Explore our research
Explore our recent output of research and opinion.
A voice and forum for future generations in the united nations
This policy brief outlines how a Special Envoy for Future Generations and a UN Forum on Future Generations could support countries to implement the Declaration. It suggests how these tools could work and through what process they could be created.
Implementing a declaration on future generations
This policy brief outlines what implementing a Declaration on Future Generations, annexed to the Pact for the Future to be adopted at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024 could mean in practice by identifying key policy tools.
Building back from COVID-19: Lessons learned during COVID-19 and overcoming educational inequality in the aftermath of school closures
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on education globally, with extended school closures posing significant challenges, particularly in Brazil. In this policy brief, we provide policy recommendations and evidence supporting them based on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Command and can’t control: an evaluation of centralized accountability in the public sector
High-frequency granular data can enable senior government officials to hold poorly performing members of the service delivery chain to account, however, centralised management must translate large volumes of data into appropriate management actions to be effective.
The effect of inter-municipal cooperation on social assistance programs
Decentralised administration of social assistance programs requires significant organisational capacity. In some circumstances, inter-municipal cooperation can enhance local policy implementation but impact evaluations have focused on public services that are capital-intensive, and on the effect of cooperation on service costs rather than quality.
Efficiency and resilience: How can we adjust the dial?
Following a roundtable to explore finding a better balance between efficiency and resilience, this report summarises the discussions and presents ideas to contribute to the policy discussion on shifting towards prevention and resilience.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: When (and why) independent service delivery is preferable to collaborative public management
Drawing on a notable case of collaborative failure in England we show that misdiagnosing public service problems as being of a type likely to be cured by joint working also generates poor results, and belongs conceptually prior to many “go-to” explanations of failure.
US state-level OxCGRT reports
An overview of the key policy decisions taken to manage the transmission of COVID-19 and protect public health in 12 US states using data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT).
Accounting for carbon offsets – Establishing the foundation for carbon-trading markets
Tackling climate change requires not only reducing green house gas emissions but also removing them from the atmosphere. The offset-accounting principles in this paper complement and extend the E-liability method of accounting for GHG emissions.
What would a data framework for policy responses to pandemic diseases look like?
This scoping paper discusses how information on government policy responses to pandemic diseases should be collected and analysed to build preparedness.
The Lemann Foundation Programme is a comparative research programme with an emphasis on Brazil, which generates and disseminates knowledge to improve the public sector and its associated institutions.
See how the School is responding to the climate emergency through our research and insight.
The Library of Global Public Goods was set up to share free learning resources that will enrich conversations among educational leaders in Global South countries.
Our research underpins our mission to inspire and support better government and public policy around the world.