This week we welcome a new cohort of 148 Master of Public Policy students, representing 59 countries across the world – including our very first students from Bahrain, Cyprus, Costa Rica, Republic of Congo and St Kitts and Nevis, expanding our MPP community to 141 nationalities. The cohort joins us with extensive and varied experience across government and public policy, ready to develop the knowledge, skills and judgement to strengthen their leadership and make a lasting impact as public service leaders. 

The Blavatnik School maintains a commitment to ensure that the best students in the world can study with us, regardless of their financial background and situation. 90% of this year’s class have received some funding to support their studies, with 76% receiving full scholarships and 14% receiving partial funding. For any prospective students, there is a wide range of support available to explore. 

The diversity of perspectives, experiences and backgrounds amongst MPP students is often cited as one of the reasons the programme is so unique, and this cohort is no exception. The class of 2026 includes: 

• A public policy professional from Armenia, who most recently served as Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister 
• An environmental justice advocate from Mongolia, who co-founded Breathe Mongolia, a nonprofit working to transform policies, narratives and sectors to clean air and protect the global climate.  
• The Senior Communications Advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, with experience across diplomacy, public policy and executive communications. 
• A human rights and youth activist from Zimbabwe  
• A former FBI Special Agent from the United States with an interest in geopolitical policy, public safety and security and international cooperation. 
• An Indigenous Dayak woman from Indonesia working at the intersection of Indigenous rights, forest conservation and public health. 
• A Colombian lawyer with experience across government, from being elected as a local councillor to working at the Colombias Ministries of Environment and Housing. 
• A Syrian humanitarian and development practitioner with over 13 years’ experience across Syria’s humanitarian response. 
• A physician from Taiwan working on digital governance, democratic resilience and decentralised technologies. 
• A Labour and Co-operative Councillor from the UK, with a focus on how ambitious governments can become effective instruments of change. 

Applications for the MPP, MSc in Public Policy Research and DPhil in Public Policy for 2027 are open until 2 December 2026. We strongly recommend submitting your application early. 

For those thinking of applying, be sure to join our Admissions Q&A on Wednesday 14 October at 1pm (BST).