Rhodes Policy Summit 2023

"What we can do today looks completely different from what we could do 10 years ago."

- Sir John Bell, (Alberta & Magdalen 1975) Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford

Forum Highlights

Breaking the cycle of panic to neglect with an Always On approach. Some of the most influential voices in global health discussed how we can use the lessons of COVID-19 to bolster our defences against future pandemic threats. With public and political interest in preparedness at risk, the inaugural Rhodes Policy Summit asked how can we ensure we have equitable and practical measures in place to prepare us for the next global health crisis.

How can we prevent the next pandemic?

Having just lived through a pandemic is no guarantee that we won’t face another similar crisis. The inaugural Rhodes policy summit aimed to bring together leading experts from around the world to consider what we should do to identify and prevent pandemics before they occur.

For the Rhodes Trust, a philanthropic organisation committed to investing in lifelong fellowships of people committed to tackling the world’s great challenges, this inaugural Policy Summit was an opportunity to ignite the power of convening across traditional boundaries and to drive collaboration for impact.

Read Impact Report

Over half of the UK think politicians aren’t taking the threat of the next pandemic seriously, new poll finds

An image of two surgical facemasks laid out on a table

The majority of the UK public is concerned that British politicians aren’t doing enough to prepare for the next pandemic, polling data from the Rhodes Trust and YouGov released today shows.

Helene-Mari Van Der Westhuizen presented the results of the summit to the UK Independent SAGE committee on 28 April 2023.

Summit Handbook

See the list of speakers and sessions

Impact

Videos

Keynote addresses from Sir John Bell and Tony Blair can be found below. The full list of recordings is on YouTube.

Welcome from Professor Sir John Bell

Welcome and introduction to the ‘Always On’ agenda for the summit from Professor Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford and Chair of the Rhodes Trustees.

Geopolitics and the COVID-19 pandemic response with Tony Blair

Tony Blair (Executive Chairman, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and Former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) talks about Geopolitics and the COVID-19 pandemic response: How do we keep political attention and drive action on the Pandemic Prevention agenda?

Supporting Public Trust in Science and Pandemic Policy Delivery

Misinformation and mistrust in pandemic prevention policies played a major role in whether preventative measures for COVID-19 were used. In this session we will discuss the roots of mistrust in pandemic prevention policy and interventions and mechanisms for earning the trust of communities in the scientific process. We will also develop actionable steps to ensure we are better prepared to communicate effectively about future health risks.