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Higher Education

Higher Education
January 15, 2026
Why Aren’t We Using AI to Advance Justice?

Time contributors Amal Clooney and Philippa Webb highlight a widening global justice gap—where women’s rights often exist “only on paper” and underserved communities lack legal support—and argue that artificial intelligence could be a force for inclusion if governed responsibly. Drawing on their work co-founding the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice with the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University and the Clooney Foundation for Justice, they describe AI-powered tools that help women in Malawi understand their rights and connect to pro bono lawyers, assist threatened journalists with real-time legal support, and accelerate legal processes like protection orders in ways that make legal systems more accessible and humane. Webb and Clooney also underscore the need to pair innovation with safeguards, tracking AI’s use in courts and training judges to ensure fairness. The Blavatnik School plays a central role in shaping this work by combining research, policy engagement, and convening power to guide how new technologies serve the public good.

Higher Education
December 2, 2025
St Paul’s Church Acquired for Blavatnik School of Government

The University of Oxford has acquired St Paul’s Church in Jericho, Oxford, for the Blavatnik School of Government, helping to ensure this important local building can be protected for the years ahead. This has been made possible by the generosity of the School’s founding donor, Sir Leonard Blavatnik. Ngaire Woods, Dean of the School, said: "The University has a strong record of investing in high-quality spaces for both the academic community and the wider public. We are proud of our new neighbour, the recently opened Schwarzman Centre, which has already created an exceptional new public and cultural space for Oxford in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter. In the same spirit, we are committed to bringing St Paul's back into safe and usable condition to then determine how the building can best further the mission of the School and the wider community. We are immensely grateful to Sir Leonard Blavatnik for the extraordinary vision he has shown in supporting the School’s values and ambitions."

Higher Education
December 1, 2025
Blavatnik School of Government Building Marks Ten Years of Architectural Innovation

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Blavatnik School of Government’s building, since its opening. Created by architects Herzog & de Meuron, the building won a 2016 RIBA National Award as a “modern cathedral of learning” and was formally opened by HRH The Prince of Wales. “We wanted a building that would bring people together around a central heart and express the values of openness, transparency and collaboration,” said Professor Ngaire Woods, the School’s founding Dean. “This building, made possible by the vision and generosity of Sir Leonard Blavatnik, is as resolutely modern as our approach to solving some of the toughest governance challenges in the world.”

Higher Education
December 1, 2025
New Scholarship for Greek Students Announced

A new scholarship for Greek citizens to study at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government was announced today. The Blavatnik Scholarship for Greece will enable future public leaders from Greece to study the Master of Public Policy (MPP) course, a one-year immersive graduate degree designed for those who want to make a positive impact on society through their community, country, or region. The scholarship will cover both course fees and living expenses. Speaking at the School today, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “I am delighted that this scholarship will be available for public leaders in Greece. Blavatnik School students are passionate about public service. It will be a difficult choice between many talented candidates who will want to strengthen their skills at this prestigious institution.”

Higher Education
November 18, 2025
USC School of Cinematic Arts Begins Planning for Construction of AI-Powered Production Studio

USC is betting big on the future of filmmaking, with planning now underway for a new $25 million virtual production studio. Funded by a donation from the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the new Blavatnik Center for Virtual Production will use camera tracking and artificial intelligence to generate immersive scenes for filming. Set to open in Fall 2027, the studio will allow students to film live action scenes in front of two massive LED panel walls, using advanced camera tracking and AI to create a moving immersive background, School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) Dean Elizabeth Daley stated in a press release shared in June announcing the project. The center will be built next to the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, near campus at 3131 S Figueroa St. However, budget details and final blueprints are still in development, according to an email from SCA Associate Dean Kristin Borella.

Higher Education
October 27, 2025
Billboard’s 2025 Top Music Business Schools

Highlighting the colleges and universities providing the next generation of executives — and artists — with the skills to achieve music industry success. The Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University equips students with skills and experience for nonperforming careers in the music industry, with a focus on developing social justice leaders, industry trailblazers and global game-changers. Students have access to executives, resources and opportunities. During the last academic year, the program welcomed more than 50 executives and artists to campus, including Grammy winners Poo Bear and Ne-Yo. Executives including RIAA senior vp Tom Clees and The Kelly Clarkson Show talent booker Christopher McDonald lent their expertise.

Higher Education
October 23, 2025
300/Atlantic Records Leaders Join Howard University’s Warner Music/Blavatnik Center

Rayna Bass and Selim Bouab have been appointed executives-in-residence at the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The pair are the co-presidents of 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records Hip-Hop, R&B and Global Music. Bass and Bouab’s appointment is in keeping with the center’s goal to connect Howard University’s students with top executives in the global music industry. The program provides one-on-one mentorship, master classes and practical insights about executive leadership, creativity and the future of the business. “Howard University, together with the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business, has a strong legacy of cultivating bold, creative leaders,” said Bass and Bouab in a joint statement. “That mission aligns with what we do at our label, and we’re excited to share our experiences and help raise up the next generation of music business innovators.”

Higher Education
October 6, 2025
Blavatnik School of Government and Clooney Foundation for Justice Unite to Harness AI for Global Justice

The Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University and the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) today launched the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, the first global initiative dedicated to harnessing the power of AI for justice. Until now, no coordinated global effort has been dedicated to applying this century’s vast technological advancements to the field of international justice. The Institute brings together the Blavatnik School’s global convening power and leading research acumen with CFJ's unique track record providing free legal support in defense of free speech and women’s rights around the globe. In an event today at the Blavatnik School, renowned international law experts and Institute Co-Founders Amal Clooney and Philippa Webb outlined the Institute’s three focus areas: harnessing artificial intelligence to advance access to justice, promoting accountability for unlawful cyber operations and protecting human rights in trials in the digital age.

Higher Education
September 8, 2025
Alumnus Appointed Junior Minister in UK Government

Keir Mather, who completed his Master of Public Policy degree in 2021 at The Blavatnik School of Government, has been appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the UK Government's Department for Transport, making him the youngest junior minister in modern times. He takes up the post after serving as an Assistant Government Whip since July 2024.

Higher Education
August 19, 2025
Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government Features Exclusive Interview with H.E. Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of UNESCO’s 42nd General Conference

The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford has published an exclusive interview with H.E. Ambassador Simona-Mirela Miculescu, the President of the 42nd session of UNESCO’s General Conference, conducted by Shoaib Rizvi, MPP alumnus and Canadian social innovator. In this wide-ranging discussion, Ambassador Miculescu reflects on UNESCO’s mission in an era of rising global polarisation, conflict, and instability.

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The Blavatnik Archive is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving and disseminating materials that contribute to the study of 20th-century Jewish and world history, with a special emphasis on World War I, World War II, and Soviet Russia.

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