The event was attended by programme staff, current students, alumni and international partners, with attendees joining in Bristol and from around the world.

The Public Policy programme launched in 2003 with just 10 students. This year there are over 150 students enrolled on the course. The programme team has also developed international partnerships with Seoul National University in South Korea, Beihang University in China, and Thammasat University in Thailand. 

It has seen more than 1,000 students from around the world graduate and go on to successful careers in government and policy making. 

With keynote speaker Professor Helen Margetts, from the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, our anniversary celebration focused on the evolving landscape of policy making and key challenges in the future that it will have to evolve to meet, with a particular focus on AI and technology governance.

This was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Professor Gabriel Siles-Brügge and featuring academics Professor Alex Marsh and Dr Noemi Lendvai-Bainton as well as alumni from the programme, Sarbani Banerjee and Juan Alejo Peirano.

The panel presented on issues ranging from housing policy, the rise of populism across the world, the sorts of skills digital era policy makers need, and AI governance decision making forums being led by the UN.

The speakers and panel all emphasised what a key role programmes like the MSc Public Policy play in preparing the policy makers of the future.

The panel roundtable was followed by some challenging questions from the floor and some lively discussion before the event concluded with a more informal gathering over lunch and drinks.

A huge thank you to speaker Professor Margetts, to our panellists and all those who attended to make it such a lively and enjoyable event!