Oxford Policy Pod

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Amal Ali and Isabella Notarpietro speak with Professor Alan Stein, Director of the Children and Climate Initiative and Senior Research Fellow in Global Health and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government. An expert in early childhood development with over 300 scientific journal publications, Alan has worked throughout his career with children and families facing adversity. He has made major contributions from both scientific and clinical perspectives to understanding the relationship between parents in adversity and their babies. This episode explores the intersections between climate change and children’s health. Starting with a discussion of the unique ways in which climate change impacts children, both globally and across different regions, it then examines approaches to policymaking that foreground their experiences and incorporate their voices. The conversation also explores the Children and Climate Initiative, a groundbreaking new research and policy development collaboration led by Alan. The Initiative aims to show how climate change negatively impacts children’s health outcomes, anticipate where these effects will be most severe in the future and work with policymakers to translate these insights into policy responses. We discuss how the Initiative is contributing to increasing attention to the health impacts of climate change, particularly for children, on the global stage.

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Cristian Iftodii and Ana Luiza Barbosa speak with Renato Domith Godinho, Director of the Support Mechanism of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. A Brazilian diplomat with over twenty years of experience in multilateral governance, Renato has played a leading role in shaping international development cooperation, including in the reform of the UN Committee on World Food Security and the establishment of the Biofuture Platform. He now leads the Alliance's secretariat, based at FAO headquarters in Rome, coordinating the work of more than 200 members across 103 countries.The conversation explores whether multilateralism is still capable of solving the world's most persistent problems, and what it would take to move from political commitments to real outcomes for the hundreds of millions still living in hunger and extreme poverty. We discuss the design of the Alliance, the role of Brazil and the Global South in reshaping the development agenda, and the gap between what governments promise and what they deliver.Renato also reflects on the politics of hunger as a structural choice rather than an inevitability, the strengths and limits of the current multilateral architecture, and what an Alliance built around country leadership rather than donor priorities can achieve. The discussion closes with his thoughts on what the next decade of development cooperation should prioritise, and what role rising middle powers can play in shaping it.

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Thenu Herath and Florence Guyomar speak with Hannah Ferguson, co-founder and CEO of Cheek Media Co, an Australian independent news commentary platform reshaping how people engage with politics and culture. Hannah is also the co-host of Big Small Talk and the bestselling author of Bite Back and Taboo. Her work spans journalism, law and media, with writing featured in outlets including The New York Times and The Guardian.The conversation explores how platforms are transforming political engagement and how Cheek Media bridges politics and pop culture to make public discourse more accessible. We explore the role of algorithms in shaping political engagement, the tension between engagement and quality, and the extent to which creators can push back against platform incentives. Hannah discusses the need for greater transparency and accountability in digital platforms, what effective regulation might look like, and her vision for the future of political media.Finally, the discussion turns to Hannah’s decision to run as an independent in the next federal election, including what it means to move from commenting on politics to participating in it.

🎙️ How to Finance Development and Reconstruction in Times of Crisis?In this new episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, MPP students Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii sat down with Odile Renaud-Basso at the EBRD headquarters. As the first woman to lead the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and a central figure in Europe’s economic response to the war in Ukraine, she brings a unique perspective at the intersection of finance, geopolitics, and reconstruction.In this episode, we explore the EBRD’s role in supporting Ukraine during wartime and preparing for long-term reconstruction, the Bank’s expansion into new regions, and how development finance adapts in times of crisis. We also discuss her vision for the EBRD’s future.A candid conversation on what it means to lead a multilateral bank in a world shaped by conflict and economic uncertainty. Many thanks to the EBRD team for hosting us.🎧 The episode is out now on YouTube and all major platforms!

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, students Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii have a wide-ranging discussion with Nicu Popescu — one of Europe's most influential foreign policy thinkers. The conversation explores Europe's future, its place in a shifting global order, and the big strategic questions facing the continent.Nicu Popescu is a political scientist and diplomat who served as Moldova's Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. He previously held senior roles at the European Union Institute for Security Studies and the European Council on Foreign Relations, and is the author of several widely cited works on European neighbourhood policy and conflict resolution.

In this episode, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia’s former Minister of Finance, joins Oxford Master’s students Marc Naro and Diego Peñaranda for a conversation on leadership, crisis management, and the strategy behind Indonesia’s economic rise.From navigating global financial shocks to strengthening fiscal discipline and driving long-term growth, she reflects on the hard decisions that shape a nation’s future.Recorded at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

In this episode, Marc Naro and Cristian Iftodii host Professor Paul Krugman about the future of Europe, American politics, and China's growth. Paul Krugman is an economist and college professor. In 2008, he won the Nobel Prize for his research on international trade and economic geography. Paul was a New York Times opinion writer from 2000 to 2024 and is now active on Substack.

Emiliana Vegas is one of Latin America’s leading voices in education policy. Originally from Venezuela, she studied at Harvard and went on to senior roles at the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, where—as Division Chief of Education—she managed a portfolio of over $3B a year in grants and loans. In this conversation, she reflects on what it really takes to move from evidence to systems change inside international development organisations. In this episode, Bautista Fazio discusses her new book, Let’s Change the World, and the practical lessons she draws for people working in or with multilaterals: why evidence must travel with values; how autonomy and judgment at the task-team level shape outcomes; the cultural and governance differences between the World Bank and the IDB; and what “cross-regional learning” looks like in practice. Emiliana walks through the Chile reform episode on quality assurance, the importance of co-creation with governments, and her personal “70/30 rule” for knowing when it’s time to seek a new challenge. We also reflected upon Latin America’s education journey in recent years — from the expansion of access to the enduring challenge of learning — and the opportunities that lie ahead. 

Vinod Karate is Project Director for State Reform at the Central Square Foundation where he helps drive India’s landmark NIPUN Bharat Mission to ensure every child can read, write, and count by age ten. From an early career in investment banking to shaping one of the world’s largest foundational learning reforms, Vinod’s journey bridges sharp strategy with deep community engagement. In this episode, Vinod shares how India is rethinking the very foundations of schooling and how CSF partners with states to design and scale reforms that align with India’s NIPUN Bharat goals. He unpacks CSF’s three-phase approach to state reform: strengthening teacher capacity, redesigning governance around learning outcomes, and building political and administrative coalitions, which helps make large-scale change possible.  Drawing on his experience in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, Vinod illustrates how reform really takes root on the ground. He explains how structured pedagogy, sustained teacher mentoring, and real-time data and assessment can translate policy into daily classroom practice, and how seizing windows of political alignment, unlocking budgets, and shifting decision-making from state capitals to districts ensures that change is owned and sustained at the local level. Grounded in evidence, this episode offers a clear, actionable roadmap for strengthening foundational learning and creating education systems that sustain reform and deliver lasting results for every child. 

"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 favourite beverage from home to share personal stories, career reflections, and the life that happens beyond policy. In this episode, Wynsey chats with Julia, an MPP student from Uganda, about the “why” that drives her. From overcoming challenges in accessing education to finding her voice as a young advocate, Julia speaks candidly about the experiences that shaped her journey. With honesty and heart, she reflects on her childhood, her path into advocacy, and the making of the strong woman she is today.

Possible Utopia is the podcast where we explore the intersection of politics, gender, and leadership to imagine a better world. From addressing challenges of safety and well-being in public life to uncovering the motivations that drive individuals, we look at the stories behind those shaping our societies. Together, we take on difficult questions, confront systemic barriers, and reimagine a more inclusive and just political landscape.This is not just a conversation about policy and gender; it is a journey toward possibility, a utopia we can begin building today. Let’s explore it togetherMeet our host of Possible Utopia, Kanksshi Agarwal, Founder of NETRI Foundation, India’s first incubator for women in politics, featured in LiveMint’s 100 Women Shaping India, TEDx speaker, and Cyril Shroff Scholar at University of Oxford.About the Episode with Kartik DesaiIn this episode, we welcome Kartikeya N. Desai, an investing and development finance expert and Founder of Desai & Associates.Kartik Desai, an impact investor at leading Indian funds and advisor to foundations and policymakers on blended and outcome finance, explains how capital can advance gender and climate goals.💡 The conversation includes examples from his work in gender-lens investing and outcome funding for women’s skilling, employment, and entrepreneurship, as well as blended finance facilities for women-led SMEs and efforts to overcome regulatory barriers driving systemic change in India.🎧 Listen now and discover how finance can be a force for good when applied the right way.

Nikunj Agarwal is a public policy practitioner, an Oxford MPP alumna, and currently the Strategic Stakeholder Country Lead for the What Works Hub for Global Education at the British CouncilIn this episode, he reflects on bridging the gap between evidence and policymaking, the power of listening over telling, and what it takes to make education reform work in the real world.From cost-effective solutions to collaborative system change, Nikunj shares insights from classrooms, coalitions, and policy spaces across India.He also offers a simple, thoughtful framework for anyone exploring a career in public policy.

In this episode, Madison Jennings, Glória Almeida da Silva and Famin Ahmed explore how race and ethnicity shape the experience of gender-based violence around the world.Together, they discuss the legal and systemic barriers women of color face, the narratives that silence survivors, and the grassroots and policy efforts pushing for justice. Drawing on their work in Australia, Brazil, and the U.S., the guests share personal reflections, policy insights, and bold visions for an anti-racist, decolonial approach to GBV prevention.🎧 Tune in for a powerful conversation on justice, resilience, and intersectional policymaking.