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Citi GPS: Global Perspectives & Solutions February 2015
About the Oxford Martin School
The Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford is a world-leading centre of
pioneering interdisciplinary research on the major challenges facing humanity.
No other university or institution hosts a research body like the Oxford Martin
School. Our community of more than 300 researchers, from Oxford and beyond, is
working to address the most pressing global challenges and opportunities of the
21st century. The great challenges of our time share one feature. They cannot be
understood and tackled by any one academic field alone. This common factor
makes these challenges difficult for individuals, businesses, governments and
societies to address. Each Oxford Martin School research programme brings
together academics from different disciplines to provide fresh perspectives on
complex global issues. These include the future of the global financial system,
cybersecurity, demographic change, the future of food and farming, the implications
and mitigation of climate change, and the applications of innovation in
healthcare. The unifying criteria for membership of the School are that, to qualify
for its support, research must be of the highest academic calibre; must tackle issues
of a global scale; could not have been undertaken without the School’s support; and
must have a real impact beyond academia.
The School was founded in 2005. It was made possible through the vision and
generosity of Dr James Martin (1933-2013). Dr Martin believed that this century,
and specifically the next two decades, will be a crucial turning point for humanity. He
understood that we now have the power to destroy possibilities for future
generations but, equally, we have the potential to improve dramatically the
wellbeing of people across the planet. It is this combination of urgency and
optimism that characterises all the work at the Oxford Martin School.
Oxford Martin School faculty have demonstrated a strong record in informing
thinking on significant global policy issues, focusing on critical gaps where the
School’s innovative research and interdisciplinary ethos are uniquely placed to
influence decision making. At the global level, the School’s experts are engaged
with numerous international agencies and activities, advise multinational businesses
and are involved in policy formulation in over twenty countries. They have helped
develop alternatives to tackling climate change beyond the Kyoto Protocol; provided
advice to the World Health Organization on understanding and combating
dangerous global pandemics; and contributed to new rules to improve global
financial stability. In the United Kingdom, Oxford Martin School academics regularly
provide expert testimony to parliamentary hearings and have been advising the
Prime Minister and cabinet members on strategic science and technology policy
issues. The Oxford Martin School regularly works in partnership with governments,
the private sector, think tanks and inter-governmental and non-governmental
organisations.
For further information, please visit the Oxford Martin School website:
www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk
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