Michael’s paper offers a sophisticated analysis of how behavioural economics challenges traditional neoclassical theory by drawing upon insights from psychology and neuroscience. This impressive work stems from his engagement with our autumn term elective course Risk and Return, which opened his eyes to new ways of understanding economic decision-making.
The transformative work of Nobel laureates Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky captured Michael’s imagination, inspiring him to pursue research that extends far beyond the GCE A Level syllabus. Like these groundbreaking scholars, Michael has demonstrated the pioneering spirit, tenacity and intellectual curiosity that define genuine academic excellence.
What makes Michael’s achievement particularly noteworthy is not simply the publication itself, but his commitment to deepening his understanding through independent research and rigorous inquiry. He exemplifies the intellectual ambition we hope to nurture in all our students — the willingness to venture beyond prescribed boundaries and engage with complex ideas at the highest level.
Michael’s success exemplifies how transformative learning happens when an enquiring mind is supported and challenged. I am immensely proud of his achievement; it exemplifies the calibre of scholarship we strive to cultivate at Oxford International College. I hope that Michael’s success will inspire his peers to push beyond the boundaries of their syllabuses, embrace intellectual challenges and discover their own capacity for academic excellence.
We look forward to following his continued academic journey with great anticipation.
Read Michael's paper in full here
A Message from the Principal
“At Oxford International College we are increasingly pursuing active research as a core part of students’ academic programmes. Whilst A-Levels remain a foundation, they are now more of a basic requirement of ‘currency’ for university, where the real value in learning lies beyond a syllabus.
