Preparing Leaders for the 21st Century

The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford trains existing and future leaders in the skills and responsibilities of government and policy.

The School was made possible thanks to the Blavatnik Family Foundation’s catalytic gift of £75 million in 2010, one of the most generous donations in the University of Oxford’s history. Designed by the architects Herzog & de Meuron, the Blavatnik School of Government’s new building was opened in 2015 and represents the value of openness, collaboration, and transparency that are key to the School’s overall mission of improving public policy.

Since 2010, the Foundation has provided additional support for the School and its students.

We are profoundly grateful to Sir Leonard Blavatnik for his visionary gift, which allowed the University to establish a school of government. The complex challenges of the twenty-first century require leaders who are equipped with the skills necessary to address them. By training current and future leaders in government and public policy, the Blavatnik School of Government plays a crucial role in helping make the world a better, safer, fairer place.”

– Professor Louise Richardson
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford

The Blavatnik School of Government’s mission is to inspire and support better public policy around the world.

The School's vision is of a world better led, better served, and better governed. It is a global school committed to improving the quality of government and public policymaking worldwide, through three routes:

Teaching current and future leaders:
The School combines deep expertise with practical skills, equipping individuals to tackle the century’s most pressing policy challenges.

Research with impact:
The School’s independent, evidence-based research addresses real life-life policy needs, from improving education to reducing corruption.

Engagement with governments and practitioners:
The School’s convening power brings people together across disciplines and sectors to share knowledge, exchange ideas and create solutions.

Reimagining Oxford’s Leadership Education

The Blavatnik School of Government is one of the University of Oxford’s newest and most vibrant departments. The School combines the academic rigor of a top-ranked university in the world with an applied, real-world focus. It draws on the full range of Oxford’s expertise, from science, computing and medicine to humanities and social science.

Since 1096 Oxford has been educating leaders from other parts of the globe. Over its history, it has educated nearly 60 heads of state and government. The School reimagines Oxford’s leadership education for the 21st century.

For the latest information on The Blavatnik School of Government, please visit www.bsg.ox.ac.uk

Exceptional People

The Blavatnik School of Government is home to world-class academics and practitioners, as well as a team of up-and-coming postdoctoral fellows, who provide the backbone of research support for the School. Students represent 50-70 different nations in any one year and range from the brightest emerging talent to senior practitioners. The School’s administrative staff is as committed to the school’s vision as the faculty and students they support. The School’s alumni are lifetime school members and support one another across borders and sectors.

Innovative Programs

The Master in Public Policy (MPP) program takes a distinctively global view of how public policy is made and implemented at local, regional, national and multinational levels. The Doctorate (DPhil) in Public Policy allows students to pursue rigorous research in a specific public policy issue. The School also delivers executive education for senior policymakers working on some of today’s toughest challenges.

Independent Research

The School’s research is proudly independent, academically rigorous and relevant to public policy. The School works with governments and practitioners to identify pressing issues and develop practical solutions. Through academic programs, courses, and workshops, The Blavatnik School of Government brings the latest research right into the classroom, and provides pathways to smart policy solutions for governments and decision-makers in business and civil society.