In this episode, Nick Fabbri speaks with Gargi Sharma Goel about her life and career in New Delhi, India, her work in the Ministry of Finance and Indian Revenue Service, key economic and tax policy interests, her journey to the Master of Public Policy at Oxford, balancing parenthood with studies, and the happiest memories from her time in the UK.

***

Gargi Sharma Goel is career civil servant, part of the Indian Revenue Service, and works in the Ministry of Finance of the government of India. Gargi lives in New Delhi. Gargi focuses on tax policy and has been involved in the preparation of the Union Budget. She keeps a close watch on the pulse of the Indian economy and has undertaken many policy initiatives for its growth and development. Her key area of interest has been the utility of tax policy for socio-economic welfare, and she is interested in exploring tax policy as a tool for promoting equitable growth across all sections of society.

Gargi's other field of interest has been international taxation and transfer pricing. She has also been involved with OECD two-Pillar International Tax negotiations for tax-sharing in the digitalised and borderless world, where she endeavours to establish cooperative and fair tax sharing mechanisms.

Gargi is a World Bank Scholar.

In this episode, Oluwatamilore Oni speaks with Dr Christian Johannes Meyer, the Director of the Future of Development programme at the Oxford Martin School.

Christian’s career spans research and programming focused on livelihoods and labour market interventions for vulnerable groups at the University of Oxford, the World Bank and the Center for Global Development. From this rich background, he shares insights on the interactions between micro and macro economics and the confluence of international and domestic policymaking. He also underscores the necessity of humility when working on technology-enabled solutions and how understanding beneficiary behaviours and backgrounds is crucial to effective programming.

He likens his work to gardening as in nurturing the seeds of inquiries about the best policies and practices and also to plumbing as in digging into the inner workings and bottlenecks of policy making and implementation.

We invite you to enjoy Christian’s unique perspective!

In this conversation, Erik Kucherenko and Artem Shaipov speak with Oleksandr Novikov, Head of Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention between 2020-2024, about his experience of building state capacity.

We discuss the implementation of Objectives and Key Results methodology, business school training for civil servants working on anti-corruption, and the role of organisational mission and values. Oleksandr shares his successful experience of building an effective institution and recommends books that motivated him to achieve these recognised results.

Damien Shannon is a DPhil candidate in Economic and Social History at New College, Oxford.

In this episode, Nick and Damien speak about:

• Damien's experience in suing Oxford University over its admissions criteria, which initially prevented him from taking up his degree place on financial grounds
• Educational access and equity
• Damien's current DPhil research on the abolition of tenure at British universities and the impact on research outcomes and long term institutional performance
• The history of universities as institutions from their earliest roots in Bologna and Oxford
• Intellectual freedom and the ideal conditions for free inquiry
• Sir Keith Joseph and the economic and philosophical foundations of the Thatcher administration
• The corporatization of universities and modern employment conditions for academics

Denisse Salazar hosted Emeritus Professor Colin Mayer to delve into philosophical and moral discussions surrounding capitalism in modern society. They discussed why capitalism has persisted despite several attempts to diminish it and how its survival represents its moral superiority in comparison to other economic systems.

***

Colin Mayer is Emeritus Professor of Management Studies at the Blavatnik School of Government and Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. He is an Emeritus Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford and an Honorary Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford and St Anne’s College, Oxford. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Centre for Economic Policy Research, and the European Corporate Governance Institute. He was Chair of the Scottish Government Business Purpose Commission, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Oxford Playhouse, the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, the UK Government Natural Capital Committee, the International Advisory Board of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, and the UK Financial Markets Law Committee Working Group on Pension Fund Trustees and Fiduciary Duties.

In this episode, Nick Fabbri speaks with George Brandis, former Australian Attorney-General and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. They discuss George's time at Oxford and Magdalen College as a law student, his career in the law, the philosophical traditions of liberalism and conservatism and how they might be applied to policy issues in the 21st century, some major security and social policy reforms George influenced, George's time as High Commissioner to the UK during Brexit negotiations, the COVID pandemic, and Tory party leadership changes, and international security issues.

***

Professor the Honourable George Brandis KC is a lawyer, former Australian Senator and Attorney-General, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and now Professor of National Security at the Australian National University.

In this episode, Nick Fabbri speaks with Bob Carr, a former Australian Foreign Minister and long-serving Premier of New South Wales. They discuss politics and embarking on a political career, the art of good policymaking and some of the major policy reforms of the Carr Labor Government, international affairs and security issues, Australia and its natural beauty, and the love and grief that Bob has for his late wife Helena Carr.

***

Professor the Honourable Bob Carr was the longest continuously serving premier in the history of New South Wales, a major Australian state, from 1995-2006. He then entered the Australian Senate in 2012 and served as foreign minister for eighteen months. Since leaving politics Bob has led a distinguished career as an author and academic. Bob is also an accomplished writer and has published many books, including My Reading Life, Diary of a Foreign Minister, and Run For Your Life.

In this episode, Denisse Salazar speaks with Karen Sichel, an alumna of the Blavatnik School of Government, about women's rights, gender equality, politics, and leadership.

Karen Sichel is an Ecuadorean lawyer, and served as Undersecretary of Regulatory Affairs in the Ecuadorean Presidency in 2023. Karen was also at the forefront of Ecuador's 2023 constitutional referendum.

In this episode, MPP students Erik Kucherenko and Kseniia Velychko talk to Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and civil rights defender, whose organisation Centre for Civil Liberties (CCL) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

In an incredibly emotional and sincere episode, Erik, Kseniia, and Oleksandra discuss the motivation behind Oleksandra and the CCL's fight for human rights, the importance of documenting war crimes, the ongoing Russian full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the role of civil society in bringing about political and diplomatic change, and why justice is so important today.

***

Oleksandra Matviichuk is a human rights defender who works on issues in Ukraine and the OSCE region. At present she heads the human rights organisation Center for Civil Liberties, and also coordinates the work of the initiative group Euromaidan SOS. The activities of the Center for Civil Liberties are aimed at protecting human rights and establishing democracy in Ukraine and the OSCE region. The organisation is developing legislative changes, exercises public oversight over law enforcement agencies and judiciary, conducts educational activities for young people and implements international solidarity programs.

After the beginning of new armed aggression in February 2022, Matviichuk together with other partners created the ‘Tribunal for Putin’ initiative in order to document international crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in all regions of Ukraine which became the targets of attacks of the Russian Federation.

In 2016 she received the Democracy Defender Award for ‘Exclusive Contribution to Promoting Democracy and Human Rights’ from missions to the OSCE. In 2017 she became the first woman to participate in the Ukrainian Emerging Leaders Program of Stanford University. In 2022 Matviichuk was awarded with the Right Livelihood Award and recognised as one of the 25th influential women in the world by the Financial Times. The same year Center for Civil Liberties, which Matviichuk is head of, received the Nobel Peace Prize.

In this conversation, Nick Fabbri speaks with Lord Michael Heseltine, former UK Deputy Prime Minister and leading figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. In this interview, we reflect on Lord Heseltine's love of gardening, his time at Oxford University and presidency of the Oxford Union, his political career and lessons in leadership, his approach to public policy solutions including privatisation and the revitalisation of Liverpool, as well as Britain, multiculturalism, Brexit, and relations with Europe.

***

Lord Michael Heseltine is a giant of British politics, having served as a Conservative Member of the Parliament from 1966 to 2001. He was a Cabinet Minister in various departments in the Heath, Thatcher and Major governments from 1979 to 1986 and 1990 to 1997, and Deputy Prime Minister under John Major from 1995 to 1997. Lord Heseltine later served as an advisor to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Growth under David Cameron's administration, and as a Commissioner on the National Infrastructure Commission (October 2015 to March 2017). He is the founder and Chairman of the Haymarket Group, and runs the internationally-acclaimed Thenford Arboretum and Gardens.

In this episode, we are joined by Kaya Axelsson, Research Fellow and Head of Policy and Engagement at Oxford Net Zero, an interdisciplinary climate change mitigation research programme at the University of Oxford. Kaya reflects on her work in the field, common challenges of net-zero policymaking for governments and non-state actors, what makes a good net-zero strategy, and how universities can shape climate change policy.

Follow Oxford Policy Podcast on Instagram: @oxfordpolicypod_

Mariana de Lucio, a Mexican lawyer and an MPP student, joined us to delve into the complex reality of being a woman in Mexico and confront the pervasive issue of gender violence plaguing the country. We explored the alarming statistics surrounding gender violence in Mexico and discussed the urgent need for action from both civil society and government entities.

Throughout our conversation, Mariana offers insights into the vital role of civil society, especially women, in addressing gender violence and emphasizes the importance of holding the government accountable for implementing effective policies and programs.

Mariana leaves us with a sense of hope and determination, proposing tangible paths forward that will lead us to a better reality for Mexican women. She inspires us to unite in solidarity and continue the fight for gender equality and justice in Mexico.

In this episode, Nick Fabbri speaks with The Hon. Tony Abbott AC, Former Prime Minister of Australia. They discuss:

• The influence of the Jesuits, Oxford, and Father Paul Mankowski on Mr. Abbott's life and leadership qualities
• The art of effective opposition and developing alternative policies for the nation
• Achievements and regrets of the Abbott Government in office
• The role of government in fostering trust and cohesion in communities
• National service and giving back to the country
• National identity, immigration, and multiculturalism
• Industrial and energy policy
• The state of right of centre politics globally, and what a conservatism for the 21st century might look like
• The importance of promoting classical education and an understanding of western civilisation to strengthen cultural self-confidence
• The global security situation and the need for a military, industrial, and cultural re-armament to resist the authoritarian axis of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea
• Poetic reflections on Australia and advice to young Australians abroad

Erik Kucherenko talks with Kostiantyn Koshelenko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine responsible for digital transformation.

We talk about the importance of digital transformation in public sector, Ukraine’s achievements in e-governance, including Diia application, which Ukraine now helps export to Columbia, Kosovo, and Zambia. We also discuss how innovations in social policy helped Mr. Koshelenko and his team ensure the fulfilment of state functions even at the start of the Russian full-scale invasion.

Then, we turn to Mr. Koshelenko’s recently published book titled Management in Times of War. We discuss some of the advice Mr. Koshelenko gives in his book - time and energy management, productivity tips, achieving balance in life and delivering in public sector despite the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion.

Access Management in Times of War in English - https://www.amazon.com/Management-Times-War-Leadership-Government-ebook/dp/B0CQ5DHNH8

Follow Oxford Policy Podcast on Instagram: @oxfordpolicypod_

Erik Kucherenko talks with Mychailo Wynnyckyj, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine responsible for higher education reform.

We discuss best practices in the domain of higher education, compare different higher education systems and their advantages. We examine the details of Mr. Wynnyckyj’s and his team’s reform agenda, ranging from merger of universities to harnessing economic methods to incentivise high-quality education and research.

Mr. Wynnyckyj also talks about his decision to move to Ukraine after his studies in the University of Cambridge. We discuss his background as well as his decision to join the Ministry of Education and Science in 2023.

Follow Oxford Policy Podcast on Instagram: @oxfordpolicypod_

Erik Kucherenko talks with Lubomyr Chabursky, Lesya Granger, Mark Paine, founders of Mriya Aid, a Canadian NGO that has provided close to $10 million of non-lethal military aid to Ukraine.

In the first part of the conversation (00:00-1:01:03), we discuss how Mriya Aid has succeeded in winning trust of its donors and of the Canadian government, how it evolved in the last 2 years and how it manages to develop expertise and operate in a highly complex area of non-lethal military aid. Our guests provide practical advice on running an NGO, building organisational resilience, managing communication crises, and delivering despite all the difficulties on the way.

In the second part (1:01:03-1:12:32), we discuss broader geopolitical outlook related to the unlawful Russian invasion of Ukraine. Finally (1:12:32-1:22:39), our guests share their advice and reading tips for current and future policy-makers on creating a balanced lifestyle, preserving mental health, and fulfilling one’s mission in life.

Follow Mriya Aid Substack newsletter: https://news.mriyaaid.ca

Follow Oxford Policy Podcast on Instagram: @oxfordpolicypod_

In this episode, Nick Fabbri speaks with Grace Fox, a student of the Master of Public Policy at Oxford University, about her personal story, the history of the Native American Seminole Nation, her family, identity, and belonging. Grace also reflects on her work with the US Department of the Interior in the Bureau of Indian Education in Native American policy, and her wider work in education, equity, and social justice, and what her hopes for the future are in her life and career.

***

Grace is from Edmond, Oklahoma, and an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. She recently graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Ethnicity and Race Studies (Indigenous Studies). Through non-profit management, policy creation, and community-centered organising, Grace plans to work directly with Native American communities worldwide as an aspiring education activist.

Grace has worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior in the Bureau of Indian Education as a recipient of the esteemed 2023 Udall Congressional Internship Program. Grace is excited to continue her education in Oxford and proudly work towards creating a better future for the generations to come, ensuring the success and well-being of her future ancestors.

Grace is an Eisenhower Scholar.

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, Nick Fabbri and Dr. Paul Monk discuss the crises facing the liberal democracies today, and the lessons that the Roman Republic and Greek democracies may hold for the 21st century. We cover Paul's recent papers delivered to the Institute of Law and Strategy, and his tours of Finland, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia discussing the wars in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the broader geopolitical situation.

Dr Paul Monk is a writer, poet, and highly regarded Australian public intellectual with a background in security, intelligence, and consulting. His writing regularly appears in the Australian press, and he has written an extraordinary range of books, from Sonnets to a Promiscuous Beauty, to reflective essays on the riches of Western civilisation in The West in a Nutshell, to a prescient treatise on the rise of China in Thunder from the Silent Zone: Rethinking China.

Subscribe to Oxford Policy Podcast on all podcast platforms, and follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_

Erik Kucherenko talks with Ema Grajcarová, a Master of Public Policy student student from Slovakia. In this episode, Ema talks about her personal and academic journeys, from studying at LSE and working on the use of European Union funds in Slovakia, to studying the Oxford MPP.

The conversation traces the internal evolution of Ema's interests and goals, discussing in detail her research in gender mainstreaming policies, her impressions from the first term in the Blavatnik School of Government, and advice for future applicants.

Follow Oxford Policy Podcast on Instagram: @oxfordpolicypod_

Welcome back to another season of the Oxford Policy Podcast. This is our first episode of the academic year 2023-2024. It is also the start of a new series called “People of the Master of Public Policy”.

In this first episode of this series, we have Shuab Gamote as our guest. Shuab is a current MPP student and a passionate advocate for educational equality. This episode is about Shuab’s personal story of growing up in Manchester, experiencing a sometimes failing school system and making it his own political mission to promote quality education. You will also learn about what brought Shuab to the School of Government and what advice he will give to future applicants.

We are back from follow-up from our last episode on youth employment policy. We have Dr. Kate Philip again to discuss more in-depth Social Employment as a policy. Dr. Philip is the lead of the Presidential Employment Stimulus in South Africa, and the programmes she leads have employed more than 300.000 youth as social workers.

As we deep dive in the concept of Social Employment, Dr. Philip discusses what constitutes a robust Social Employment programme and how governments can make such programmes scalable through leveraging civil society and partnerships. We also discuss how employing Youth in Social Work unlocks the social value of labour and also brings advantages to the private sector.

The idea for this episode was by Dr. Philip, it was produced by Vitor Tomaz and edited by Paul Austin.

Governments worldwide face major challenges such as homelessness, education access, and healthcare support and there is wide recognition that governments can’t tackle these issues alone. Governments need to work effectively with non-profits, with social enterprises, business, and philanthropies to achieve better social outcomes. In recent years, outcomes-based partnerships (cross-sector partnerships whereby funding is contingent on the achievement of measurable outcomes) have emerged as a promising way to enable more effective and more impactful public-private collaboration. However, do these approaches live up to their promise? And how can we ensure that these partnerships are designed and managed as effectively as possible, building on existing evidence, data and best practice?

Our hosts, Nikki Lucenario and Gloria Wawira, are joined by Andreea Anastasiu, the Executive Director of the Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab) at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford to discuss how outcomes-based partnerships are becoming a useful tool for governments around the world.

Founded in 2016 by the Blavatnik School and the UK to deepen the evidence around the use of innovative outcomes-based partnerships. Their work promotes an inclusive and responsive approach to generating evidence and seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice by curating opportunities for knowledge exchange for scholars, policymakers and practitioners around the world.

This episode is produced by Paul Austin.

Follow more of the GO Lab’s work at https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/

INDIGO Dataset: https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/knowledge-bank/indigo/

GO Lab’s Social Outcomes Conference 2023: https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/community/events/soc23/

In a country with 55% of the youth unemployed, the pandemic was simultaneously a threat and an opportunity. The Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) of South Africa encompassed several programmes to create and protect jobs against the effects of closures and lockdowns. One of those programmes employed as many ass 300.000 youth as social workers in school in South Africa and continues to expand.

In this episode we received Dr. Kate Philip, lead of the PES . Dr. Philip the programmes in the stimulus, discusses how social employment can be leveraged at scale to solve simultaneously the problem of youth unemployment and other social challenges.

The idea for this episode was by Dr. Philip, it was produced by Vitor Tomaz and edited by Paul Austin.

In this episode, Oluwatamilore Oni speaks with Adenike Adeyemi, CEO of FATE Foundation – Nigeria’s foremost business incubator and accelerator program set up to enable aspiring and emerging Nigerian entrepreneurs to start, grow and scale their businesses.

Adenike shares highlights from her more than two decades of experience in the social impact space, with a specific focus on entrepreneurs and the role they play in catalysing growth in developing economies. We discuss the interplay between national and local policymaking and what an enabling environment for business growth really means. Adenike offers insightful perspectives into the vital role that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play in job creation and socio-economic sustainability, delving into the intricacies of business formalisation, taxation and other macroeconomic policies that can help or hinder.

Adenike can be considered an entrepreneur herself, having led and grown the FATE Foundation team over the last nine years. She also shares about her roles on multiple board and advisory committees, how she manages her time, and what guides her decision-making process when opportunities come her way. She is a Google.org Leader to Watch, trustee of Youth Business International, and lead facilitator for the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) MSME Community of Practice.

Continuing with the mini-series of the Masters of Public Policy public servants, two British council members join the Oxford Policy Pod. James Small Edwards, councillor for the City of Westminster, and Charlie Hicks, councillor for Oxfordshire County join our host, Annelisse Escobar.

In this discussion, the council members share their experiences and challenges of youth political participation, innovation, and their vocation for service. Charlie and James compare their experiences as one of the youngest on the job. This has led them to take valuable academic knowledge at Oxford to their constituencies in policy issues like transport, housing, and coalition building.

This episode is conceptualised by Annelisse Escobar, and edited by Paul Austin. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

The 2022-23 MPP cohort has some amazing people who are going to make a positive impact on the world. This mini-series in the Oxford Policy Pod will introduce you to some of these aspiring and ambitious change-makers.

Our host, Chiraag Shah, is joined in this brief episode by Reem AlNuaimi and Maryam AlHashmi - two MPP-ers from the United Arab Emirates. They discuss their personal motivations for coming to Oxford to do the MPP, what it’s like to be a public servant in the UAE, and their future aspirations.

This episode is conceptualised by Chiraag Shah, and edited by Paul Austin. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

With over a decade of existence, the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford is championing a world that is better led, better served, and better governed through its programs and centers that educate experts in public policy and governance to tackle the world's most pressing issues. In ten years, the institution has grown from a vision to a cutting-edge institution that advances practical skills and hands-on experience for its students through the incorporation of simulations, internships, and experiential learning. Students leave the school with the tools and knowledge to enact change in policy and governance.

In this episode of Oxford Policy Pod, host Wantoe T Wantoe speaks with Professor Ngaire Woods, the founding Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University and a Professor of Global Economic Governance. Together, they discuss the Blavatnik School's achievements over the past decade and its impact on shaping global leaders.

Professor Ngaire Woods is renowned for her research on enhancing the governance of organizations, grappling with the challenges of globalization and global development, and the role of international institutions and global economic governance. She established the Global Economic Governance Programme at Oxford University and co-founded the Oxford-Princeton Global Leaders Fellowship program with Robert O. Keohane. Professor Woods also played a key role in the creation of the Blavatnik School of Government.

In addition to her academic work, Professor Woods serves as a member of the International Advisory Panel of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a Non-Executive Director at Rio Tinto, and a trustee for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Education Foundation.

This episode was created by Wantoe T. Wantoe a current master of public policy student and supported by the Oxford Policy Pod Team.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gone from science fiction to a critical part of our everyday lives. Governments play the role of regulators but they are also consumers. 

How are governments using AI to enhance citizen engagement, decision-making, and better service delivery? How to ensure that public services powered by AI are accessible and beneficial to all citizens? 

Our host, Paola Galvez Callirgos, is joined in this episode by Dr. Carlos Santiso, head of the Digital, Innovative, and Open Government Division at the OECD. He has worked in over two dozen countries in various capacities in multilateral development banks, bilateral aid agencies, and policy think tanks. Dr. Santiso is committed to improving lives and social impact in emerging economies. In that sense, both discuss the role of the public sector as AI consumers, diving into innovation, transparency, and inclusion. Finally, Dr. Santiso reflects on an adequate way to achieve an agile and intelligent AI regulation to harness its benefits and address its challenges.  

This episode is conceptualised by Paola Galvez Callirgos, and edited by Paul Austin. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

In this episode of the Oxford Policy pod Co-executive producer Gloria Wawira is in conversation with Mayor Jefferson Koijee from Liberia. They discuss Liberia’s and Monrovia’s preparation to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections later in 2023 and the successes and challenges in the management of Monrovia. Koijee is the Mayor of Monrovia and the youngest mayor in the history of Liberia.  The conversation strands youth leadership in Africa, Liberia’s upcoming elections, and sustainable cities. The Mayor shares his experiences serving as the National Youth Chairman for the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and his current role as the National Secretary General of the ruling party.  This episode was developed with the support of Wantoe T Wantoe an MPP 2023 from Liberia.

How is social change advanced? How do leaders build institutions in low-trusting environments? How do we inspire, design, plan, influence, guide, steer and make change in our relationships, our communities, our society, and our planet? These are some of the questions about making change that we navigate in the conversation with Andrew Boraine.

Andrew Boraine joins our host, Annelisse Escobar to discuss the process of change through his experience in post-Apartheid South Africa. Andrew refers to the process of change as a transition. A transition can be defined as a fundamental change in the way a society meets its needs.

He is an international expert on economic and urban development and partnering for systems change, who has worked in the development sector in South Africa for more than 41 years. He was a senior official in the constitutional department of Nelson Mandela’s government in the immediate post-Apartheid years and was the first post-Apartheid City Manager of Cape Town. He served as CEO of the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership. He has experience from the side of the government, being civil society and an articulator of actors to promote change.

This episode is conceptualised by Annelisse Escobar, and edited by Paul Austin. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

“The Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in late 2022, is a landmark agreement to guide global action on nature through to 2030. A key target in the framework is to mobilise at least $200 billion per year from public and private sources for biodiversity-related funding. How will we achieve that?

Our host, Chiraag Shah, is joined in this episode by Anna Ducros and Andreas Hansen to discuss what is biodiversity finance and what are some of the financing mechanisms available to achieve the $200 billion per year target.

 Ducros is a Researcher and Nature Economist at the International Institute for Environment and Development working on how markets and market mechanisms contribute to environmental sustainability. Hansen is a Senior Policy Adviser for Ocean and Conservation Finance at The Nature Conservancy where he provides government relations advice on Blue Bonds strategy and coordinates global ocean policy work.

 This episode is conceptualised, researched and hosted by Chiraag Shah; produced by Annelisse Escobar, Gloria Wawira and Vitor Tomaz; and edited by Paul Austin. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

“You betrayed us. I've just been a donkey my whole life and you told me my child's life would be different [if they went to school]. But now I’ve learned that he hasn't learned anything”.

Join us in a thought-provoking conversation with  Lant Pritchett, Visiting Scholar and Research Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government and Research Director of the RISE program (Research on Improving Systems of Education). We will discuss development, aid, RCTs, failing education systems and how to turn them around, and monkeys.

Prof. Pritchett is a prominent scholar of development and a ******provocateur******, with years of experience in the practice and study of the practice of development, with passages at BSG, the Harvard Kennedy School, the World Bank, and more. He is the author of “Deals and Development: The Political Dynamics of Growth Episodes”, and “The Rebirth of Education: Schooling ain’t Learning”, among others.

Vitor Tomaz, a candidate for the Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, hosts this episode. This episode was produced by Annelisse Escobar, Gloria Wawira, and Vitor Tomaz—edited by Paul Austin (Thanks, Paul!).

To keep up with our latest episodes in conversation with public leaders, practitioners, and analysis, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

The Vatican and its various bodies are not only heading the Catholic Church but also disseminating thinking and advancing work in different social policy themes. Amongst those, ecology and peacebuilding are discussed here. But how does that work?

Our host, Baudouin de Hemptinne, is joined in this episode by Professor Joshtrom Kureethadam and Professor Gerard Powers. Kureethadam is heading the Dicastery for Integral Development and is Chair of Philosophy of Science and Director at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome. He has been a researcher at Berkeley and Oxford and published various books on ecology. Professor Powers is the director of Catholic Peacebuilding studies at the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame in the US. He is a very respected scholar in peacebuilding, religion, and conflict studies. Both have an extensive understanding of the Churches’ work in thought leadership on the ground. 

This episode is hosted, conceptualised, and researched by Baudouin de Hemptinne with the help of Melinda Davis; and produced by Annelisse Escobar, Vitor Tomaz, and Gloria Wawira. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

One year ago the world held its breath as the Russian armed forces invaded Ukraine. In this particular special episode, we welcome Prof. Andrew Hoskins, whose expertise concerns the impact of digitisation of contemporary warfare on society, and Kanykei Tursunbaeva, a journalist from Ukraine and research associate at the European Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, who reports directly from Odesa, where she has been covering the conflict first-hand.

In the episode, we discussed how social media transform our perceptions of warfare, from forming memories and national identities to how people navigate what is forgettable or not. Kanykei brings her insight into how Telegram played a crucial role in the daily routine of the war - amidst air raids and power cuts.

This episode is hosted by Vitor Tomaz and Denis Karlovsky, a candidate for the Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. This episode was produced by Annelisse Escobar, Gloria Wawira, and the host, Vitor Tomaz. To keep up with our latest episodes in conversation with public leaders, practitioners, and analysts, follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

In this episode, Nick Fabbri speaks with fellow MPP students Anushka Jadhav and Rafaela Viana about the 2024 Education World Forum, their personal education journeys in India and Brazil respectively, Education Policy in Oxford, and some of the major education policy issues and developments globally. Anushka and Rafaela also reflect on their time at Oxford and in the 2023-24 MPP cohort, and offer advice and inspiration to future students.

***

Anushka Jadhav is an educational professional with over seven years of experience, based in Mumbai, India. As a co-founder of an educational trust (NCFW), she has engaged students and institutions in meaningful discussions about gender norms and discrimination. At Whistling Woods International (WWI), Anushka led the curriculum development and served as a faculty member. She also spearheaded India's venture into media and film education for grades 9-12 under the Delhi Board of School Education. As the Creative Director at Gaysi Family since 2016, she has worked extensively to mainstream narratives from the LGBTQIA+ community through diverse initiatives. She has also actively participated in fellowships with change.org and the British Council.

Rafaela Viana dos Santos is from Sao Paulo city, Brazil and in 2021 obtained her undergraduate degree in international relations at the University of Sao Paulo. She has pursued studies and attended conferences in Taiwan, China, and Egypt. Rafaela's four years of professional experience are mainly in the ESG field, including sustainable development finance and government projects. As such, her key policy interests are ESG, sustainable development, China, the third sector, and project management. Likewise, she has extensive experience working in non-profit and non-governmental organisations. Rafaela enjoys travelling, playing with dogs, and watching movies. Rafaela is a Chevening Scholar.

Just six months out of office, Colombian president Ivan Duque Marquez shares his personal insights and reflections on his government period. Having led the country during the pandemic he explains how he was able to navigate the political scene and whether or not he would have done anything different in his leadership (7:09). He also inherited the early stages of Colombian recently signed Peace Agreement and was in charge of strengthening the necessary institutions for its implementation. 

President Duque highlights the hardships of today’s polarized society and the need to promote social cohesion to advance development (16:12). He also comments on the necessary actions to work with the opposition and social demands during the protests in 2021 around the tax reform (18:38).

Listen to learn more about his post-presidency phase, the personal projects to advance innovation for development (21:00), and his recommendations to the new Colombian president, Gustavo Petro. 

This episode is hosted by Annelisse Escobar, a candidate for the Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. This episode was produced by Vitor Tomaz, Gloria Wawira, and the host, Annelisse Escobar. To keep up with our latest episodes in conversation with public leaders, practitioners, and experts follow us on Instagram @Oxfordpolicypod_. 

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting has been garnering more attention in recent years – especially the environmental component. But how reliable is a reporting method that is not auditable or verifiable?

Our host, Benjamin Weiser, is joined by Professor Karthik Ramanna. Professor Karthik Ramanna is a Professor of Business and Public Policy, and Chair of the Master of Public Policy Program at the Blavatnik School of Government. He is also the founder and co-director of the Oxford Case Centre for Public Leadership. 

They discuss the origins of the E-Liability Method (01:30), an auditable method of tracking carbon emissions through multitier supply and distribution chains. There are currently 18 companies in the Fortune 500 in various stages of E-Liability pilots, we discuss the catalyzing role of the E-Liability Institute in bringing in new adopters and supporting the ongoing pilot programs for both organizations of all sizes (~07:00). We conclude with an overview of what the program’s success would look like in the coming years (16:50). 

The episode is hosted by Benjamin Weiser, a candidate for the Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. It is produced by Annelisse Escobar, Vitor Tomaz and Gloria Wawira. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

For policymakers and governments, new challenges emerge nowadays to communicate effectively with citizens. The evolution of media channels, trust deficit, misinformation, social dislocation, emotional connection in media content, and nudging are among the long list of changes institutional communication is faced with.

Our host, Baudouin de Hemptinne, is joined in this episode by Sean Larkins. Both of them lead the government practice of WPP, one of the leading communications agencies globally, working for governments worldwide. Their practitioners' experience and their firm's research bring us unique insight into the evolving government communication challenges.

This episode is hosted, conceptualised, and researched by Baudouin de Hemptinne; and produced by Annelisse Escobar, Vitor Tomaz and Gloria Wawira. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

COP27, held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, was expected to be the ‘Implementation COP’ that would translate previous commitments into tangible action. 

Our host, Vitor Tomaz, is joined in this episode by Dr Courtney Howard to discuss her intellectual journey into climate advocacy, how global health advocacy and organisations can also push forward climate goals, and what a civil society participant aims to achieve at a global climate conference like COP. 

Dr. Courtney Howard is a current MPP student at the Blavatnik School of Government, a former president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and a former Policy Director for the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.

This episode is hosted by Vitor Tomaz; conceptualised and researched by Chiraag Shah; and produced by Annelisse Escobar and Gloria Wawira. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

COP27, held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, was expected to be the ‘Implementation COP’ that would translate previous commitments and plans for tackling climate change into tangible action. However, the immediate reaction in the aftermath of the conference was that it was marred by organisational issues and ultimately failed to deliver on its promise.

 Our host, Vitor Tomaz, is joined in this episode by Professor Thomas Hale, who attended COP27, to discuss the evolution of global climate governance, the outcomes of COP27, the ins and outs of being a civil society participant at a COP, how an emerging policymaker can be influential in the climate space, and the top two priorities to stay on track to remain under 1.5 degrees Celsius. Professor Thomas Hale is a Professor of Global Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and the 

This episode is hosted by Vitor Tomaz; conceptualised and researched by Chiraag Shah; and produced by Annelisse Escobar and Gloria Wawira. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

Welcome to Oxford Policy Pod Season 5! The new cohort of the Blavatnik School of Government brings you a new set of episodes. We will be having short conversations with practitioners worldwide to understand today's policymaking challenges.

The recent 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party revealed Xi Jinping’s intention to present to the world an image of a “credible, loveable, and respectable China.” The pursuit of soft power is inseparable from other government initiatives – China spends an estimated $10 billion on initiatives aimed at enhancing its soft power around the globe. Yet, public opinion polling from Pew Research shows that China is viewed unfavorably in many advanced economies. This data raises the question of whether China’s investments in soft power tools are fruitful. 

Does China’s image fare any better in developing countries? Beijing has the world’s largest diplomatic network and has made relationship building with developing countries a cornerstone of its foreign policy. Cultural exchange programs for foreign students from developing economies is an example of its effort to bolster its image as an educational powerhouse and “champion of the developing world.” Economic power is typically not considered soft power, but China also blurred the lines between these categories of influence. The sheer size of its market and its influence as a potential trading partner and benefactor augment its attractiveness across the globe. 

Our host Elsa Katz is joined in this episode by three distinguished experts who provide insights on China’s soft power through the lens of business, media, and creative industries. 

o   Mr. Andrew Cainey – Founding Director, the UK National Committee on China and Senior Fellow, Royal United Services Institute; former Greater China Director at Booz & Company.

o   Ms. Zili Wang – Editor and Reporter at International desk of Caixin Media, Caixin Media Fellow at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.

o   Dr. Huiman Chan – Founder, UK-China Film Collab and Lecturer in Creative & Cultural Industries, De Montfort University.

While their perspectives converge on some of the ways China defines its soft power as a two-way street and exercises it via cultural products, they however diverge regarding the suggested methods to advance its global influence. Some propose a bottom-up approach, others a top-down one. Whether the success of soft power is hindered by censorship or by information asymmetry is another thorny issue our experts will cover. From a holistic and nuanced perspective, listeners can grasp the highly complex nature of “soft power with Chinese characteristics” and the global changes of the past three decades since Joseph Nye first coined the term “soft power.”

This episode is hosted by Elsa Katz and produced and supported by Read Leask. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

The COVID-19 crisis forced school closures in 188 countries, disrupting the learning process of more than 1.7 billion children, youth, and their families. This had immediate short-term temporary learning loss effects. However, long-term impacts like curbed educational aspirations and disengagement from the school system may be irreversible. This podcast episode deep dives into these adverse consequences and mitigation strategies as schools re-open. 

Our host Nikunj Agarwal is joined in this episode by two experts who share their insights on the impact of COVID-19 on education and what needs to be done to alleviate its impact. Dr. Rachel Hinton outlines the short-term and long-term impact on students, particularly from the marginalised backgrounds across low and lower-middle-income countries. She shares recommendations to keep children learning, including adjusting curriculum by governments. Dr. Rachel Hinton is a Senior Education and Social Development Adviser at Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. She has over 15 years of research and international development experience in the UK, South Asia, Eastern Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Rukmini Banerjee delves into how to encourage parental engagement, leverage existing technology, and support teachers better to overcome the learning loss due to the pandemic and the exacerbated Global Learning Poverty. She also shares her vision for education in a post-pandemic world. Dr. Rukmini Banerjee is the Chief Executive Officer of Pratham Education Foundation. She previously led Pratham’s research and assessment efforts, including the Annual Status of Education Report (also known as ASER). 

This episode is hosted by Nikunj Agarwal; produced by Livey Beha and Read Leask; and researched by Claddagh Nic Lochlainn, Allan Greicon, and Emma Dreyer. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

In September 2015, leaders from around the world gathered in New York at the United Nations General Assembly and committed to an ambitious global agenda, setting forth seventeen “Sustainable Development Goals”, or SDGs, to be achieved by 2030. These goals, if accomplished, would mark incredible feats of human history. Unfortunately, the most recent report from the UN Economic and Social Council shows that the world is not on track to meet these targets by the 2030 deadline. This episode of the Oxford Policy Pod will dive into the progress and delays on the SDGs, and understand what it will take to reach these goals. We also explore how policymakers are using these voluntary international commitments to guide and prioritize work in practice, specifically in the context of developing urban areas. 

Edward Mishaud, is a Senior Advisor and current acting Director with the SDG Lab at UN Geneva. He has over 15 years of expertise across policy, donor relations, governance, advocacy, and communications, and has worked with several UN and other international organizations, such as the UN Development Programme, the World Health Organization, the Joint UN Programme on HIV and the Green Climate Fund. 

Dr. Sylvia Croese is an urban sociologist who is a Senior Researcher at the South African Research Chair in Spatial Analysis and City Planning at the School of Architecture and Planning of the University of the Witwatersrand and Research Associate with the African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She has conducted extensive research on urban planning, politics and governance through the lens of housing, land, urban infrastructure and mobility, with a particular focus on the localization of global urban development goals in African cities. She has published widely on this work in major international journals, as well as three co-edited books: Refractions of the National, the Popular and the Global in African Cities (African Minds, 2021), Reframing the Urban Challenge in Africa: Knowledge Co-production from the South (Routledge, 2021) and Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals in African cities (Springer, in press). Currently, her research examines the transcalar workings of developmental policy circuits as part of the ERC funded comparative research project Making Africa Urban: the transcalar politics of large-scale urban development.

This episode was produced and hosted by Livey Beha, with support from Read Leask. Season 4 of the Oxford Policy Pod is executive produced by Livey Beha and Read Leask. 

To learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals, check out:

• The SDG Lab: https://www.sdglab.ch/
• Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/
• UN SDG Progress Report https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/29858SG_SDG_Progress_Report_2022.pdf

This episode provides an update on the political and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. In August 2021, after the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan after twenty years of military presence, the Taliban took control of the country. Almost one year after the withdrawal, other global events have eclipsed Afghanistan in global media headlines, but the situation on the ground remains dire. In this episode, we will explore the most pressing humanitarian issues facing the country, investigate the policy solutions required to support the people of Afghanistan moving forward, and understand how countries should engage with Afghanistan economically and politically. 

This episode was recorded prior to the earthquake in Afghanistan and Pakistan on 21 June, 2022.

We are joined by our guests Naheed Sarabi and Lina Tori Jan. Naheed Sarabi is the former Deputy Minister for Policy in Afghanistan’s Ministry of Finance. Lina Tori Jan is the Afghanistan Program Coordinator at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security.

This episode was hosted and developed by Alec Greven with support from Livey Beha and Fatima Murchal. Our executive producers are Livey Beha and Read Leask. To keep up with the latest episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_.

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, Mykhailo Kiktenko speaks with Manal Fouani, the UNDP Chief of Country Support and Oversight for the Regional Bureau of Arab States. In 2022, Manal served as the UNDP Resident Representative ad interim in Ukraine, where she led the organization's response during the full-scale Russian invasion.

We discuss her leadership in navigating this crisis, transitioning from sustainable development to emergency relief and resilience building. Manal shares the challenges she faced, the critical decisions she made, and the moments of inspiration that sustained her.

We also explore how emergency response can align with long-term development goals and gain insights into human resilience during conflict.

Join us for an inspiring discussion on the intersection of policy, crisis management, and human resilience.

On the eve of the first round of the 2022 presidential election in Colombia, this episode dives into some of the major political currents affecting the region. Over the past several months, leftist candidates have won the presidencies of Chile, Honduras, and Peru, and former left-wing guerilla Gustavo Petro is leading in the polls in Colombia. This episode explores what is driving these political developments, and if they represent the beginning of a long-term decisive shift toward left-wing politics across the region. Moreover, this episode investigates how the influence of the United States and China is shaping politics in the region, and what this means for global geopolitics. 

Our hosts Lucas Pombo, Ivan Chanis, and Melissa Lockett are joined by the following three distinguished guests who give their perspectives on these important questions: 1) Francisco Santos, former Vice-President of Colombia (2002-2010) and former Colombian Ambassador to the United States (2018-2020); 2) Gerardo Torres Zelaya, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras; 3) Dr. Maryhen Jiménez Morales, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the Latin American Centre, University of Oxford & the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. 

Our executive producers for this season of the Oxford Policy Pod are Livey Beha and Read Leask. To keep up with the latest on our episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

This episode discusses the challenges associated with the transition to a net-zero future in Africa. Presently, more than 600 million people across the continent lack access to electricity, and many African countries are reliant on fossil fuels for economic development. At the same time, Africa only accounts for 2-3% of global carbon emissions. This reality means that the transition to a cleaner economy may impose an acute burden on people living in Africa. 

Our host, Ujunwa Ojemeni, is joined by Professor Sir Dieter Helm of the University of Oxford and Fatma Lucy Nyambura of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative to discuss how to ensure this energy transition is inclusive and just for all Africans. 

Professor Helm is a Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford, a Fellow in Economics at New College, and an Adjunct Faculty Member at the Blavatnik School of Government. Previously, Professor Helm was a member of the Economics Advisory Group to the British Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and is the author of acclaimed books The Carbon Crunch (2012) and Natural Capital: Valuing The Planet (2016), Burn Out (2017), and Net Zero (2021), among others. 

Fatma Lucy Nyambura is a Policy Officer at the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), focusing on commodity trading and state-owned enterprises transparency. Her work entails development and implementation of policies to increase the disclosure of oil, gas, and minerals sales and purchases. Prior to joining the EITI, Nyambura worked in development consulting in Ghana, Georgia, Liberia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Nyambura is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Certified Public Secretary. 

This episode is hosted by Ujunwa Ojemeni and produced by Read Leask. Our executive producers are Livey Beha and Read Leask. To keep up with the latest on our episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

This episode discusses the challenges associated with migration and human displacement in the context of climate change, and explores policy responses available to international organisations. Given the complex interactions between climate change, conflict and displacement, many humanitarian agencies and NGOs are only just beginning to come to grips with the implications of climate change on displacement issues. 

Our host, Roshan Melwani, is joined by Dr. Nina Hall, an Assistant Professor of International Relations at John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She previously worked as a Lecturer at the Hertie School of Governance, and was a Policy Officer at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Her research focuses on international organizations, transnational advocacy, climate adaptation, and global refugee governance. Dr. Hall’s book “Displacement, Development and Climate Change”, explores how international organisations have evolved their mandates over time to incorporate climate change as an area of focus. This podcast delves into and builds on the insights offered by the book to see how our global humanitarian institutions can remain fit for purpose to respond to the challenge of climate change.  

This episode is hosted and researched by Roshan Melwani. Our executive producers are Livey Beha and Read Leask. To keep up with the latest on our episodes, follow us on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod and on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_. 

Have you ever wondered how the disastrous impacts of climate change affect national and global security? How do we, states, and international organizations respond to these and prepare for imminent challenges?  

In this first episode of our Earth Month "Climate” series, host Logan Williams and the team at the Climate Change and (In)security Project discuss the intersections of climate change and national security and the challenges that come with addressing this existential threat. From specific regional concerns in the Arctic and The Sahel to the framing of local and multilateral solutions, this episode will delve into what it means to work towards a better future amidst global rising temperatures.

Dr. Tim Clack is the Chingiz Gutseriev Fellow at the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford. He is also an Official Fellow for Environmental Change at Reuben College, Oxford. He joins the episode to discuss his research focus on responses to climate and environmental change, including conflict and migration. 

Logan is also joined by Louise Selisny, who is a Strategy Consultant with a specific interest in communications and defense. She has been engaged by a variety of organizations across the corporate and public sectors, including the UK Home Office and the UK Ministry of Defense. She has a wide range of local governance and stakeholder relations experience in Eastern Africa and Central Asia, and joins us to discuss the human security dimensions of this challenge.

This episode was hosted by Logan Williams. The executive producers for this season of OPP are Read Leask and Livey Beha. And this episode was produced by Claddagh Nic Lochlainn, Grace Miner, and Elsa Katz. To stay up to date on Season 4, be sure to subscribe to Oxford Policy Pod wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow us on Instagram @oxfordpolicypod_ and on Twitter @oxfordpolicypod.