The week began with a talk from Catherine Day and Matthew Rycroft. We spoke about the 5Ps for SDGs: people, planet, peace, prosperity, partnerships, along with the future-engage-deliver leadership framework, which is something I am looking to apply to future projects.

The research methodologies and methods we had was useful in highlighting the difference between “method” and “methodology”. I also found the philosophical worldviews very interesting (who knew there were so many of them!). The session was also relevant to the literature review and methods we were working on for the project. Speaking of the literature review, our group was initially a bit lost about the direction it was supposed to go in as a large part of our project was quantitative data analysis, but after speaking to our supervisor Kristen, we managed to find a clear framework to structure our literature review.

Towards the end of the week, we had the Uncomfortable Oxford Tour. It was really insightful to gain a deeper knowledge about historical figures like Cecil Rhodes and Christopher Nolan. I believe it to be beneficial to learn about the side of Oxford that people don’t usually notice, and to continue to spark conversations that are not only centred on the glimmering bits of Oxford, but the gritty ones too. The tour is just the first step.

Our week concluded with a speech from Alex Betts. He touched upon why and how we should engage with the local community, and the organisations that are working to build a more inclusive Oxford. I’ve noticed an underlying theme we’ve had in the last few weeks: inclusivity. From the Powerhouse Games to the Town and Gown divide in Blackbird Leys and Uncomfortable Oxford Tour, all of this contributes to the importance of inclusivity across contexts, especially in the Laidlaw programme, where we are developing our skills as ethical leaders. I find all of this incredibly meaningful; the only way we can drive profound and impactful change is to listen, understand, and represent all those from different walks of life.