OXFORD, U.K. — In a landmark victory for youth-led innovation, a team of four Indonesian high school students has claimed the top prize at one of the world’s most prestigious academic climate challenges. Their project, a coral-regenerating robot named “Boom Bloom Bio,” was named the global winner of the 2025 Oxford Saïd Global Climate Change Challenge in a ceremony at the University of Oxford, prevailing in an elite field of over 1,600 international entries.
The competition, hosted by the University of Oxford’s renowned Saïd Business School, convenes a select panel of global experts to identify the most promising sustainability solutions from the next generation. This year’s final judging panel included Dr. Christina Yan Zhang, CEO of The Metaverse Institute, who was invited to lend her expertise in technology and innovation to the rigorous selection process.
The Pinnacle of Youth-Led Sustainability Innovation
Now in its third year, the Oxford Global Climate Change Challenge has established itself as a premier global platform, recognized for its academic rigor and its mission to identify scalable, real-world solutions. The finals represent the culmination of a highly selective process, where only the most thoroughly researched and impactful proposals proceed.
“The depth of innovation and scientific understanding displayed by these students is truly extraordinary,” said Professor Juliane Reinecke, Professor of Management Studies at Oxford Saïd and Chair of the Judging Panel. “They made our job profoundly difficult. Winning this challenge signifies that their work is not only creative but is grounded in research with genuine potential for impact.”
The winning team from Penabur Gading Serpong Christian High School in Indonesia developed “Boom Bloom Bio” to address the critical crisis of coral reef degradation. Their solution impressed the judges by directly tackling marine biodiversity loss—a complex ecological problem—with a precise, technology-enabled approach.
(The prestigious Oxford Climate Change Prize 2025 was awarded to the “Boom Bloom Bio” team—students Raisa, Merlin, Renata, and Cheryl from Penabur Gading Serpong Christian High School in Indonesia. Their winning project, an innovative algae dispersion robot designed for coral regeneration and biodiversity recovery, impressed the judges. Dr. Christina Yan Zhang, CEO of The Metaverse Institute, is pictured here celebrating with the young innovators.)
An Elite Judging Assembly and Educational Leadership
The competition’s prestige is underscored by the distinction of its final jury, comprising leaders from top-tier academic institutions, global media, and industry:
- Professor Juliane Reinecke, Professor of Management Studies, Oxford Saïd (Chair)
- Dr. Abrar Chaudhury, Oxford Saïd
- Josephine Fawkes, Director of Global Inclusion and Youth Education, Oxford Saïd
- Frances Lloyd, Fellow and Director of Sustainability, Wadham College, Oxford
- Dr. Christina Yan Zhang, CEO, The Metaverse Institute
- Rob Pavey, Headteacher, Cheney School, Oxford
- Subhra Priyadarshini, Chief Editor, Nature Portfolio
(The competition’s prestige is underscored by the distinction of its final jury, comprising leaders from top-tier academic institutions, global media, and industry, including Professor Juliane Reinecke, Professor of Management Studies, Oxford Saïd (Chair); Dr. Abrar Chaudhury, Oxford Saïd; Josephine Fawkes, Director of Global Inclusion and Youth Education, Oxford Saïd; Frances Lloyd, Fellow and Director of Sustainability, Wadham College, Oxford; Dr. Christina Yan Zhang, CEO, The Metaverse Institute; Rob Pavey, Headteacher, Cheney School, Oxford; and Subhra Priyadarshini, Chief Editor, Nature Portfolio)
The award for Best Lesson Plan was awarded to Zhaoxia Chen of Jinling High School Hexi Campus in Nanjing, whose curriculum trains students in high-stakes international diplomacy simulations focused on food security. This award highlights the challenge’s dual focus on groundbreaking student projects and transformative educational methods.
(Zhaoxia Chen, a teacher from Jinling High School Hexi Campus in Nanjing, was honored with the award for Best Lesson Plan.)
“Participating in this jury was an honor,” stated Dr. Christina Yan Zhang. “The Oxford challenge is unique in its ability to attract and identify truly exceptional talent. Evaluating these entries alongside some of the world’s foremost academic and sustainability thinkers was a powerful experience. The winning project from Indonesia is a stellar example of how global youth are applying deep tech understanding to solve our planet’s most pressing issues.”
(Honouring educational excellence: Dr. Christina Yan Zhang with Zhaoxia Chen, awarded Best Lesson Plan at the Oxford Saïd Global Climate Change Challenge 2025 for her immersive “Model UN” curriculum on food security
A Launchpad for Future Global Leaders
The prizes offered reflect the competition’s role as a career-defining launchpad. The Indonesian student winners—Raisa, Merlin, Renata, and Cheryl—receive full bursaries to the Future Climate Innovators Summer School at the University of Oxford in 2026, an immersive programme taught by the University’s world-renowned academics. Teacher winner Zhaoxia Chen earns a place on a competitive Oxford Saïd Executive Education programme.
Runners-up included the collaborative MycoFuture project (USA and South Korea) and the Canadian team EcoCoil, alongside teaching innovators Chris Rowley (Chengdu) and Roudaina Mohsen Kassam (Lebanon).
(Jo Fawkes, Director at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford welcomed all the global finalists of the Oxford Global Climate Change Challenge 2025)
The competition’s impact extends beyond prizes. Jo Fawkes, Director at Oxford Saïd, noted: “Over the past three years, the Challenge has grown into a global platform – connecting students and teachers across continents, languages and disciplines. It has brought forward extraordinary ideas, and even more importantly, it has built a community that believes education and innovation can, together, accelerate the transition to a sustainable world.”
For Dr. Zhang, participating as a judge underscored the critical role of cross-sector collaboration in empowering the next generation. “Witnessing this fusion of deep research, technological imagination, and educational passion from young people across the globe is profoundly inspiring,” she stated. “It is a powerful reminder that the most scalable solutions for our planetary challenges will come from investing in and connecting this emerging generation of innovators.”
Professor Mette Morsing, Interim Dean of Oxford Saïd, connected the winners to the school’s core mission: “We speak of creating ‘impact from within’—nurturing individuals who use their insight and compassion to transform systems. That philosophy lives at the heart of everything we do, from our research to this youth education challenge. These winners embody that spirit entirely.”
The full recording of the final competition can be found here.
Learn more about the Oxford Saïd Global Climate Change Challenge and its winners: Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge 2026 | Saïd Business School