Article: International Student of the Year 2025: who made the shortlist? Written by CMI Insights Tuesday 10 March 2026 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email This award celebrates exceptional learners outside the UK who are destined to make an impact as future leaders. Here’s who made the shortlist for 2025 Today’s students are the managers and leaders of tomorrow. By working hard to understand the value of management and leadership – and picking up invaluable tools and techniques – they are preparing themselves to guide the workforce through a host of new challenges and opportunities. Part of the CMI Awards of Excellence, our International Student of the Year award celebrates learners outside the UK who have joined CMI-accredited courses and shown commitment to their development as future leaders. Meet the students on this year’s shortlist. Chong Ning Thong Ning Thong is studying for a degree in Business Administration at IPK College, Malaysia, where she’s developing a strong practical understanding of management, business operations and organisational effectiveness. She says the CMI-accredited course has helped her understand what good leadership looks like in real situations. “I’ve learned how to communicate more clearly, reflect on my own actions and make more informed decisions,” she told us, “which has given me greater confidence to step into leadership and management roles.” Find out more The winners of the CMI Awards of Excellence will be announced in spring 2026. Read up on all the categories and shortlisters at the link below. Let's go The judges praised Ning Thong for her sustained excellence and “top-tier performance”. Not only has she maintained a near-perfect academic record, but she’s also served as a “proactive and empathetic leader”. As vice-president of a major accounting competition, she managed complex logistics and stakeholder coordination, fostering a supportive learning environment and gaining admiration from her peers. Winning this award would mean a great deal to me, as it recognises the effort, growth and resilience behind my learning journey. It would be a strong encouragement to keep developing myself as a leader and to use what I’ve learned to make a positive difference in the workplace Nikhil Theva Raj Nikhil is currently completing an MBA with Sunway University, Malaysia, strengthening the strategic, financial and ethical leadership capabilities he’s built as a freelance production manager in high-end film and TV, and in his current role as skills industry partnership manager at Film London. He says the CMI-accredited course has deepened his ability to lead with confidence and accountability, “embedding reflective practice, evidence-based decision-making and long-term organisational thinking” into his leadership approach. Our judges described Nikhil as a “transformative leader” with a perfect academic record. They commended his intellectual rigour, his practical impact in the film industry and his values-driven leadership – specifically his work designing workforce development programmes and championing parent-inclusive practices. Winning this award would be a meaningful recognition of values-led leadership and the impact of investing in people, inclusion and sustainable skills development. It would affirm my commitment to leading with integrity while delivering measurable outcomes for both individuals and organisations Keep reading – who else made the shortlist? Login or register below for Free Instant Access Login If you are already registered as a CMI Friend, Subscriber or Member, just login to view this article. Confirm your registration Login below to confirm your details and access this article. Log in Register for Free Access Not yet a Member, Subscriber or Friend? Register as a CMI Friend for free, and get access to this and many other exclusive resources, as well as weekly updates straight to your inbox. Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.
