Oliver Hauser joins the University of Cambridge’s Bennett School as Professor of Public Policy, as it expands academic capacity across new and existing public policy programmes, strengthening teaching, research, and engagement to address rapid technological and societal change.
The Bennett School for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Oliver Hauser from the University of Exeter, to join Professors Michael Kenny and Diane Coyle in the senior leadership team.
Prof. Hauser, an economist whose work focuses on behavioural science, artificial intelligence, and public policy, brings extensive experience at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and government decision-making — advising public bodies on how emerging technologies can help support growth, public value and accountability.
Alongside this leadership appointment, the School has expanded its academic staff to support research and teaching across the well-established MPhil in Public Policy, the new MPhil in Digital Policy, and the forthcoming PhD programme in Public Policy. Together, these developments reflect the School’s broad commitment to strengthening knowledge and training for the next generation of policy leaders.
Says Prof. Kenny, Head of the Bennett School of Public Policy: “These exciting appointments will not only increase our research and teaching capacity, but also strengthen our interdisciplinary approach to public policy. The addition of staff with expertise in areas like digital transformation, governance, and data-driven policymaking is key to delivering our ambition to equip students with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate current and future policy challenges.”
The Bennett School is also pleased to welcome Dr Michael Kummer from Lisbon’s Nova School of Business and Economics as an Associate Professor and Dr Christine Sheldon from the University of Birmingham as Assistant Professor. They will help lead teaching on the new MPhil in Digital Policy, which launches in October 2026. Dr Nina Jörden, already employed at the Bennett School, has been promoted to Assistant Professor and will teach on the MPhil in Public Policy. Both courses equip early-career professionals with a deeper understanding of policymaking and prepare them for leadership roles in public service.
Meanwhile, the planned PhD programme, due to launch in 2027, is expected to enhance the School’s research capacity by deepening links between academic enquiry and real-world policy challenges. Students will benefit from close engagement with academic and research staff, and be provided with opportunities to develop their skills as independent researchers and future policy leaders.
With these appointments, the Cambridge Bennett School continues to strengthen its role as a world-leading centre for public policy research, teaching and engagement.
The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy.
