The Oxford SDG Impact Lab

The Oxford SDG Impact Lab A place where ideas and people grow together and create positive change.

We deliver innovative extra-curricular masterclass programmes, enabling Oxford students to collaborate with organisations to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A very special evening in Berlin celebrating Nico Rosberg and this well-deserved recognition at the German-British Freun...
17/03/2026

A very special evening in Berlin celebrating Nico Rosberg and this well-deserved recognition at the German-British Freundship Award.

Dr Susann Stritzke joined on behalf of The Oxford SDG Impact Lab, and it was a lovely moment to reflect on the importance of building bridges across cultures, ideas and communities.

Nico’s journey from Formula 1 World Champion to entrepreneur and sustainability champion has been a real source of inspiration for our students and the wider SDG Impact Lab community. Through our collaboration with Nico and Rosberg Philanthropies, Oxford graduate students have explored projects from ocean clean-up to sustainable fan travel in F1 and carbon capture — always encouraged by Nico’s passion, enthusiasm and hands-on mentality.

We’re very grateful for this collaboration and already looking forward to the next exciting projects ahead.

Congratulations again, Nico.

📣 Call for Community Partners | Summer 2026Does your organisation have a question, challenge, or evidence gap you’d love...
09/02/2026

📣 Call for Community Partners | Summer 2026

Does your organisation have a question, challenge, or evidence gap you’d love to explore — but limited time or capacity to do the research?

The Community Impact Lab at the The Oxford SDG Impact Lab, University of Oxford is inviting charities, social enterprises, education organisations, and community groups across Oxfordshire to partner on applied research projects this summer.

🗓 29 June – 7 August 2026
🤝 Work with small teams of highly selected Oxford Laidlaw Scholars
🎓 Supported by a dedicated graduate Impact Advisor
💡 No fully formed research question needed
🔁 Open to new partners and Phase 2 projects
📊 Practical, high-quality research you can actually use
If your organisation could benefit from focused research capacity, fresh perspectives, and structured academic support, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 Apply here: https://www.sdglab.uk/news/drive-change-us-become-community-impact-lab-partner

The deadline for submission of the Expression of Interest form is 7 March 2026.

Please share with organisations and networks who might be interested!

Leadership doesn’t always announce itself. Often, it’s shaped quietly, through unfamiliar places, new responsibilities, ...
02/02/2026

Leadership doesn’t always announce itself. Often, it’s shaped quietly, through unfamiliar places, new responsibilities, and moments that stretch you beyond what feels comfortable.

For Maisie Angus (2024 Oxford Laidlaw Scholar), that came through her Leadership in Action experience in Kerala. Working alongside women’s artisan organisations, she stepped into real-world challenges that required , confidence, and care, not just theory.

“My Leadership in Action experience as a CraftHER Scholar pushed me into new and exciting directions. I worked with women's artisan organisations in Kerala, developed weekly consulting presentations, and designed a family-centred Keralan craft-kit business concept. Navigating cultural and language differences helped me grow in confidence and reshaped how I understand leadership and social enterprise.”

Maisie’s reflection speaks to a defining thread across this year’s cohort: as something learned in motion. Shaped by context, grounded in , and built through experience rather than certainty. It’s about learning with others, building trust, and growing into responsibility when there’s no ready-made path to follow.

Entering the final days for 2026 Cohort applications.
➡️ Find out more and apply: https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
⏰ Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026

We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of scholars ✨

The Oxford SDG Impact Lab | The Oxford Character Project | ODID - Oxford Department of International Development | Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford | Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford | University of Oxford

30/01/2026

💜 Research. Leadership. Community.
And the freedom to explore ideas that matter.

This film brings together voices from across the Oxford Laidlaw Scholars Programme, from scholars currently in the programme to those who have recently completed it.

You’ll hear what they’ve learned through funded research, hands-on leadership projects, and working with communities locally and globally. You’ll also hear the advice they’d offer to anyone standing where they once stood, curious, capable, and wondering what’s possible.

Not a pitch. Just lived experience.

If you’re a University of Oxford undergraduate looking for time, support, and space to grow, academically, personally, and in the real world, this is a moment to lean in.

Applications for the 2026 Cohort are closing soon.
⏰Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026
👉 Link in bio to apply

We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of scholars ✨

30/01/2026

💜 Research. Leadership. Community. And the freedom to explore ideas that matter.

This film brings together voices from across the Oxford Laidlaw Scholars Programme, from scholars currently in the programme to those who have recently completed it.

You’ll hear about what they’ve learned through funded , hands-on projects, and working with locally and globally. You’ll also hear the advice they’d offer to anyone standing where they once stood, curious, capable, and wondering what’s possible.

Not a pitch. Just lived experience.

If you’re a University of Oxford undergraduate looking for a programme that gives you time, support, and space to grow, academically, personally, and in the real world, this is a moment to lean in.

Applications for the 2026 Cohort are closing soon.
➡️ Apply here: https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
⏰ Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026

We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of scholars. ✨

Laidlaw Foundation | The Oxford SDG Impact Lab | The Oxford Character Project | ODID - Oxford Department of International Development | Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford | Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford | University of Oxford

Leadership isn’t fixed. It moves with , context, and trust.For Kaito Bremner (2024 Oxford Laidlaw Scholar), that realis...
26/01/2026

Leadership isn’t fixed. It moves with , context, and trust.

For Kaito Bremner (2024 Oxford Laidlaw Scholar), that realisation came through his Leadership in Action experience, where leadership wasn’t something one person held, but something a shared and adapted together.

“My Leadership in Action project with TRACC in Malaysia transformed how I understand teamwork and leadership. Each dive involved a new team and a different person taking the lead. I realised that leadership can be shared, adaptive, and shaped by the environment you are working in, rather than defined by a single individual.”

Kaito’s reflection captures a defining feature of the programme: learned in motion, shaped by real conditions, and grounded in , not control.

Applications for the 2026 Cohort are closing soon.
➡️ Find out more and apply: https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
⏰ Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026

Laidlaw Foundation | The Oxford SDG Impact Lab | The Oxford Character Project | ODID - Oxford Department of International Development | Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford | Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford | University of Oxford

✨ Seven reasons to become an Oxford Laidlaw Scholar.The Oxford Scholars Programme combines funded , leadership develo...
19/01/2026

✨ Seven reasons to become an Oxford Laidlaw Scholar.

The Oxford Scholars Programme combines funded , leadership development, and hands-on with communities and globally.

It’s a chance to explore what matters to you, grow as a leader, and be part of a network committed to ethical and positive change.

Applications for the 2026 Cohort are open.
➡️ Find out more and apply: https://www.sdglab.uk/progr.../laidlaw-scholarship-programme
⏰ Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026

📍 Programme Q&A
Oxford SDG Impact Lab (Albion House)
21 January 2026, 16:00–18:00 (UK)
https://www.sdglab.uk/progr.../laidlaw-scholarship-programme
Limited spaces, RSVP required

Laidlaw Foundation | The Oxford SDG Impact Lab | The Oxford Character Project | ODID - Oxford Department of International Development | Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford | Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford | University of Oxford

isn’t always about having the right answer. Sometimes it’s about asking better questions of yourself.For Luke Liang (2...
13/01/2026

isn’t always about having the right answer. Sometimes it’s about asking better questions of yourself.

For Luke Liang (2024 Oxford Laidlaw Scholar), his Leadership in Action shaped how he thinks about positionality, responsibility, and what it means to lead ethically in contexts.

“Working with the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust pushed me to reflect deeply on my own positionality and responsibilities. Supporting their work showed me that responsible leadership requires constant self-examination, honesty about your assumptions, and a willingness to adapt your approach in response to community needs.”

Luke’s reflection speaks to a core theme of the programme: leadership grounded in listening, humility, and accountability, not certainty.

Applications for the 2026 Cohort are open.
➡️ Find out more and apply: https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
⏰ Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026

📍 Programme Q&A
Oxford SDG Impact Lab (Albion House)
21 January 2026, 16:00–18:00 (UK)
https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
Limited spaces, RSVP required

Laidlaw Foundation | The Oxford SDG Impact Lab | The Oxford Character Project | ODID - Oxford Department of International Development | Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford | Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford | University of Oxford

09/01/2026

What happens when leadership learning doesn’t stop at theory?

In this short video, Professor Alexander Betts reflects on what makes the Oxford Laidlaw Scholars Programme unique: the opportunity to learn about ethical leadership and put it into practice.

Laidlaw Scholars work with partners locally and globally, connecting academic insight with real-world challenges and community collaboration. It’s an experience designed to help students think deeply about responsibility, impact, and how to use their education beyond the classroom.

🎥 Watch to hear Professor Betts on leadership in practice.

Applications for the 2026 Cohort are open.
🔗 Find out more and apply: https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
⏰ Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026

📍 Programme Q&A
Oxford SDG Impact Lab (Albion House)
21 January 2026, 16:00–18:00 (UK)
🔗 https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
Limited spaces, RSVP required



Laidlaw Foundation | The Oxford SDG Impact Lab | The Oxford Character Project | ODID - Oxford Department of International Development | Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford | Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford | University of Oxford

Some leadership lessons arrive quietly, through moments of rather than authority.For Segun Adefemi (2024 Oxford Laidla...
02/01/2026

Some leadership lessons arrive quietly, through moments of rather than authority.

For Segun Adefemi (2024 Oxford Laidlaw Scholar), one of those moments came during his first-year research project, working with primary schools to support debating and youth voice. It was there that his understanding of leadership began to shift, shaped by and shared responsibility.

“Teaching debating in primary schools changed the way I think about leadership. I learned that leadership is not independence. There were moments when I stepped back so a teammate could take the lead, and it showed me how much stronger we are when we rely on each other’s strengths.”

Olusegun’s reflection captures a core theme of the programme: is not about standing alone, but about knowing when to listen, when to support, and when to create space for others to lead.

Applications for the 2026 Cohort are open.
➡️ Find out more and apply here: https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
⏰ Deadline: 12.00 (UK) on 6 February 2026

📍 Programme Q&A
Oxford SDG Impact Lab (Albion House)
🗓 21 January 2026, 16:00–18:00 (UK)
https://www.sdglab.uk/programme/laidlaw-scholarship-programme
Limited spaces, RSVP required

Laidlaw Foundation | The Oxford SDG Impact Lab | The Oxford Character Project | ODID - Oxford Department of International Development | Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford | Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford | University of Oxford

2025: A Year in MotionIt’s been a year defined by collaboration and care, shaped by people, partnerships, and purpose, r...
31/12/2025

2025: A Year in Motion

It’s been a year defined by collaboration and care, shaped by people, partnerships, and purpose, reflecting how research, when grounded in relationships, can move beyond ideas and into lived experience.

Alongside programme delivery, The Oxford SDG Impact Lab contributed to wider conversations across climate, energy, ESG, leadership, education, and community engagement. From policy forums and convenings to publications and partnerships, our work continued to bridge research and practice, locally and globally. This year also saw the launch of our Impact Book, a tangible record of the people, projects, and partnerships behind the Lab’s work.

A major milestone was the Fellowship reaching 100 Fellows, selected from a wide range of disciplines, skills, and backgrounds. The Fellowship journey brought together the 2025 cohort, alumni, partners, and practitioners through a Masterclass series, skills sessions with the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford's Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, and applied research projects delivered with partners including MINI - BMW Group, Lenox Park Solutions, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Independent Evaluation Office, and the ZERO Founders Network.

Place-based work remained central through the Community Impact Lab and the Local Policy Lab, with Fellows working alongside community organisations, civic partners, and local authorities, including Oxfordshire County Council. Collaboration with Oxford Brookes University further strengthened this work.

Our flagship Oxford Young Sport Leaders Programme continued to grow, working with pupils from local state schools, teachers, student volunteers, academics, colleges, sports staff, and community partners. Recognition through a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Local Community Engagement reflected the collective effort behind the programme.

2025 also marked a milestone for the Oxford Laidlaw Scholars Programme, as we celebrated the graduation of our first undergraduate cohort. Alongside Leadership in Action projects across Oxfordshire and around the world, the next cohort represented University of Oxford the Laidlaw Foundation's BRAVE conference, presenting high-quality research, including work recognised by Taylor & Francis Group.

None of this happens in isolation. Our thanks go to the Fellows, Scholars, programme participants, alumni, collaborators, partners, community organisations, the wider University network, and the Lab team who made this year possible.

As we look ahead to the next chapter in 2026, we do so with gratitude, momentum, and a continued commitment to research and leadership that serves the world.

Thank you for being part of the journey.
Here’s to what comes next.
Happy New Year. ✨

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