Wiktoria Blazik

Wiktoria, a Polish student based in the UAE, is a force for global change at the intersection of education, civic empowerment, and academic research. Recently named a Rise Global Winner, she serves as captain of the UAE National Debate Team, representing her country at world championships, including a gold-winning performance at the Paris World Schools Debate Championship.

What sets Wiktoria apart is not just her personal excellence in debating – where she has won over 50 medals – but her commitment to making public speaking accessible to others. At school, she leads a 50+ member Debate Club and founded a Girls’ Public Speaking Club to address gender imbalances in competitive oratory. She developed a public speaking app and a companion website offering tools like anxiety-reduction techniques and journaling prompts. Her lesson plans and webinars have empowered educators globally to launch debate clubs in underserved communities.

Beyond debate, Wiktoria is also a prolific writer and content creator. Her blog has 12,000+ visitors from 70+ countries and offers research-backed advice on study habits and stress management. Her Instagram account reaches 130,000+ people monthly, and she runs a YouTube channel and newsletter focused on student mental health and academic success.

Wiktoria’s academic achievements are equally impressive. She was awarded a full merit scholarship by Pioneer Academics to research the impact of the Russo-Ukrainian war on Poland’s banking system. Her paper earned top marks from a Columbia professor who called her “one of the best she’s ever encountered.” She was also selected for Stanford’s elite SHTEM internship (Summer Internships for High Schoolers and Community College Students), where she conducted electroencephalogram research to explore ways to improve the accessibility of healthcare technology. In the UK, her Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) paper on behavioral economics and climate change scored 100% – the only one in her cohort to do so – and is now used as a model for future students.

A future Oxford philosophy, politics, and economics student, Wiktoria has also been offered places at Columbia, the University of Chicago, and Boston College. She plans to pursue a PhD in economics and work at the UN or in academia to shape policies that foster sustainable and equitable development.

If awarded the Global Student Prize, Wiktoria will launch a national programme to bring after-school debate training to underserved public schools. By teaching students how to form arguments, spot misinformation, and speak confidently, she aims to reduce civic inequality and improve social mobility.

Wiktoria is a student leader whose work blends academic excellence, grassroots action, and global impact – making her one of the most promising young changemakers of her generation.