New Zealand's 2026 Rhodes Scholars announced

New Zealand’s 2026 Rhodes Scholars will build on their exceptional academic skills in AI, Indigenous studies and engineering in their time at the University of Oxford.

Lily Stelling, Naianga Tapiata and Jannik Wittgen were this week announced as winners of one of the most prestigious academic scholarships in the world.

New Zealand Rhodes National Secretary Professor Duncan McGillivray says the quality of applications for this prestigious award is always exceptional and this year was no different. He praised the calibre and integrity of the three scholars-elect, noting that the committee was proud to be able to give this opportunity to students with such diverse backgrounds and interests.

 "We look forward to following the careers of Lily, Naianga and Jannik into what we're sure will be a very successful future."

Lily Stelling

Lily Stelling will use her time at Oxford to complete a Master of Philosophy in International Relations, and to follow her passion for AI safety.

Lily has a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in maths, economics and philosophy from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, and an honours degree in mathematics and statistics at the University of Queensland.

Her love for mathematics and philosophy “stems from the joy of pursuing the truth rigorously, even when it challenges conventional thinking”, she says. This mindset led her to co-found Make It 16 NZ, when she was just 18 years old, campaigning for the voting age in New Zealand to be lowered to 16-year-olds.

Strongly believing that young people most affected by long-term political decisions deserve a voice, she was also driven by the recognition of the evidence that voting young entrenches lifelong civic participation. “When the Supreme Court later confirmed our constitutional case, I saw firsthand how strategic thinking, leadership and ambition can amplify compassion into real change.”

Seeking a way to harness that knowledge, she discovered AI safety.

“Though unconventional, close assessment of the evidence convinced me that AI safety may be the defining issue of this century, and I urgently sought to dedicate my career to the cause.”

Lily is currently working in England and Europe for SaferAI as a policy associate, contributing her research skills to the cause.

Her long-term aim is to build institutional capacity and uncover effective policies which enable coordination across the AI development ecosystem, including between geopolitical competitors. “My ultimate goal is to help create governance structures that keep pace with rapid technological change while preserving human agency.”                      

Naianga Tapiata

Naianga Tapiata was raised in Rotorua, near the village of Whakarewarewa, in an environment rich in Māori language and culture, guided by Te Aho Matua and shaped by a Māori worldview.

In 1927, Maggie Papakura, a young Māori woman from his village, became the first Indigenous woman to study at the University of Oxford. Naianga grew up with the story of Guide Maggie, “a scholar, performer, writer, guide, a cultural and intellectual bridge between worlds”, he says.

“Her journey was extraordinary not just because of where she went, but because of where she came from. She walked through Oxford’s gates as a child of Whakarewarewa, carrying our stories with her. Her story is not simply history. It is legacy. Nearly 100 years have passed since she stood in those halls.”

Naianga is this year completing an honours degree in social sciences at the University of Waikato, researching mōteatea, traditional Māori song, and how it expresses Māori wellbeing.

Like the history of Maggia Papakura, Naianga says the songs he studies “aren’t abstract to me; I was raised on them. Studying them is a way to honour and activate our intellectual traditions”.

He intends to use his time at Oxford to study for a Master of Philosophy in Social Anthropology, developing the tools to move between Indigenous and academic worlds. 

“The Rhodes community offers something rare: a global network of people committed to service. I want to learn from those who challenge the status quo with clarity and care.

“I also want to contribute, to bring the frameworks of te ao Māori into global spaces and create room for Indigenous leadership that is ancestral, relational, and grounded in service. Oxford would give me space to reflect, sharpen my tools, and take the long view, something often lost in the urgency of community work.

“Beyond Oxford, I want to grow Indigenous-led solutions to global challenges, grounded in the belief that our knowledge systems offer not just critique, but vision.”

Naianga sees his most valuable work happening in relationships. “I help serve Tuia, a national kaupapa grounded in the belief that rangatahi are not just future leaders, they are leaders now. We create pathways for Māori youth leadership grounded in tikanga. It’s intentional, collective work built on trust.”

Jannik Wittgen

Jannik Wittgen wants to take his degree and experience in engineering to tackle “wicked problems”.

Jannik graduated in 2023 from the University of Auckland with a first-class honour’s degree in Engineering, majoring in Mechatronics engineering. He chose engineering to build things that improve lives and currently works as a Process Development Engineer at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare.

He will undertake a Master of Science in Sustainability Enterprise and the Environment at Oxford, hoping to continue his ethos of service with his skills in the industry.

Humanity faces wicked problems on every front, Jannik says, “problems that resist simple solutions and demand urgent, collective action”. He faced one of his own when considering whether to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship – did he stay here doing a fulfilling job surrounded by meaningful relationships, or step into the unknown and pursue opportunities to lead change at scale.

Jannik has found a drive to help others through his more than 10 years with the New Zealand Cadet Forces, where he is currently a commissioned officer. Supporting the next generation is not just about guidance, however, he says.

“True support means confronting the systemic, material threats to their future: climate change, pollution, and resource depletion. These challenges are rooted not just in science, but in how we structure our economies and define success.

“Many organisations remain constrained by short-term incentives and outdated sustainability models. I bring to this challenge the structured problem-solving of engineering, practical leadership from cadets, and a deep belief in our collective responsibility to act.”

The opportunity to combine environmental leadership studies with enterprise and systems change training at Oxford will equip him with the tools to scale his impact.

The Rhodes Scholarship

Established in 1903, the Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest international scholarship programme, bringing outstanding young people together from around the world to study at the University of Oxford.

The selection panel seeks young people with proven academic excellence who also show exceptional character, leadership, and commitment to solving humanity’s challenges.

The Rhodes Trust is proud of the diversity of its Scholars in terms of background, academic focus, involvement in local community, religion, ethnicity, and gender identity selected from more than 60 territories across the globe.