Dr Khuong An Nguyen and Prof Zhiyuan Luo were awarded the Education Excellence Award 2026 for joint Outstanding Supervisor, following nominations from their students. With more than 200 nominations submitted by students and colleagues across Royal Holloway, the award recognises their outstanding contribution to postgraduate research supervision, education, and the student experience.
Dr Nguyen & Prof Luo with their PhD students and Research Assistants (6/2026).
One student nomination reads: "Outstanding supervision is often defined by intellectual leadership and research expertise, qualities that Dr Nguyen and Professor Luo exemplify. However, what truly distinguishes them is their understanding of supervision as a profoundly human responsibility. They recognise that talent is not confined to conventional pathways and that many capable students carry burdens invisible to formal metrics. They support students from non‑traditional and challenging backgrounds to achieve what may initially seem impossible. My own experience reflects this. After a career in transport, returning to research felt daunting, yet Dr Nguyen and Professor Luo supported me in learning how to think, write, and analyse as a researcher, never making me feel like an outsider. Instead, they helped me see my professional background as a strength. This ability to meaningfully widen participation deserves recognition. While many institutions speak about inclusion and opportunity, Dr Nguyen and Professor Luo live these principles through time, care, and compassionate mentorship that enables students to flourish."
