. Before contacting us please read these.

MEET THE WINNERS 

In 2023 we were delighted to receive a record-breaking 34,924 entries, with winners from India and Malaysia. Read their winning pieces as well as those from previous years.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions for entrants to The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Please ensure you have thoroughly read them before submitting your entry.

Sunway Competition 202 3

Form a group of 3 and choose only ONE competition from these 4 different competitions:

(A) Webmaster Apprentice: Web Design Competition

(B) $$UR Investment$$

(C) Business Challenge

(D) Fandom Creator Competition

Competition Details:

Please refer to this link for more details on individual competition: https://bit.ly/sdcappendix  

Step by Step:  

Regist er as a team of 3 in the RSVP form below before 9 June 2023, 12.00pm.

Attend a Complimen tary Workshop as a team on 8 July 2023, Saturday.

      Face-to-face: 8.30am - 12.15pm | Sunway College, Sunway City

     Online          : 2.30pm - 5.00pm   | Zoom Platform

Face-to-face: Open to ALL* 

*(Teams from Klang Valley, Negeri Sembilan are encouraged to attend F2F workshop)

> Online: Open to Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Pahang, Perlis, Perak, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu)

Submission of required work from 8 July - 31 July 2023, 5.0 0 pm.

Shortlisted teams will be invited to present your work to a panel of judges during the finals.

Finals and Announcement Ceremony for shortlisted teams:

 Date: 9 September 2023, Saturday       Time: 8 .30am - 12.30pm       Venue: Sunway College, Sunway City

Prizes and Awards

Champion (Three in a team) 

Sunway Diploma Studies* bursaries worth RM 16,000 each. 

Certificate of Commendation

Certificate of Participation

1st Runner-Up (Three in team) 

Sunway Diploma Studies* bursaries worth RM 12,000 each. 

2nd Runner-Up (Three in team) 

Sunway Diploma Studies* bursaries worth RM 8,000 each

*Bursaries will be deducted from the tuition fees. Terms and conditions apply.

THE OXBRIDGE LAUNCHPAd

Essay competition.

The Oxbridge Launchpad is excited to announce that our annual essay competition is now up and running for 2024! We want to provide a writing opportunity with guaranteed feedback from Oxbridge students to help you on your way to making a strong university application, whether that be to Oxbridge or somewhere else. If you are 15-17 years old and attend a UK state school we would love for you to sign up!

How does it work?

What's in it for me.

We have provided a list of questions (see below) for a variety of different subjects. If you don't see one that inspires you, we encourage you to write your own to explore something outside of the usual curriculum - just email [email protected] to let us know first and we can approve it.  

Entries are open to  UK state school students only , and we can only accept one entry per person.  

Structure and style are up to you, no need to reference.  

Suggested word count is ~1500 words, up to a maximum of 1750 words.  

Please submit your essay as a pdf called 'FirstName_Surname_Subject' by emailing it to [email protected] by 6 pm 1st April.  We will review submissions in April and announce winner(s) in May.  

If you'd like to register your interest and receive reminders, please fill out the form here    

Please get in touch using the email listed above if you have any other questions and we will be happy to answer them. Happy writing! 

The opportunity to research your subject in depth and practise your essay-writing  

Material to talk about on your personal statement or in your interview  

Written feedback on your essay from our team of current Oxbridge students  

The winning essay(s) will be published on our website, along with the names of the authors of shortlisted essays  

Strong candidates will have the opportunity to write other short essays to be published in our Oxbridge Intelligence blog, after an editing process with our team of Oxbridge students.

A free place on our summer programme for winning essay(s)!

COMPETITION QUESTIONS 2024

Anthropology - What do you think is the biggest challenge faced by modern anthropologists and why?

Biology - What do you think the biggest breakthrough in biology will be in the 21st century and why? Has it already happened?

Chemistry - ‘The field of chemistry will be essential in solving the world's energy crisis.’ Discuss.  

Classics - ‘No other ancient culture has left a more notable impression on the culture of today than the ancient Greeks.’ Discuss.  

Computer Science - Will digital intelligence ever replace biological intelligence?

Economics - ‘Billionaires should be banned.’ Discuss.

Engineering - ‘Engineers will be the ones to solve the climate crisis.’ Discuss

Literature - Should we study texts that offend?

Geography - ‘The study of geography is the key to solving the climate crisis.’ Discuss.

History - Can history be objective?

Law - Are there too many or too few laws in the UK today?

Linguistics/Philology - ‘There is no such thing as ‘universal grammar’. Discuss.

Management and Business -  Pick an organisation you are interested in. What is the current culture and structure like, and how might this have to adapt to the current business environment?

Mathematics - ‘The opportunity to find absolute truths through mathematical proof makes mathematics a subject like none other.’ Discuss.

Medicine - What area of medicine do you believe is the most under researched? Why is this the case?

Philosophy -  Does it really matter whether we have a free will or not?

Physics - ‘Developments in the field of quantum mechanics has the potential to fundamentally change the world in the near future.’ Discuss.

Politics -  ‘ Corruption will always be an issue in politics, there is nothing voters can do to prevent it.’ Discuss.

Psychology - ‘Emotion cannot be quantified.’ Discuss.

Theology and Religion -   ‘It is arrogant to call oneself an atheist.’ Discuss.

If you are looking for some inspiration please have a look at some of our 2023 winning essays!

Deadline is 6 pm on April 1st, 2024 , so get writing!

Any further questions, contact [email protected]