Oxford University Partners with Pearson

New online course on Evidence in Public Policy aims to address policy skills gap

LONDON UK (JANUARY 16, 2020) – Oxford University and Pearson today announced the launch of a new partnership, starting in Spring 2020, to offer an online Evidence in Public Policy course through the Blavatnik School of Government.

The Evidence in Public Policy course will focus on practical elements of policy-making, widening access to best-in-class approaches for civil servants so that they are able to evaluate the impact and implementation of policies in the future. The main learning outcome for the online course is to help to drive students’ careers.

Students will work through eight modules - one per week - with an independent project due at the end of the programme. This project will be based on their current role and focused on solving a real life working issue that they can take into their workplace to demonstrate knowledge gained and to potentially create immediate impact to their organisations.

Rod Bristow, President- UK and Global Online Learning at Pearson, said: “Oxford University is renowned for its research excellence. It thrives because it continues to innovate and to seek flexible learning options to meet the needs of its students. We are excited to partner with the Blavatnik School of Government to offer this online course for working civil servants who are focused on developing and enhancing the key skills they will use as they advance their careers.”

The Blavatnik School’s Dr Martin J. Williams, academic co-director of the course alongside Dr Julien Labonne, said: “All around the world, there is a clear need for better governance, and using evidence to inform policy decisions is an important part of achieving this. The Blavatnik School’s new online course will guide participants in how to gather, interpret, and apply evidence to policy-making and service delivery, so that they will be better placed to support their government, not-for-profit or public sector organisation.”

A department of the University of Oxford, the Blavatnik School of Government is a global school committed to improving the quality of government and public policymaking worldwide. The Blavatnik School combines the academic rigour of the top-ranked university in the world with an applied, real-world focus.

Pearson provides comprehensive online programme management (OPM) services and partners with more than 40 higher education institutions around the world, supporting approximately 350 undergraduate and graduate degree programmes, in addition to certificates and non-credit-bearing credentials.

According to the Pearson Global Learner Survey, online education is expected to grow significantly, with 76% of people globally saying university students will be taking online courses within 10 years.

Under this partnership, academic direction and online course content are provided by the Blavatnik School of Government, while Pearson provides research and consultancy, course design and development, student recruitment, and online hosting and delivery services.

Registrations for the course open on Monday 3 February with the first course beginning in May 2020.

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About Pearson

We are the world’s learning company with more than 24,000 employees operating in 70 countries. We combine world-class educational content and assessment, powered by services and technology, to enable more effective teaching and personalized learning at scale. We believe that wherever learning flourishes so do people.

About the Blavatnik School of Government

The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford exists to inspire and support better government and public policy around the world. Established in 2010, the Blavatnik School teaches current and future public leaders through innovative programmes, conducts independent, evidence-based research into pressing issues facing policymakers – from improving education to reducing corruption – and convenes leaders and experts across disciplines and sectors to share knowledge, exchange ideas and identify solutions. https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk

About the University of Oxford

Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the fourth year running, and at the heart of this success is our ground-breaking research and innovation.

Oxford is world-famous for research excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.