The MASSOLIT video essay competition in partnership with Brasenose College, Oxford is back for 2025!
Now in its fifth year, this competition is a brilliant chance for students to flex their research, presentation, and communication skills – and have a bit of fun while doing it. A great ready-made summer project for students.
Here’s the challenge: students should pick a topic they're passionate about, do some digging, and put together a short lecture (8–12 minutes). They can go as creative or quirky as they like – past entries have covered everything from whether Iron Man suits could actually work, to fast fashion ethics, to the science behind the foxglove plant.
There will be ten winners in total – one overall winner and nine runners up. All winners (plus a teacher from their school) will be invited to an awards ceremony and lunch at Brasenose College, Oxford in September.
It’s open to all UK students, and you don’t need to be a MASSOLIT subscriber to enter. Want a better idea of what a “MASSOLIT-style” lecture looks like? Head over to the MASSOLIT website – the first lecture of every course is free to watch! With courses on everything from Haunting Experiences, to the role of food in Shakespeare, to the search for life in the universe and so much more, there is no shortage of inspiration.
Winner 2024
The History and Science of the Foxglove, Hazel Tame (Lancaster Girls' Grammar School)
Winner 2023
A Short Introduction to Mormonism, Zoe Legge (Gordon's School)
Winner 2022
Burke vs Paine (Discussion of ‘Rights of Man’ and ‘Reflections’) Abimbola Tayo (Haberdashers School for Boys)
The ceremony itself was particularly helpful in making Oxford seem a tangible end goal, and Dr Organ and his outreach team did a great job of making Oxbridge seem 'real' for a state school student. –Head of RE: Philosophy and Ethics, Alderbrook School
The MASSOLIT competition helped students to understand the level of expertise required to make these lectures, and they really had to consider how to structure and present their chosen topic. Making the video itself was an excellent exercise in communication and presentation skills as well as allowing students to showcase their own in-depth knowledge of a subject. –Deputy Head of Sixth Form, Queen Elizabeth Girls' School
The MASSOLIT competition uses an innovative and creative format. The open subject matter invited a diversity of subjects from my students, as well as providing a valuable opportunity to hone their presentation skills in a setting which they chose. MASSOLIT has recognised the increasingly varied media that academia needs to communicate through, and students clearly enjoyed the chance to express their arguments in a manner that reflected the cut and thrust of classroom debate. –Teacher, Channing School
The full details on how to enter, as well as all the past winning entries, can be found at massolit.io/competition. Free promotional posters are available to download here.
If you have any questions please contact support@massolit.io.