The lively conversation and exchanges of students once again fill the Blavatnik School of Government as we welcome the Class of 2017. We’ve had the largest application pool ever, with applications from 109 countries, which made this year’s MPP the most selective.

Today, our new Master of Public Policy students join us from countries including Croatia, East Timor, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania. Among them are medical practitioners, civil servants and founders of NGOs: their backgrounds are highly varied, but they share the goal of improving government around the world.

In their online profiles, the students describe their public policy experience to date, as well as their objectives for the upcoming year in Oxford and beyond. These profiles are a testament to the diversity of the class, and are a useful point of reference for anyone who is interested in applying for an MPP.

Scholarships play an important part in making the course accessible, and this year six Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) Scholarships have been awarded to students from West African nations. There will also be two Public Service Scholars in the class, as well as students in receipt of Lemann Fellowships and Start-up Nation awards, amongst many others.

Over the next few days, the students will be introduced to life at the Blavatnik School with an exciting programme of events, from building tours to mindfulness sessions. This gives them the chance to get their bearings before the start of the main induction programme next week, which focuses on specific skills and knowledge needed on the course. Sessions will include advice on writing for public policy and an introduction to Economics. A particular highlight of the week is the Policy Challenge, in which students work in teams to find solutions to topical policy issues.

We wish all our students a positive and successful start to their time at the Blavatnik School.

Photo by Event Photography