Oxford Policy Pod

Sir Paul Collier joins Cristian Iftodii (Oxford Policy Pod) and Richard Heydarian at the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford for a conversation on the new economics of development.
We talk about why the poorest countries have not caught up in the way economists once expected, what has changed in how we think about growth, the role of firms and of the state, and what Collier would tell a government that wants to get its country moving.
Paul Collier is Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and was previously Director of the Development Research Group at the World Bank. His books include The Bottom Billion, The Future of Capitalism and Left Behind.
Recorded in partnership with Deep Dive.
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How should governments adapt as artificial intelligence reshapes our economy, culture, and society? In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, students Felix Wu and Marc Naro speak with scholar and poet Aaron Maniam about how public policy can keep up with rapidly evolving AI models.
They discuss Aaron Maniam's latest documentary series, titled "Raising Expectations", as well what human values governments must safeguard and preserve as AI plays an increasingly integral role in our daily lives.

In this new episode of the Policy Pod, MPP students Marc Naro and Tara Shwani host François-Aïssa Touazi, a former diplomat who advised France's foreign minister on North Africa and the Middle East before joining Ardian, the largest private equity firm in Europe, where he now sits on the executive committee, chairs the Abu Dhabi arm and handles the firm's relationships with sovereign wealth funds.
Mr Touazi is a 2025-26 Transformational Leadership Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government and co-President of the France-GCC Business Council at MEDEF International.
Recorded at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

In this episode of the Oxford Policy Pod, Cecilia Esteche and Howard Leong sit down with Dr. Asheesh Advani, President and CEO of JA Worldwide, one of the world’s largest youth-serving nonprofits.
JA Worldwide delivers millions of learning experiences each year across more than 120 countries, helping young people develop skills in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial capability.
We explore how JA scales impact through partnerships with governments, businesses, educators, and volunteers; how it maintains an entrepreneurial culture while operating globally; and what education systems can learn from experiential, hands-on learning.
Recorded at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

In this new episode of the Policy Pod, MPP students Marc Naro and Yacine Ouahioune host John Simon, former U.S. Ambassador to the African Union and now CEO of Total Impact Capital, an impact investment firm mobilising private capital to address global development challenges.
Ambassador Simon previously held senior roles at the White House, USAID and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), working at the intersection of diplomacy, development finance and investment.
Drawing on his experience across government and finance, the conversation explores his journey from U.S. diplomacy to impact investing and the role of private capital in advancing sustainable development.
Recorded at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.