Exeter College student shortlisted for Oxford–BNU Creative Writing Award

Exeter College student Jiayin Joanna Wang (2025, MSt Comparative Literature and Critical Translation) has been shortlisted for the 2026 Oxford–BNU Creative Writing Award for her short story, Crawlers. 

Organised by the Oxford Prospects Global Development Institute (OPGDI) and supported by TORCH, the award was founded in 2019 by Nobel Laureate Professor Mo Yan. It celebrates original short fiction and Oxford’s contribution to international and cross-cultural literary exchange. This year’s competition attracted an outstanding range of submissions, noted for their creativity, originality, technical skill, and diversity of narrative styles. 

Joanna’s work appears on a highly competitive shortlist that reflects the breadth and imagination of contemporary writing across the University. The judging panel described the overall standard of submissions as “exceptionally high,” praising the shortlisted stories as “beautifully written” and “original,” with some noted for being “striking and visceral,” and others for their “emotional intelligence” and “poignant, believable and effective storytelling.” 

The winner will be announced at the award ceremony on 14 May 2026 at the Schwarzman Centre for Humanities. The event will also offer an opportunity to hear from the distinguished final judging panel, which includes Professor Elleke Boehmer, Professor Sonia Antoranz Contera, Professor Wes Williams, and award-winning translator Frank Wynne. 

Further information about the award and booking details for the ceremony are available via the TORCH website.