FORMER prime minister Rishi Sunak has taken on new academic roles at the University of Oxford in the UK and University of Stanford in the US – both alma maters of the Conservative party MP for Richmond and Northallerton in northern England.
Sunak, 44, has joined Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government as a member of the World Leaders Circle and a Distinguished Fellow, the university announced on Monday (20).
Meanwhile, Stanford named him the William C Edwards Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he will be working on a wide array of issues, including trans-Atlantic relations, economic policy, technology, and global security challenges.
“Both Blavatnik and Hoover do superb work on how we can rise to the economic and security challenges we face and seize the technological opportunities of our time,” Sunak said in a statement.
“I have huge affection for both Oxford and Stanford. I was fortunate enough to study at both, they shaped my life and career, and I look forward to contributing to their world-leading research in the months and years ahead,” the British Indian politician, who read Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Oxford, said.
The Blavatnik School’s World Leaders Circle is described as a global network of former heads of government, a forum to exchange ideas, foster international collaboration among leaders and enhance efforts to promote more effective governments worldwide.
“His expertise will shape our work to equip today’s public leaders around the world with the urgent skills they need to tackle evolving global challenges, as well as seizing the opportunities," Prof Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School, said.
University of Oxford chancellor-elect William Hague, Sunak’s former mentor in the Tory party, said Sunak would be a “huge asset” to the university.
“Rishi’s connection to Oxford University runs deep, and it’s great to see him coming back to his alma mater to contribute in such a meaningful way. I have no doubt his insights will inspire the next generation of leaders who are starting their journey here at Oxford," Hague said.
The University of Stanford, where Fulbright Scholar Sunak studied for an MBA and also met his wife, fellow student Akshata Murty, welcomed him as their newest Visiting Fellow at the public-policy think tank Hoover Institution.
“I look forward to contributing to the research of the Hoover Institution as it works to advance economic prosperity and international security,” he said.
Condoleezza Rice, former US secretary of state and Hoover Institution director, said the former UK prime minister holds extensive policy and global experience that will enrich the fellowship and help to define important policies moving forward.
“The US and the UK share a very special bond, and we look forward to the impact of his work on the many challenges facing democracies and the world in the years to come,” Rice said.
“Rishi Sunak’s deep knowledge of geopolitical issues and economic policy will make him an excellent addition to our Hoover fellows and to our university more broadly,” noted Jonathan Levin, president, Stanford University.
Prior to entering British politics, Sunak spent his professional career in business and finance internationally, co-founded an investment firm working with companies in multiple geographies and is also credited with helping small and entrepreneurial British companies grow.
“His deep experience in policy and politics will contribute mightily to a reform agenda on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Kevin Warsh, Shepard Family Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
The new roles in academia will run alongside Sunak’s role in the House of Commons as a Tory MP on the Opposition backbenches in Parliament.
(PTI)
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event