The Event

Open to all Warwick alumni and friends, this webinar will give an insight into how our researchers are helping governments worldwide prepare for future pandemics in our Institute for Global Pandemic Planning (IGPP). The event will also celebrate our response to COVID-19 through research and education, and take a look at the University post-pandemic.

Our special guest is Lord O’Donnell, an alumnus, senior civil servant and economist, who will give his insights on the place of government in pandemic preparedness.

Our Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Stuart Croft, will explain how Warwick is adapting our learnings over the past 18 months as we work to transform our region, country and world for the collective good.

Over to you…

Part of the webinar includes a scenario-based exercise, where you will be asked to make some crucial decisions and vote through Zoom.

Imagine the year is 2031 and a new virus has been identified in several countries globally. A pandemic is on the horizon. You are a member of Government in a nation of 60 million people. What would you do?

Our IGPP experts will guide you through the scenario and invite the audience to choose the best course of action. What will you decide?

Institute for Global Pandemic Planning

By establishing an Institute for Global Pandemic Planning, the University of Warwick will combine world-class expertise to develop comprehensive solutions for global leaders struggling to respond to the health, social, economic and psychological impacts of pandemics.

Through the Institute, Warwick will rapidly mobilise an interdisciplinary response group of experts to advise governments. We will also create a robust pipeline of doctoral students to expand worldwide scientific leadership on managing pandemics.

Watch our video

Host

Professor Stuart Croft

Vice-Chancellor and President

Stuart became the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick in February 2016. He has been part of Warwick’s community since 2007 when he was Professor of International Security. Working with colleagues, Stuart is responsible for ensuring Warwick delivers excellent education and research regionally, nationally and internationally.

Our Location

The event will be streamed live from the Shard in London.

Our other webinars

Learn more about the Institute for Global Pandemic Planning by watching our Webinars. Topics so far have been on:

• Developing a Warwick Response to COVID-19
• What happens next? From exit strategies to local lockdowns, how our research is informing public health interventions.

Speakers

Lord O’Donnell (BA Economics, 1970-1973) – economist and former Cabinet Secretary. Now a life peer in the House of Lords where he sits as a cross-bencher.

Professor Mike Tildesley – infectious disease modeller and member of the UK government’s Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M).

Dr Nicole Robb – virologist who is working to understand the basic biology of RNA viruses, leading to new ways to diagnose and combat viral disease.

Professor Nick Chater – behavioural scientist on the UK government’s Climate Change Committee, who’s written a paper on what can be learned from the behavioural response to the COVID-19 crisis.