Oxford Policy Pod Students at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University

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 for pleadings in the International Court of Justice, and how one of the biggest international law blogs (the European Journal of International Law) works from the inside.
We also explore the latest trends in the development of international law, discussing in detail Professor Akande's opinion on the attempts to confiscate Russian sovereign assets and establish an ad hoc international criminal tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
Professor Akande also shares his current academic interests and how they evolved over time.

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 policyHow to prioritise activities and times in the swirl of OxfordDita's top tips for incoming students to maximise their time at the Blavatnik School and University of Oxford more broadly
Dita really wanted to focus on sharing insights and tips to ease the incoming students’ transition. We hope it will be helpful for all those preparing to begin their MPP journey!

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.

Lord Christopher Patten is the Chancellor of the University of Oxford, having served in the role since 2003. Lord Patten was the 28th and final British Governor of Hong Kong, who oversaw its handover to the People's Republic of China in 1997, symbolically marking the end of the British Empire. Lord Patten was also a Conservative Member of the UK Parliament from 1979-1992, where, as Conservative Party Chairman from 1990-1992, he was credited with architecting the election of the Major Government.
In this episode, Nick Fabbri speaks with Lord Patten about:
His lifelong relationship with Oxford UniversityThe state of higher education in the United Kingdom - including freedom of speech on campus and the rise of cancelThe Israel-Hamas war, and the University of Oxford's response to recent student protests and demands, and his work with Medical Aid for PalestiniansLord Patten’s Governorship of Hong Kong and the 1997 handoverThe current political situation in Hong Kong and the erosion of civil and political rights, and hope for Hong Kong's futureThe rise of China and its increasing authoritarianismReflections on the recent 14 years of Tory rule in Britain, andThe future of right of centre political movements in the United Kingdom

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 groundsEducational access and equityDamien's current DPhil research on the abolition of tenure at British universities and the impact on research outcomes and long term institutional performanceThe history of universities as institutions from their earliest roots in Bologna and OxfordIntellectual freedom and the ideal conditions for free inquirySir Keith Joseph and the economic and philosophical foundations of the Thatcher administration The corporatization of universities and modern employment conditions for academics