UKZN's top graduate who chose data science over medicine for Oxford
UKZN's top-performing graduate for 2025, Jaedon Naidu, has secured a place at the prestigious University of Oxford.
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Jaedon Naidu, the top graduate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal for 2025, will head to the prestigious University of Oxford after graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Statistics.
Naidu completed triple majors in Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science and will pursue a master’s degree in Statistical Science at Oxford later this year.
“I am incredibly grateful and excited for the experiences that lie ahead,” he said.
According to UKZN, Naidu’s academic journey into data science began during his school years after he was approached by then Dean and Head of the School of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, Professor Delia North, who encouraged him to pursue the field.
Although he had initially accepted an offer to study Medicine at UKZN, Naidu said he later switched to data science after realising it aligned more closely with his interests.
“Mathematics was always my best subject at school,” he said. “I quickly realised it was exactly what I had been looking for.”
He eventually chose to specialise in Statistics because of its use of advanced mathematical techniques in modern data science applications.
Naidu said he particularly enjoyed academically rigorous modules that focused on analytical thinking and problem-solving rather than memorisation.
Among his favourite honours modules was Time Series Analysis, which examines how quantities evolve over time.
For his honours research project, Naidu analysed data from a major South African debt collection agency to investigate the causes of low debt collection rates.
The project, titled Diagnosing Low Debt Collection Using Generalised Additive Models and Heckman Selection, proposed a two-fold solution aimed at both debt collectors and debtors. According to UKZN, some academics regarded the research as being of master’s degree level, with the potential for doctoral-level development.
Naidu said his interest in statistics was shaped by years of competing in national and international mathematics, computer programming and physics Olympiads during his childhood.
“A field like statistics, which integrates these disciplines with real-world data, felt like a natural bridge between theoretical learning and practical application,” he said.
He also highlighted the growing importance of statistics and mathematics in the rapidly evolving field of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Naidu credited his achievements to first and foremost “to God, for the combination of my abilities and the environment in which to develop them”, his support system, thanking his family, educators and mentors, as well as his grandmother, whom he described as “my first teacher”.
However, Naidu doesn't just bury his head in books (or calculators) 24/7. He enjoys weighted calisthenics, playing the piano and running a YouTube channel focused on study skills and productivity.
Offering advice to fellow students, Naidu stressed the importance of perseverance and discipline.
“To anyone about to begin their degree, or currently pursuing one, remember that hard work and consistency will take you further than natural talent alone ever could,” he said.