Professors From The University of Oxford Visited XLIS

On February 27th, three professors from the the University of Oxford visited Xi’an Liangjiatan International School. They engaged in a full day of academic interaction and communication with students from MYP4 to DP1 on two main topics: Theme-based Teaching and Mock Interviews. This refreshing academic experience was highly beneficial to all the teachers and students of the school.

 

Professor Dmitry Belyaev

St. Anne’s College, University of Oxford

Professor Dmitry Belyaev is a globally celebrated mathematician with over 25 years of academic excellence spanning five countries. He has held prestigious positions at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study. At the University of Oxford, Professor Belyaev plays a pivotal role in shaping future mathematicians, teaching undergraduate students and conducting admissions interviews for St Anne’s College.

 

Dr. Juliana Dresvina

Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford

Dr. Juliana Dresvina is a distinguished historian, educator, and mentor, with over two decades of experience teaching History, English, and Study Skills at several of Oxford’s renowned colleges.

 

Dr. Orlando Lazar

St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford

His DPhil was in political theory at Oxford, and his BA and MPhil were in philosophy at the University of Cambridge. At St Edmund Hall, Orlando teaches the finals papers Theory of Politics, Marx & Marxism, and Feminist Theory, as well as the theory components of the prelims paper Introduction to Theory & Practice of Politics.

 

As education experts who have been deeply involved in their professional fields for many years, the visit of the three professors was highly anticipated by both teachers and students. After entering the school, Samuel Guo from DP1 and Vicky Chen from MYP5 led them on a campus tour, providing a detailed introduction to the school’s history and facilities. Subsequently, theme-based teaching classes were held simultaneously in different classrooms.

 

Themed on OXFORD AND THE RISE OF FANTASY: A Magical Prism Reflecting the Human Spirit，Dr. Juliana opened her presentation to XLIS high school students with the well-known fairy tales such as Alice’s rabbit hole from “Alice in Wonderland,” the magical wardrobe from “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and the moving doors from “Howl’s Moving Castle,” unveiling a rich tapestry of Oxford University’s profound tradition of fantasy studies.

 

When discussing the definition of fantasy, a frequently raised question is: ” ISN’T FANTASY JUST AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM REALITY AND NOT FACE THE HARD FACTS?” Dr. Juliana offered a thought-provoking response. She argued that fantasy is not simply an escape, but rather acts as a prism of reality, refracting society’s collective anxieties, deep-seated desires, and fears of the unknown through fantastical imagery.

 

While analyzing heroic narratives in fantasy, Dr. Juliana shared an intriguing fact: Old English had no word for “hero” but contained over 70 words for “warrior.” Using an episode from the animated series “Bluey” titled “Curry Quest,” she deconstructed the transformation of modern heroes:

 

Traditional heroes were demigods or knights pursuing glory and destiny; contemporary protagonists are more like Bilbo from “The Hobbit” – ordinary individuals forced into a journey of “there and back again.” Adventure is no longer about conquest but about reconstructing self-identity. In her closing remarks, Dr. Juliana emphasized fantasy’s power to shape our real world. She encouraged our students to actively engage their creativity in building their own fantastical worlds and stories. After all, it is these imaginative creations that mold our perception and understanding of reality while fueling our exploration and yearning for the unknown.

 

In the mathematics class, Dr. Dmitry led the students on an in-depth exploration of the mysteries of probability. He cleverly began with the basic experiment of tossing a coin, gradually guiding the students to think about the essence of probability, chances, and likelihood. While everyone knows that the probability of getting heads or tails when tossing a coin is 50% each, Dr. Dmitry further questioned: What is the true reason behind this probability? When we generate a set of random numbers using a computer, are these numbers really random? The profound yet easily understandable questions raised by Dr. Dmitry greatly stimulated the students’ curiosity. Through vivid examples such as the win rate in a football match, the probability of rain tomorrow, and the probability of having two boys in a two-child family, he helped students deeply realize that probability calculations and interpretations can vary greatly depending on the known information.

 

Dr. Dmitry then introduced the Bertrand Paradox and the Monty Hall Problem, two classic probability dilemmas. During the lively discussions, students gradually realized that different definitions of probability could lead to drastically different conclusions. The counterintuitive result of the Monty Hall Problem highlighted the importance of conditional probability in solving real-world problems.

 

As the class neared its end, Dr. Dmitry encouraged the students to apply what they had learned and try analyzing the Sleeping Beauty Paradox, a more complex probability issue, after class. Under Dr. Dmitry’s guidance, the students not only deepened their understanding of probability but also gained a stronger appreciation for the rigor of mathematics. They all expressed that such a master class left them wanting more and that they had gained a great deal.

 

Dr. Lazar began his session with an overview of the PPE program, describing how it integrates philosophy, politics, and economics to explore complex real-world problems. He emphasized its value in encouraging students to think broadly and critically, drawing from his own experiences teaching the course at Oxford. From there, he shifted gears to involve our students directly, introducing thought experiments to get them talking about big ideas.

 

One key example was the trolley problem. Dr. Lazar asked whether they would pull a lever to redirect a runaway trolley, saving five people but causing one death, or choose inaction and let the five perish. The question stirred an active debate, with students grappling over the morality of action versus inaction and debating whether numbers alone should dictate such a choice. Some argued for saving the greater number, while others questioned the fairness of sacrificing even one life.

 

Next, he steered the conversation toward freedom. He posed a scenario: if everyone had complete freedom with no restrictions, would society function, or would it collapse? Students jumped in, discussing the role of laws and whether they protect or limit people. Some pointed out practical needs, like safety and order, while others dug into ethical angles, like personal responsibility. After a thoughtful exchange, the group concluded that a balance of values—freedom paired with equality—is crucial for everyone’s wellbeing, ensuring no single ideal overshadows the others.

 

The brainstorming session brought about by the theme-based teaching class has not yet concluded, and another highlight – the Oxford University mock interview – made its grand appearance! In the afternoon, two excellent students from our DP1 class, Amy Hubbard and Neo Park, entered the conference room and participated in the Oxford University mock interview challenge prepared by three professors, with the observing of selected student representatives from MYP2 to DP1. As a world-renowned top university, Oxford University’s strictness in selecting outstanding global students is self-evident. The interview questions were flexible and extensive, posing a significant challenge to students’ knowledge reserves, critical thinking skills, and ability to handle various real-world problems. The pressure faced by the students was evident. Through the one-hour interview experience, Amy and Neo were able to feel the tense atmosphere of the interview site firsthand. In their conversations with the interviewers, they also fully understood their strengths and weaknesses, clarifying the direction for targeted training in the future. During the post-interview exchange session, the three professors patiently answered the questions raised by the observing teachers and students from our school. The rich gains marked the successful conclusion of this event.

 

Adhering to the educational philosophy of “rooted in China, looking to the world”, XLIS has always taken it as its mission to cultivate internationally competitive talents for the world. We spare no effort in fully exploring high-quality university admission guidance resources for students. We believe that this visit by the professors from the University of Oxford has already injected fresh nourishment into students’ academic development and personal growth. In the future, we will continue to uphold the educational mission of “student-centered”, expand and gather more first-class international educational resources, and provide continuous support for the development of students at all stages, ensuring that every dream, from its inception to realization, is protected, nurtured and guided.

 

Contributed by Ms. Eva Liu, Ms. Eunice Hou and Ms. Jane Feng.

 

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Author: Fancy Fan (Admin Officer)