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Sisters take plunge to fulfill Oxford dream in final year

First Dal Computer Science students to study abroad at famed uni

- April 15, 2025

Rawan and Sarah Morshed excelled in their computer science studies at Oxford University last term. (Submitted photos)
Rawan and Sarah Morshed excelled in their computer science studies at Oxford University last term. (Submitted photos)

Last fall, fourth-year students Sarah and Rawan Morshed traded Halifax for Oxford, England and their daily coffee for tea during an academic adventure they won’t soon forget.Ìę

“There is an indisputable allure to Oxford — the City of Dreaming Spires,” says Rawan. “The foggy days, old books, and candlelit libraries, the whole dark academia atmosphere embodied by Oxford.”Ìę

The Egyptian sisters became the first Faculty of Computer Science students to study abroad at the , completing an eight-week term at the famed school’s Trinity College — one final voyage together before graduation.

Sarah and Rawan were drawn to Oxford’s prestigious reputation and unique tutorial system where students can learn one-on-one with their professors. Sarah studied design and analysis of algorithms and data structures, principles of programming languages, and software engineering, while Rawan studied cybersecurity and machine learning.

Driven by curiosity


Despite being in a new country and studying within a different educational structure, both sisters excelled. Dr. Andreas Galanis, Sarah’s primary tutor, expressed his admiration for her hard work and dedication in what he describes as “one of the hardest courses in the Oxford Computer Science curriculum.”

Rawan discovered Oxford’s tutorial setup and unique term length helped drive her passion for cybersecurity. She studied with Dr. Kubilay Ahmet KuÌˆĂ§ük and Dr. Andrey Kravchenko for her primary and secondary tutorials, deepening her love for technology.Ìę

“The tutorial format allowed me to engage deeply with the topics I care about most, and the conversations [I had with Dr. Ahmet KuÌˆĂ§ük] were genuinely exciting and challenging,” Rawan says. “The chance to learn in a way that is focused, personal, and driven by curiosity made my time at Oxford profoundly impactful.”

Community minded


Outside of coursework, Rawan and Sarah became active members of Oxford’s community, meeting new people and getting the chance to network with different companies.

The sisters joined the OxWoCS () and OxWEST () societies. In addition to meeting colleagues and mentors, the societies gave the sisters even more opportunities to upskill and network.

Through OxWoCS and OxWEST, Sarah and Rawan were selected to attend Meta’s Minds on AI event at Meta’s office in London, representing both Oxford and ±«Óătv.Ìę

Rawan says showing up to the two group’s events and connecting with their executive members allowed the sisters to “build bridges for future collaborations and knowledge exchange across the Atlantic.”

It was a live intellectual theatre where we learned how to blend wit, intellect, and tradition

Other highlights included connecting with Trinity College’s first female president, Dame Hilary Boulding, who offered valuable advice on becoming an impactful female leader. They also listened to talks from SpongeBob’s writer and voice actor Doug Lawrence and former British Prime Ministers at the Oxford Union Society. The sisters were engaged in the society’s student debates, which focus on contemporary issues, and were particularly inspired by them.Ìę

“It was a live intellectual theatre where we learned how to blend wit, intellect, and tradition,” Sarah says.

A magical setting in which to study


Despite their already packed schedules, Rawan and Sarah still made time to enjoy the English countryside and Oxford’s many traditions.

“We loved how magical the English countryside felt,” says Rawan, remembering how she and Sarah spent an evening horseback riding against a golden-hour sky as they trotted along lakes, fields, trees, and sheep.Ìę

Although they typically drink coffee, they lived out their childhood fantasy of drinking tea from dainty bone china cups and eating small sandwiches and scones with clotted cream at high tea. “We used to have pretend tea parties as kids so getting to do that for real in England is a memory we will always cherish,” Rawan continues.

However magical and quaint the English traditions, it was Oxford itself that the sisters fell the most in love with.

During their final week in England, Sarah and Rawan climbed the thirteenth-century university church’s tower, the oldest part of the

“As I was admiring its beauty, it was a bittersweet moment where I got lost in my thoughts reflecting on the many inspiring people I met there,” Rawan remembers. “The new experiences, the achievements, and finally fulfilling my dream. It didn’t feel real, and yet, it was.”

All these incredible achievements and memories would not have been possible without ±«Óătv’s powerful support for us

The sisters don’t know what the future holds or if they will return to Oxford, but they are thankful for the opportunity to study at such a magical place.

“All these incredible achievements and memories would not have been possible without ±«Óătv’s powerful support for us,” says Sarah. “We are grateful and honoured to be members of our prestigious university. We wore our Dal sweaters to Oxford with pride.”

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