Featured Blogs
Academic Leadership: Sit on the sidelines or ‘dare greatly’?
11 December 2024
As the first cohort of MSc Global Healthcare Leadership graduates, Professor Kamal Mahtani reflects on leadership's core challenge: daring to make a difference.
Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science: Giving young people a voice in research
11 February 2025
To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025, the team involved in our Young Persons Advisory Group share their reflections on building a representative and inclusive community to support the next generation.
Whose health counts? Decolonising Global Health in a digitally connected world
In April's edition of our 12-part Decolonising Global Health blog series, MSc in Applied Digital Health student and management consultant Aditi Kapadia offers a thought-provoking reflection on what it means to truly decolonise health systems in a digitally connected world. Drawing on her lived experiences in India and Australia, she challenges the dominance of Western paradigms in global health and calls for a more inclusive, pluralistic approach.
Building confidence in facilitation: Lessons from a PPI training workshop
Many researchers feel uncertain when asked to facilitate group discussions as part of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) work. In this blog, PPI Manager Polly Kerr shares her experience attending and co-delivering a facilitation training workshop aimed at helping researchers gain skills, confidence and practical tools for successful PPI sessions.
“Better ethics - better research”: Ethics and ethnographic research in NHS and social care settings
What are the ethical challenges of ethnographic research in health and care settings? Catherine Pope and Nici Mackintosh, University of Leicester, explore this question and share insights from their recent symposium – and call for more proportionate, inclusive, and practice-based approaches.
A DPhil is as much about developing yourself as a researcher as it is about your specific project: Laiba Husain, DPhil in Translational Health Sciences alumna shares her journey
Dr Laiba Husain, first ever student to complete the DPhil in Translational Health Sciences, researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and tutor in digital health on the MSc in Translational Health Sciences shares her reflections on the programme, her experiences and motivations prior to joining and her advice to people considering undertaking the DPhil.
Finding calm and connection through nature and creativity
Karen Morecroft and Charlotte Thompson-Grant share how connecting with nature supports their wellbeing – and how creative and practical actions can help us feel more grounded in the face of environmental challenges.
Seasonal fruit and vegetables!
As spring arrives, it's the perfect time to enjoy fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables, which are more nutritious, flavourful, and eco-friendly. Lia Willis, a member of the Green Impact Team, highlights the benefits of eating in-season produce and offers practical tips for incorporating it into your diet while supporting local communities and reducing your carbon footprint.
Making interdisciplinary connections: Marisha Boyd’s reflections on the MSc in Applied Digital Health and beyond
3 April 2025
Marisha Boyd reflects on her MSc in Applied Digital Health journey at Oxford so far, sharing how interdisciplinary learning, global experiences and diverse connections have shaped her academic and professional growth.
The unending war between poverty, power, and infectious disease: March’s edition of the Decolonising Global Health blog series
28 March 2025
In this third instalment of our 12-part Decolonising Global Health series, Maju Brunette joins us again as she reflects on the deep-rooted links between poverty, power and the spread of infectious diseases, focusing on tuberculosis (TB) and its disproportionate impact on marginalised communities in the Global South. Writing from Lima on World TB Day, she invites readers to consider how global health can move beyond biomedical responses to address the structural inequalities that allow diseases like TB to persist.
Reflections from an MSc in Applied Digital Health student Aditi Kapadia on the promise, potential and risks of digital health
20 March 2025
Are digital technologies the answer to modern healthcare challenges? MSc Applied Digital Health student Aditi explores nuanced answers to this question, emphasising the need for a people-centred approach, considering space, place and context.
Lessons in Confidence and Career Growth: Reflections on Katrina Turner’s Talk
Professor Katrina Turner’s talk on succeeding in academia highlighted the importance of embracing non-linear career paths, taking risks, and finding motivation in meaningful work. Ru Jia reflects on these insights, sharing how they have shaped her journey as an Early- and Mid-Career Researcher.
Celebrating Social Prescribing day: Reflecting on a year of local, national and international collaborations
To mark Social Prescribing Day 2025, Associate Professor Stephanie Tierney and Professor Kamal Mahtani reflect on activities undertaken by members of the Oxford Social Prescribing Research Network (OXSOP) in the past year.
The power of the Oxford alumni network: How MGHL connections and collaborations are reshaping global healthcare
12 March 2025
MSc in Global Healthcare Leadership (MGHL) alumni James Castro and Ryan Donnelly, together with Oxford alumna Rebecca Springer, highlight the power of the Oxford network, forging collaborations that drive innovation and improve healthcare outcomes globally.
From early life to ageing well: Advancing Women's Health through research and community initiatives
7 March 2025
This International Women's Day, we’re proud to celebrate the vital research and community projects in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences that are improving women's health at every stage of life.
‘Manufacturing consent’ in global health education and research: February’s edition of the Decolonising Global Health blog series
28 February 2025
In this second instalment of our 12-part 'Decolonising Global Health' series, we welcome back Maju Brunette to examine the complex dynamics of consent in global health education and research. The series features monthly contributions and perspectives from scholars and practitioners committed to decolonising global health.
The importance of Mental Health conversations: Building a culture of vulnerability and support
Klaudia Budniak reflects on her past experience in the corporate world, where overwork was glorified, leading her to ignore signs of burnout until her health suffered. Through changing jobs and completing Mental Health First Aid training, Klaudia learned the power of open conversations, active listening, and fostering a culture of psychological safety to support mental well-being.
Breaking Barriers in Medicine: A Journey of Resilience
6 February 2025
For Race Equality Week (3 - 9 February 2025) Phoenix Guwa, a Medical Graduate from Oxford and now a Foundation Doctor in London, shares a personal reflection on breaking barriers in medicine.
What health systems can learn from the human body: MGHL student Isra AlBastaki on resilience and leadership
6 February 2025
MSc in Global Healthcare Leadership (MGHL) student Isra AlBastaki explores what health systems can learn from the human body, drawing parallels between biological resilience and organisational agility.
World Cancer Day 2025: United By Unique
On World Cancer Day, Dr Sharon Tonner reflects on the theme 'United by Unique', sharing how the team in our Cancer Theme is navigating and addressing the need for patient centred care and inclusive, equitable research.
Introducing the 'Decolonising Global Health' 12-part blog series: Rejecting the single story
31 January 2025
MSc in Global Healthcare Leadership student Maju Brunette introduces our new 12-part blog series titled, 'Decolonising Global Health'. This series explores critical perspectives on power, equity, and transformation in global health. The first blog, 'Rejecting the single story', reflects on the impact of narratives in shaping global health and the urgent need to move beyond incomplete and inaccurate models.
Digital health meets disability health care advocacy: Alexandra Wong’s MSc story
29 January 2025
Alexandra (Zandy) Wong shares her experiences so far of the MSc in Applied Digital Health course, bridging digital health and disability health care advocacy.