Public Policy, Politics & Security

Advanced Parliamentary Theory and Practice

This module will introduce you to the different functions that these officials will be required to perform, and the wider concerns involved. You’ll find this module particularly useful if you are an official in legislature, especially in Westminster-model systems, whether in the single House of a unicameral legislature or either House of a bicameral equivalent.

Executive Education course

Anti-corruption and the Rule of Law

The module examines the key principles and rules in anti-corruption, situating them within the context of specific jurisdictions with distinct legal, political and social traditions. The rule of law is fundamental to a full appreciation of the importance of these rules.

Executive Education course

Approaches to Policymaking

Making policy requires the agreement and participation of many actors, such as politicians, bureaucrats, agency heads and staff, interest groups representatives, journalists, judges, local government heads, and citizen groups as well as international actors.  In this module, students are introduced to the process of making policy in this complex world.

Executive Education course

Artificial Intelligence in National Security

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a fast moving field which has a longstanding connection with national security. This course will explore developments in AI and will also reflect on the changes that AI is bringing to national security.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course

Behavioural Insights and Government Policy

This module provides you with a critical understanding of the core concepts in behavioural science, and how they are applied to public policy. You will learn how new interventions can improve the outcomes of policy quickly and cheaply. You will also be able to explain and critique the way that behavioural science has been applied across the world to improve policy.

Executive Education course

Behavioural Insights for Policy

How can you leverage the lessons from psychology and behavioural economics to improve government policy and practice? How can you redesign policies to increase people’s healthy behaviours – or their attainment in education – or much more besides? In this course, you'll go beyond merely discussing heuristics and biases. You'll delve into the practical aspects of actively driving positive change using behavioural science, guided by experts with decades of hands-on experience in making a real impact.

Executive Education course

China-West Relations: Dilemmas and Lessons

The rise of China in the Liberal International Order has caused much frenzy and uncertainty across Western civil society. China as a cultural and political entity creates anxiety in those parts of the world where liberalism has dominated for decades if not centuries. Citizens, policy-makers, and military are still catching up on their knowledge of China and cannot confidently deconstruct the complexity of a country that hosts a fifth of humanity and whose foreign interactions have been characterized by much ambiguity. This course seeks to explore those areas of ambiguity where Chinese actions are causing security dilemmas for Western citizens, administrators, policy-makers and the military and to expand knowledge on China but also to learn lessons that can be applied in other areas of foreign/security policy. To achieve this aim, the course is structured around several topics, each of which seeks to address a “dilemma” related to China, by looking at a contemporary “case-study” while leveraging on an “academic concept” to stimulate lateral thinking.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course

Climate Change and Policy

This module will teach you about climate change policymaking challenges, and how to apply climate assessment in a field of UK public policy.

Executive Education course

Communications, Media and Public Policy

This module teaches a mix of practical tools and approaches that can be employed in order to become a more effective policy communicator. It also provides a theoretical and empirical exploration of the changing power dynamics of the media and communications industry in the context of the so-called post truth era.

Executive Education course

Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of Ex-combatants

This course offers an overview of the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants in countries recovering from conflict. It outlines the concepts, definitions, and types of DDR approaches that are followed by various international, and national agencies to demobilise armed groups, and to return and reintegrate their rank and file into civilian society. The short course will also map the evolution of programmatic efforts over time, and how the various shifts have influenced DDR effectiveness. This short course incorporates a gendered focus on the reintegration of women and girl combatants; and on the age-specific needs of child soldiers. It also involves a deep engagement with the question of ex-combatant re-recruitment; and the role of ex-combatant agency in the decision to re-engage in violence. 

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course