Friends and colleagues are raising money for a prize dedicated to the memory and work of Arif Naveed
Such a loss is devastating beyond words, but our only solace is that we, his friends, can honour his memory by staying committed to the issues he cared deepest about.
Bhasi Nair
Friends and colleagues are raising money for a prize dedicated to the legacy of the late Gates Cambridge Scholar Arif Naveed.
Arif [2014] was an outstanding educationalist with a deep commitment to promoting social justice and equality through the education system. Building on a successful career researching poverty and discrimination, he completed a doctorate in Education at the University of Cambridge with the support of a Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
Until his untimely death at the age of 42, he focused on reconciling interdisciplinary tensions between economics, sociology and international development, between academic inquiry, policy formulations and implementation on the ground, and between diverse methodological frameworks.
On his death, his co-supervisor Emerita Professor Madeleine Arnot said: “Arif will be remembered for the quality of his friendships and his deep commitment to improving lives through education.”
Fellow Gates Cambridge Scholar and friend Bhasi Nair [2014] said: “Arif was deeply committed to his work — which he saw as a spiritual calling. The world has lost a brilliant scholar and an even better human being. Such a loss is devastating beyond words, but our only solace is that we, his friends, can honour his memory by staying committed to the issues he cared deepest about.”
The Dr Arif M Naveed Education Prize will be awarded to an outstanding research student at the University of Cambridge in memory of Arif’s dedication to research on education, social justice and equality in South Asia. An award of £1,000 will be made to the recipient.
The British Association of International and Comparative Education (BAICE) is also dedicating their early career conference as a tribute to Arif. The conference, Knowledge, Power And Possibilities: Reimagining Education In Memory of Dr Arif Naveed, will be held on 14th and 15th September and will focus on five broad themes, including Rethinking the Role of Researchers in Unequal Worlds and Education in Global Contexts. For more information, click here.
The Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre is also looking to hold an event next year in connection with the book that Professor Arnot and colleagues in Bath are working on which builds on Arif’s work.
*To donate to the prize, click here. More on Arif’s legacy can be found here.
**To apply for the prize click here. The deadline for submissions is 15th January 2026. Those eligible for the prize include current Master’s or doctoral students at the University of Cambridge, or those who have successfully completed their Master’s or doctoral degree at the University of Cambridge within five years of the application deadline.
