Best Students at the Blavatnik School of Government Podcasts (2025)

1
Governing Education: Lessons from Leading National and Global Education Systems with Jaime Saavedra 42:19

1d ago42:19

42:19

Jaime Saavedra is one of the world’s most influential education reformers. Former Minister of Education in Peru and now Director of Human Development for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank, he has led and advised some of the region’s most ambitious efforts to improve learning outcomes at scale. In this episode, he unpacks what it rea…

1
Something's Brewing with Nami and Kenneth 1:15:34

5d ago1:15:34

1:15:34

"Something’s Brewing" is a laid-back podcast hosted by MPP student Wynsey, where conversations flow freely—just like the drinks. In each episode, a member of the Blavatnik School community joins over a favorite beverage from home to share personal stories, career reflections, and the life that happens beyond policy. In this episode, Wynsey sits dow…

1
What can public policy learn from literature?: A conversation with Colombian novelist Juan Gabriel Vásquez 42:35

13d ago42:35

42:35

Juan Gabriel Vásquez has a central preoccupation: the past —a theme that has shaped much of his fiction. His latest novel, Los nombres de Feliza, published in January, explores the life of Colombian sculptor Feliza Bursztyn, who was politically persecuted and forced into exile during the Cold War. In this episode of Oxford Policy Pod, the acclaimed…

1
A Direct Take on Democracy’s Biggest Challenges with Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo 51:51

2M ago51:51

51:51

Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo is one of Spain’s most prominent political voices. A historian and journalist, she is a Member of the Spanish Parliament and a staunch advocate for democracy, freedom, and constitutionalism. Educated at Oxford, where she studied under Sir John H. Elliott, she transitioned from academia to journalism at El Mundo before ste…

1
Sacrifice Zones: The Price of Progress? 25:01

2M ago25:01

25:01

🎙️🌎 Sacrifice Zones: The Price of Progress? In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, we sit down with legal scholar Iza Linazasoro to uncover the harsh realities of sacrifice zones—communities forced to bear the cost of industrial development at the expense of their health and environment. Featuring the Quintero Bay case in Chile, Linazasoro h…

1
The challenges of freedom of expression in times of democratic crisis with Martin Baron 36:30

3M ago36:30

36:30

Martin Baron led two of the world's most important newsrooms, those of The Boston Globe and The Washington Post. He was at the former when the newspaper exposed the network of cover-ups of pedophile Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Boston. At the latter, he was present during the Edward Snowden leaks about the National Security Agency (NSA)'s…

1
Possible Utopia - Gendered View of Politics 36:01

3M ago36:01

36:01

Releasing Possible Utopia – the podcast where we explore the intersection of politics, gender, and leadership to imagine a better world. From navigating challenges of safety and well-being in public life to uncovering the motivations that drive them, we’ll delve into the stories behind the individuals shaping our societies. Together, we’ll tackle t…

1
Something's Brewing with Juan Pablo 47:15

3M ago47:15

47:15

"Something's Brewing" is a relaxed podcast series hosted by MPP student Wynsey. Each episode features a guest from the Blavatnik School of Government, sharing candid stories about their journey, experiences, and life beyond policy—all over a favorite drink from their home. In this episode, we hear about the life of Juan Pablo, a fellow MPP candidat…

1
From Science to Government: Leading Climate Action with Minister Maisa Rojas 53:07

3M ago53:07

53:07

🌍🎙️ How does a world-renowned climate scientist become a leading environmental policymaker? In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, we sit down with Chile's Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, to explore her journey from Oxford's labs to global climate negotiations. 👩‍🔬From Lead Author of IPCC's Assessment Reports researching paleoclima…

1
What are the threats to Democracy? Global Report on Democracy 40:14

4M ago40:14

40:14

What are the threats to Democracy? In this episode, Helen Orjuela and Marie Vanolli are joined by Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, to discuss the global state of democracy. Together, they explore critical issues, including the erosion of freedoms like press and expressi…

1
Something's Brewing with Binka 53:56

4M ago53:56

53:56

"Something's Brewing" is a relaxed podcast series hosted by MPP student Wynsey. Each episode features a guest from the Blavatnik School of Government, sharing candid stories about their journey, experiences, and life beyond policy—all over a favorite drink from their home. In this episode, we hear about the life of Binka, a fellow MPP candidate fro…

1
The Human Side of Policy-Making with Marcos Peña and Francisco Sánchez Moreno 47:28

4M ago47:28

47:28

What does it mean to lead in the field of public policy? How do leaders navigate uncertainty and social pressures when making key decisions In this inaugural episode, we sit down with two special guests—Marcos Peña, Former Chief of Staff of Argentina (2015-2019), and Francisco Sánchez Moreno, a leadership expert with extensive experience in the pub…

1
The Mexican Judicial Overhaul: resisting democratic backsliding 30:38

7M ago30:38

30:38

Mexico is undergoing a constitutional and institutional crisis that is eroding its already fragile democracy. This is due to a recently approved constitutional reform that jeopardises checks and balances, the division of powers, the rule of law, judicial independence and democracy itself. (For more context of this reform, please read this article b…

1
John Roome on Global Development, Leadership, Climate Action, and Public Service 1:04:20

8M ago1:04:20

1:04:20

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, MPP student and Australian Rhodes Scholar Tahlia Smith sits down with John Roome, who recently retired after a distinguished 35-year career at the World Bank. A fellow Oxford alum, John reflects on how his time at Oxford and the Rhodes Scholarship shaped his path to international public service and lead…

1
Navigating Djibouti’s Future: Youth Empowerment, Diplomacy, and Development with Haibado Abdoulkader Yacin 1:11:57

8M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Podcast, host Nick Fabbri sits down with Haibado Abdoulkader Yacin, a Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholar and Master of Public Policy student at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government. Haibado, a dedicated public servant from Djibouti, shares her incredible personal story and journey from Djibouti, in the Horn o…

1
Gargi Sharma Goel on Economic Policy, India, and her Journey at Oxford 50:02

9M ago50:02

50:02

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. *…

1
Christian Meyer on Economics, Behavioural Science, and Technology as tools for Positive Impacts on Livelihoods and the Labour Market 46:36

9M ago46:36

46:36

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 Glo…

1
Tony Abbott on Service, Politics, Democracy, and Australia 53:36

10M ago53:36

53:36

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 Go…

1
Adenike Adeyemi on the interplay between Entrepreneurship, Policymaking, Nonprofits, and Artificial intelligence in driving Economic Development 39:32

10M ago39:32

39:32

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 sp…

1
Jupneet Singh on Public Service, Healthcare, Leadership, and Kindness 40:15

10M ago40:15

40:15

This episode features Jupneet Singh, an MPP student, Rhodes Scholar, and 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force. It covers: Jupeet’s personal story before coming to Oxford, including her time at MIT and volunteering at high school Jupneet’s Sikh heritage and culture Joining the US Air Force and Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) while at universit…

1
Anushka Jadhav and Rafaela Viana on the 2024 Education World Forum and Education Policy 42:21

10M ago42:21

42:21

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…

1
Navigating the Unthinkable: Manal Fouani on UNDP's Mission in Ukraine During the Russian Invasion 1:01:52

11M ago1:01:52

1:01:52

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 discus…

1
Anindita Sita Dewi shares her MPP journey and welcomes the 2024/25 Class 27:45

11M ago27:45

27:45

Anindita (Dita) is a member of the 2023/24 MPP Cohort . In this episode, host Oluwatamilore Oni and Dita discuss: Dita's experience at the Central Bank of Indonesia and how her experiences during the MPP have influenced her new perspectives on life, work and policy How to prioritise activities and times in the swirl of Oxford Dita's top tips for in…

1
A Life in International Law: a Conversation with Dapo Akande 45:37

11M ago45:37

45:37

In this episode, Erik Kucherenko speaks with Professor Dapo Akande, Oxford Chichele Professor of Public International Law, Co-Director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, a Member of the UN International Law Commission. We discuss how the International Law Commission functions behind the scenes, how Professor Akande prepares…

1
Policy Matters: Getting results for Edo State with His Excellency Governor Obaseki 26:09

12M ago26:09

26:09

His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki of Nigeria’s Edo State joins MPP student Mobayo Oguntunde to discuss the policy and politics behind some of his signature achievements, creating an environment for results and how Nigeria might address some emerging policy challenges.By Students at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Students At The Blavatnik School Of Government Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Oxford Policy Pod

Students at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University

1
Governing Education: Lessons from Leading National and Global Education Systems with Jaime Saavedra 42:19

1
Something's Brewing with Nami and Kenneth 1:15:34

1
What can public policy learn from literature?: A conversation with Colombian novelist Juan Gabriel Vásquez 42:35

1
A Direct Take on Democracy’s Biggest Challenges with Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo 51:51

1
Sacrifice Zones: The Price of Progress? 25:01

1
The challenges of freedom of expression in times of democratic crisis with Martin Baron 36:30

1
Possible Utopia - Gendered View of Politics 36:01

1
Something's Brewing with Juan Pablo 47:15

1
From Science to Government: Leading Climate Action with Minister Maisa Rojas 53:07

1
What are the threats to Democracy? Global Report on Democracy 40:14

1
Something's Brewing with Binka 53:56

1
The Human Side of Policy-Making with Marcos Peña and Francisco Sánchez Moreno 47:28

1
The Mexican Judicial Overhaul: resisting democratic backsliding 30:38

1
John Roome on Global Development, Leadership, Climate Action, and Public Service 1:04:20

1
Navigating Djibouti’s Future: Youth Empowerment, Diplomacy, and Development with Haibado Abdoulkader Yacin 1:11:57

1
Gargi Sharma Goel on Economic Policy, India, and her Journey at Oxford 50:02

1
Christian Meyer on Economics, Behavioural Science, and Technology as tools for Positive Impacts on Livelihoods and the Labour Market 46:36

1
Tony Abbott on Service, Politics, Democracy, and Australia 53:36

1
Adenike Adeyemi on the interplay between Entrepreneurship, Policymaking, Nonprofits, and Artificial intelligence in driving Economic Development 39:32

1
Jupneet Singh on Public Service, Healthcare, Leadership, and Kindness 40:15

1
Anushka Jadhav and Rafaela Viana on the 2024 Education World Forum and Education Policy 42:21

1
Navigating the Unthinkable: Manal Fouani on UNDP's Mission in Ukraine During the Russian Invasion 1:01:52

1
Anindita Sita Dewi shares her MPP journey and welcomes the 2024/25 Class 27:45

1
A Life in International Law: a Conversation with Dapo Akande 45:37

1
Policy Matters: Getting results for Edo State with His Excellency Governor Obaseki 26:09