Oxford University’s Blatvatnik School of Government has opened to students today, welcoming 39 scholars from 17 countries.

The Blavatnik School was first announced in September 2010, following a £75 million donation from US industrialist Len Blavatnik. This donation, the largest of the university’s history, was matched with a further £25 million from the university itself.

The Blavatnik School of Government is touted as Europe’s “first major school of government” by the university. Its aim is “to develop the world’s future leaders in both the private and public sectors.” It has attracted students from across the globe, from Kenya to Kosovo and Afghanistan to the Philippines.

The students come from a diverse background of professions and fields. This includes doctors and journalists as well as those who have worked in government, law and development.

The school offers only one course, a one-year ‘Masters in Public Policy’. The course is multi-disciplinary, with core courses in aspects of science and medicine as well as law, economics, international relations, history and philosophy. “Intensive” week-long practical modules will cover skills such as communication, negotiation, budgeting and strategy.

To ensure that finance is not a barrier to study, all students have access to partial funding, with 26 of the 39 having full funding provided.

The teaching will be provided by world experts in different areas, as well as a number of former government officials. In their first week, students will be taught by South African politician Trevor Manuel, UK shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, and former UK Cabinet Secretary Lord Gus O’Donnell.

Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean of the School, commented, ‘We are excited see a diverse and exceptional group of scholars in the first class of our Master of Public Policy. To pursue the course, many are breaking from established careers in aid, medicine, engineering and journalism as well as government and international institutions.’

‘Over the next year, we will provide our students with the skills and knowledge to be exemplary and effective leaders – whatever their policy focus and wherever they work.”

A University spokeswoman played down concerns about the university’s ability to find college accomodation for students, claiming, ‘The first intake of 39 students at the Blavatnik School of Government is to be affiliated to a college and housed in the usual way.’

‘The University is committed to providing accommodation for as many students as possible, and ongoing developments such as the graduate accommodation building on the Castle Mill Site will be ready in time for the opening of the new Blavatnik School of Government building, which is due to open in 2015.’

She said that the School is planning ‘events which will be open to the wider University, providing a stimulating environment for staff and students to discuss and listen to new ideas on improved global governance and policy.’ The spokeswoman also told Cherwell that Oxford would benefit from ‘a strong and lasting connection between [the students] and Oxford.’

‘The university is committed to investing even more in postgraduate scholarships to compete with its top international peers., many of whom offer guaranteed full funding to virtually all doctoral students. This is why providing more financial support for graduates is a priority of the University’s fundraising campaign, Oxford Thinking.’

Chris Gray, OUSU Vice-President (Graduates), commented, ‘As far as we are aware, other courses have not had to reduce their student intake and the 120 new students that will be arriving this year will not have a significant impact on the experience of Oxford postgraduates as a whole.’

‘However, the Blavatnik School does raise wider questions about the recent, and much larger, expansion of graduate education at Oxford. OUSU continues to lobby the University to ensure that more of our current students are provided with housing and funding as a precondition to any further expansion.

He continued, ‘It is an area we will continue to watch with interest, though in this case we are optimistic that the flagship Public Policy course at the Blavatnik School will raise the expected standard of masters education at Oxford even higher.’

Students excited to move in to Pembroke College’s ambitious New Build are concerned that construction delays might mean they’ll be starting the term in a building site.

Pembroke Bursar John Church contacted second years moving into the site to warn them of ongoing work. Construction started in April 2011 and was to be completed by the middle of the Long Vacation.

Delays, including the wettest summer in a hundred years, have meant that “residual works” will continue up to Third Week of Michaelmas Term. Despite the setbacks, Church said that overall he is pleased, commenting “at the end of the day, a very complex and ambitious project, seven years in the making, will end up completing on budget with a very short delay.”

Pembroke’s new buildings will be connected to the main College site by a bridge, the first such structure built in Oxford since Hertford’s Bridge of Sighs in 1913. The bridge is expected to now open in Third Week, and until then students will access their rooms from the main street. The site includes a café, 4 seminar rooms, a 170-seat auditorium, and 116 new en-suite rooms, enabling the college to offer accommodation to nearly all undergraduates. John Church expressed his delight at the developments, calling them “truly transformational in every way.”

Contractors Kingerlee, who recently completed work on St Johns Kendrew Quad, are responsible for the project. Internal work will be carried out during the first few weeks of term.

JCR President David White contacted students to reassure them that, “more noisy, structural building work will be complete… at the very latest, by the start of first week.’ The Bursar added that student rooms have been prioritised for completion, so that “students taking up residence can live and work normally, even if there are residual works on going elsewhere… these minor inconveniences will soon be forgotten once everyone is enjoying the fantastic new facilities.”

Second year Nick Hilton is a “little sceptical” of such reassurance, adding “the idea that plastering and painting … won’t have an impact on students in the building is crazy.” David Butler, Rent and Accommodation officer at OUSU has stated, “Pembroke JCR may be justified in asking for compensation if the College has failed to live up to its contractual obligations or students’ legitimate expectations. OUSU, as always, stands ready to assist one of its affiliated common rooms on an important issue like this.” Cherwell has found no evidence to suggest that Pembroke has been in breach of contractual obligations with students.

The possibility of compensation was initially discussed by JCR President David White and the Bursar. Such compensation would be unprecedented and only considered if the rooms were ‘untenable’.

Pembroke’s Bursar is clear that there will be no such breach of contract, and David White has pointed out, “Nobody has yet taken residence in the New Build, and therefore any discussion on action at this stage is purely speculative.” Regarding noise or disturbance, students were reassured that, “if there’s anything you can be sure that academics will fight to protect, it’s the sanctity of silence.”

White asked students to “stay positive”, adding “the vast majority are very excited to be accommodated in the New Build, are delighted to have the opportunity to use its facilities and are simply proud to be involved with it.” Mathematician Laurence Hutton-Smith agreed, summarising “shit happens, I’m still psyched about moving in!”

The new chief of the government’s university access watchdog has suggested that Oxford and Cambridge’s separate application process could be deterring less advantaged students from applying.

Les Ebdon, who formally became head of the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) on Monday 3 September, spoke to The Times newspaper in an interview in which he set out the agenda in his new role.

Looking to challenge admissions at the most selective institutions, Ebdon made particular mention of the ancient universities and their collegiate systems of education.

He claimed that such a system “can be difficult to understand if you are not initiated into it”, adding that these concerns had been acknowledged.

“I visited both Oxford and Cambridge and they are aware of the potential barriers of the complexities their admissions system can put up,” he said.

However, Ebdon praised efforts made by both universities, particularly in promoting their state school summer schools, which have helped boost entrance prospects for attendees.

A spokesperson for Oxford University said: “It is absolutely in our interests to attract and select the brightest students, regardless of background. We take many steps to achieve this aim, including offering financial support this year for the poorest students – the most generous of any university in the country.”

Lawrence Houldsworth, a Christ Church historian and former Oxford summer school attendee, is now a committee officer for Oxford’s prolific Target Schools scheme. He told Cherwell: “I can’t understate how incredibly hard Oxford tries to dismantle the misleading stereotypes that it has accumulated over centuries.

“The college system here is, actually, what makes the experience so amazing – frankly, it should attract disadvantaged students to apply. You’re living in a uniquely small and intimate academic environment, which at the same time is a close-knit community in which you develop strong social bonds.

“Students always ask me which college to apply to. I say, remember, it doesn’t matter in the end: you’re still applying to Oxford. The college system can receive too much unnecessary fuss, and should really pose no barrier at all.”

“I am prepared to be a tough negotiator”

Professor Ebdon, a former vice-chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, was appointed in February amid divided opinion after remarks he made criticising the dominance of Oxbridge in UK university rankings.

Conservative critics accused him of ‘social engineering’ and undermining the education system.

Current statistics reveal that seven children from the wealthiest 20 per cent of households are admitted for every student admitted from the poorest 40 per cent.

Ebdon voiced his support for the use of contextual data in admissions, and will place an emphasis on visible progress and proven strategies.

He has indicated restraint in deploying OFFA’s new powers to slap on a £500,000 fine or cap fees at £6,000 for lagging institutions. However, he did not rule it out altogether if it protected students.

“If a university made a promise to students that it didn’t fulfil – promising them a certain level of bursary or scholarship which it then withdrew, or something like that – then I think without doubt it would be right to introduce a sanction.”

He insisted that he would not interfere with any admissions systems, but asserted, “Under my leadership, OFFA will expect universities to set themselves more challenging targets. 

“I don’t have difficulty in relating to the full range of universities. I am quite prepared to be a tough negotiator. I am also prepared to be a strong supporter.”

In comments to The Daily Telegraph, Ebdon pronounced the task facing Oxbridge to be “more stark” than for other universities.

OFFA approved universities’ 2013-4 access agreements in late July, including Oxford’s. 

One section states: “Oxford’s admissions process is focussed on identifying an applicant’s ability and potential… decisions will be based on academic factors, with the aim of admitting the best candidates in each subject rather than meeting predetermined quotas of students from particular backgrounds.”