St Cross Alumnus Receives Education & Research Excellence Awards

St Cross College congratulates alumnus Dr Yahia Baiza (2001, MSc Educational Research Methodology & DPhil Educational Studies) who has received two London Organisation of Skills Development (LOSD) Excellence Awards in the categories of Education and Global Research Excellence.

The awards were presented on 2 May 2026 at Saïd Business School by then Lord Mayor of Oxford, Dr Louise Upton, and LOSD CEO, Professor Dr Parin Somani. The awards recognise Dr Baiza’s longstanding contributions to education research, policy, and capacity-building, particularly in international and conflict-affected contexts.

Dr Baiza’s research has developed across a wide range of fields, including education in Muslim societies, education in conflict and post-conflict settings, history, Persian Central Asian manuscripts, and diaspora studies. He is currently a Research Associate at The Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, in addition to serving as Regional Editor for Afghanistan for Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies.

At the LOSD event, Dr Baiza also spoke on a panel on education, innovation, and impact, reflecting on the importance of cultural literacy, dialogue, and reliable knowledge in an era of rapid technological change.