For twenty years the Oxford Martin School has sought solutions to the world’s biggest challenges.

Twenty years ago Dr James Martin wanted to create an institution where cutting-edge research could find practical solutions to the major challenges facing the world. As these challenges do not respect the boundaries between academic disciplines, he sought to create an institution where leading experts from different fields could work together, often in unusual collaborations, and where they were given the time and space to focus on solutions and real-world impact. 

Today, that vision lives on in the Oxford Martin School, which has supported more than 100 pioneering programmes since its creation, influencing policy, shaping debate, and advancing practical solutions on a huge range of issues. 

From helping the world track COVID-19 variants and informing international debates on AI governance, to making data accessible to millions through Our World in Data, the School’s researchers have led work that continues to inform decisions and improve lives. 

Never has the work of the School been more needed, and the School and the University of Oxford gratefully salute James Martin’s inspiring vision and extraordinary generosity.

Professor Sir Charles Godfray, Director of the Oxford Martin School, said:

“The 20th anniversary of the Oxford Martin School occurs at a time of unprecedented geopolitical challenges and a concern that we may be moving backwards in addressing some of the most pressing global issues. Never has the work of the School been more needed, and the School and the University of Oxford gratefully salute James Martin’s inspiring vision and extraordinary generosity.” 

Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, added:

“Twenty years on, we continue to reap the benefit of James Martin's generosity and vision. The University is immensely proud of the Oxford Martin School, which supports such a diverse range of research, staying faithful to the original challenge of finding solutions to the biggest challenges of our time by working in a truly interdisciplinary manner. It is a mission that was ahead of its time, but which continues to inspire.”

This week, the School is launching four new programmes, and as it looks to the decades ahead the Oxford Martin School will continue its mission: pioneering high-risk, high-reward research, convening leading experts from a wide range of backgrounds and tackling the challenges that matter most.