Cambridge make it eight wins in a row in the Women's Boat Race and claim a third successive victory in the Men's Boat Race. Crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge returned to the famous Championship Course on Sunday 13 April 2025 for a sporting event that boasts nearly 200 years of competition.A great afternoon on the river with all crews making their universities proudVice-Chancellor, Professor Irene…
In briefli]:su-m-0">Improved tools and processes are in the works to ease logistics for Stanford travelers.The new Stanford Travel program offers more flexible booking options.The Stanford Travel Connect portal lets users sync airline accounts and book travel directly.A new visitor travel reimbursement process reduces payment processing time.New technology and streamlined administrative procedures are making travel – from field research in remote areas to collaborations in specialized labs – and the related…
In a paper published today in Nature Genetics, scientists at the University of Cambridge and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre analysed the full DNA sequence of 4,775 tumours from seven types of cancer. They used that data from Genomics England’s 100,000 Genomes Project to create an algorithm capable of identifying tumours with faults in their DNA that makes them easier to treat.The algorithm, called PRRDetect, could one day help doctors…
A few years back, we put together a playlist for inclusivity to play in the office and it quickly became one of our most popular blogs, proving that something as simple as music can strike a big chord (pun intended) as people find solidarity in it. So we thought, why not do it again? April is Diversity Month, and while the calendars are packed with initiatives, trainings, and panel discussions,…
Neocolonialism is the main means by which Africa is dominated by its former metropolises and other Western countries. By supporting African countries’ struggle against modern neocolonialism, Moscow is returning to the traditions of international solidarity it inherited from the Soviet era, which in some respects were established during an earlier stage of Russian history. Neocolonialism is the main, although not the only form of Western domination in Africa. Not all…
In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing’s Rochelle Toplensky chats with Karthik Ramanna, professor of business and public policy at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, about his new book, The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World (Harvard Business Review Press, Fall 2024). Ramanna provides a new framework for how to sustainably manage during the “era of outrage” built on fear, lack…
Many CIOs lack the bandwidth and authority to solve the tough cultural and organizational change challenges that can block AI success. It’s time for an expanded leadership role. Faisal Hoque, Thomas H. Davenport, and Erik Nelson April 09, 2025 Reading Time: 11 min Andrew Baker/Ikon Images Summary: Artificial intelligence is changing how humans and machines work together. But most organizations still focus on the technical aspect of AI implementation because…
As the Trump Administration’s tariffs are now in effect, owners, developers, and contractors managing pending construction projects face questions about who is ultimately responsible for impacts (both time and cost) resulting from those tariffs. Those negotiating contracts for upcoming projects face the predicament of allocating this future risk of material price increases and delays flowing from the new tariff regime. Despite recent legal challenges to the tariff regime,[1] the enforceability…
Quick Hits The California Civil Rights Department finalized modified regulations for employers’ use of AI and automated decision-making systems. The regulations confirm that the use of such technology to make employment decisions may violate the state’s anti-discrimination laws and clarify limits on such technology, including in conducting criminal background checks and medical/psychological inquiries. On March 21, 2025, the Civil Rights Council, a branch of the California Civil Rights Department (CRD),…
With President Trump imposing tariffs on Canadian goods, many employers are asking about their obligations in the event of an economic downturn, with the potential for layoffs or mass terminations. The Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the ESA) layoff and mass termination provisions can be technical and complex. It is important to understand and comply with the rules and obligations under the ESA to avoid potential increased and unexpected liabilities. ESA temporary…
In recent years, human-operated cyberattacks have undergone a dramatic transformation. These attacks, once characterized by sporadic and opportunistic attacks, have evolved into highly sophisticated, targeted campaigns aimed at causing maximum damage to organizations, with the average cost of a ransomware attack reaching $9.36 million in 2024.1 A key catalyst to this evolution is the rise of ransomware as a primary tool for financial extortion—an approach that hinges on crippling an…
Recently I was talking with Harish Mohan, president of Narvar* and former Battery executive-in-residence about the rise of AI agents. We riffed that it seems at many B2B vendor websites we visit, we’re met with the companies’ AI agent—Jack, or Missy or Sam. We both find these agents great. They collect all the necessary information from visitors like questions about the product, use cases, pricing, competitors and so on. While…
There are two different logics that we bring into our job search. One tells us to use our social ties, and the other tells us that using those ties would constitute an unearned advantage, so we have an icky feeling about it. Everyone knows relationships can go a long way in a job search: a family member or a former colleague puts in a call, and your CV makes it…
In this episode of The Committed Innovator, restaurateur John McDonald, the founder and CEO of Mercer Street Hospitality, speaks with McKinsey senior partner and innovation leader Erik Roth about maintaining success and equilibrium in the notoriously difficult hospitality industry. This is an edited transcript of their conversation. For more discussions on the strategy issues that matter, follow the series on your preferred podcast platform. Erik Roth, McKinsey: Why did you…
This year during spring break, junior Yana Kim and some of her classmates traveled to Miami. Not for the sunny Florida beaches, but to learn how the city is planning for the impacts of climate change.“We studied the effects of rising sea levels on the communities in Miami, and specifically how that’s going to affect the city’s land use and planning and residents’ access to affordable housing,” she said.Kim is…
The Automotive Sector continues to grapple with the impact of tariffs and in particular with the sector specific tariff measures, marking another turning point in the ongoing tariff landscape affecting the sector in North America and globally. On March 26, 2025, the U.S. president issued Proclamation 10908 to impose an additional 25% tariff on imports of passenger vehicles, light trucks, and certain automobile parts into the United States. The new 25%…
By Algernon Percy | 08 Apr, 2025 The outlook for interest rates Bond yields around the world are diverging. Looking at the returns from bond markets over the last three months (+0.5% from gilts, and +1.5% from the global market broadly, in sterling terms), one could be forgiven for thinking it was an uneventful quarter. However, there was considerable diversity between different countries, with Japanese yields going relentlessly up as…
People want food delivered to their homes, and they want it nowArne Gast: To kick us off, please tell us a little bit about your business, and how it has evolved since you founded the company in 2000. Jitse Groen: It all started in my attic. We began operating in the Netherlands with Thuisbezorgd.nl, an online food delivery platform. The business grew rapidly, and we rebranded it as Takeaway.com in…
On April 8, 2025, the Valdai Discussion Club hosted a presentation of the report titled “The Evolution of the BRICS Value Platform.” The discussion was moderated by Oleg Barabanov, the author of the report and programme director of the Valdai Club, who proposed discussing what the BRICS values are and how they are used in real political activity. Pavel Knyazev, Sous-Sherpa of Russia to the BRICS, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian…
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, Middle Eastern countries have increasingly figured into the international agenda as mediators in the dialogue between the West and Russia. Not only do they actively participate in humanitarian initiatives, such as prisoner exchanges, but they also influence key aspects of the negotiation process. Against this background, Riyadh stands out in particular, having become the venue for the first round of high-level talks…
In this episode of Eureka!, McKinsey’s podcast on innovation in life sciences R&D, hosts Navraj Nagra, Alex Devereson, and Meredith Langstaff speak to Ashita Batavia, head of hematology and oncology data sciences, R&D, at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (J&J). They discuss how real-world data can better inform clinical trials, the shifts in mindsets and capabilities needed to support AI in biopharma, and how to navigate the complexity of clinical…
Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series Subscribe Share Jamie Jones/Ikon Images Summary: As the return-to-office debate continues, many executives still think of culture as something that only happens inside office walls. But real culture is how we work. This includes everything from the dynamics of leaders and teams to the presence (or absence) of trust…
Insights from the Q5 Media Team From the rise of news influencers to the evolving definition of ‘digital first,’ the Q5 media team shares key insights into the challenges shaping the publishing and broadcasting landscape. Drawing on industry experience and client work, these thought pieces explore how newsrooms can adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing media environment. Reading time: 4 minutes Recently, the Q5 media team has taken to…
In celebration of the release of the 6th Edition of the Government Contracts Compliance Handbook, we are sharing six essential tips for understanding and navigating Buy American compliance in government contracts. These requirements are critical for contractors working with the U.S. federal government, as failure to comply can lead to penalties, contract disputes, and potential disqualification from future procurement opportunities. This article offers practical guidance to help contractors navigate the…
In Knisley v Canada (Attorney General), 2025 ONCA 185, the Court of Appeal was asked to consider whether a motions judge hearing a certification motion can conditionally certify a class proceeding where neither the parties nor the court at the hearing can provide a workable class definition capable of satisfying s. 5(1)(b) of the Class Proceedings Act, 1992 (CPA). The Knisley class action was brought on behalf of veterans who…
Wow, KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025 in London was a fantastic time! Our Azure Storage team was thrilled to exchange insights and success stories at this vibrant community event. If you missed it, don’t worry! We are here to share what we showed off at the con: how we are enhancing performance, cost-efficiency, and AI Wow, KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025 in London was a fantastic time! Our Azure Storage…
For Selex, the key growth driver in the coming years will be investments in new capabilities.Franck Laizet: Selex has shown success over the course of the past several years. What are the factors driving that development? Maniele Tasca: The most important factor is the quality of our companies. In 2005, our group consisted of 34 companies, and our market share was between 6 and 7 percent. Today, we have 18…
As part of the Technical Area 3 (TA3) of the programme, nine research teams across the UK will focus on developing mathematical and computational methods to provide quantitative safety guarantees for AI systems. This will help ensure that advanced AI can be deployed responsibly in safety-critical sectors and domains such as infrastructure, healthcare, and manufacturing. Two of these projects are led by researchers at the University of Oxford:Towards Large-Scale Validation…
Discussions about maternal health and rights in Mexico tend to focus on health outcomes and access to healthcare. Academics and activists have long campaigned for the government to invest more resources in maternal health. Unfortunately, healthcare provision for women who want to have a child and are struggling to conceive hasn’t received enough attention. Uterus transplantation is a procedure where a woman who doesn’t have a functioning uterus receives one either from a…
Written for the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, the comprehensive Framework is designed to assist international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) in identifying potential victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, and to help them better understand the underlying cultural and societal norms that push people into situations in which they are exploited.In order to ensure that the Framework is widely adopted as a…
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is dedicated to exploring the future of journalism worldwide through debate, engagement, and research. Their activities include a flagship Journalist Fellowship programme, leadership programmes, and research programmes to provide timely, evidence-based analysis of issues facing journalism and news media around the world. Mitali Mukherjee. Mukherjee has led the Journalist Programmes since September 2022 and represented the Institute in conferences and events around the…
As Americans waited to see what economic policies would be enacted in the new presidential term, the Hoover Prosperity Program hosted a timely conference on the pressing challenges facing the US economy. The panel discussion on “How Should the US Economy Adapt to the AI Boom?” was of particular import to the Silicon Valley audience, bringing together distinguished scholars from across Hoover and Stanford University: Jonathan Levin, president of Stanford…
The State of Delaware, home to a majority of the so-called “Fortune 500” corporations, has been the subject of a variety of criticisms relating to corporate governance, director and officer litigation risk, controlling stockholder exposure, franchise taxes, and more. The criticisms, coupled with recent reincorporation migrations away from Delaware by several significant Delaware corporations to jurisdictions deemed to be more hospitable (such as Nevada, Texas, and Maryland) has spawned a…
In the recent decision of Capital Land Services Ltd. v Revitalize Energy Inc. (Revitalize Energy),1 the Alberta Court of King’s Bench (the Court) declared a mineral top lease invalid based on the law of statutory illegality, and applied remedies under the Land Titles Act (LTA)2 to undo steps taken in reliance on the invalid top lease. Background In 2011, Scott Land Co. (Scott) and the County of Vermilion River (the…
The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, developed a device that makes it easy for people with or without medical training to record heart sounds accurately. Unlike a stethoscope, the device works well even if it’s not placed precisely on the chest: its larger, flexible sensing area helps capture clearer heart sounds than traditional stethoscopes.The device can also be used over clothing, making it more comfortable for patients – especially…
Daniel Läubli: Albert Heijn is one of the few supermarket chains in Europe that has continued to gain market share over the course of the past six years. What’s the magic ingredient of its success?Marit van Egmond: Of course, there is no single magic ingredient. That would be too simple. There are several key ingredients. The most important one is our rigorous customer focus. We work every day to be…
In a recent speech, US President Donald Trump asserted that the United States has fallen behind in shipbuilding, declaring a goal to make more ships “very fast, very soon.” The Wall Street Journal has reported that the Trump administration is drafting a new executive order intended to energize US shipbuilding. And a proposed piece of US legislation announced in 2024 (sponsored by a bipartisan group of congresspeople) noted an intent…
The team, from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge, created the network, which uses standard fibreoptic infrastructure, but relies on a variety of quantum phenomena to enable ultra-secure data transfer.The network uses two types of quantum key distribution (QKD) schemes: ‘unhackable’ encryption keys hidden inside particles of light; and distributed entanglement: a phenomenon that causes quantum particles to be intrinsically linked. The researchers demonstrated the capabilities of the network via…
The gene in question, FLCN, is linked to a condition known as Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, symptoms of which include benign skin tumours, lung cysts, and an increased risk of kidney cancer.In a study published today in the journal Thorax, a team from the University of Cambridge examined data from UK Biobank, the 100,000 Genomes Project, and East London Genes & Health – three large genomic datasets encompassing more than 550,000 people.…
Topics Data, AI, & Machine Learning AI & Machine Learning Subscribe Share Summary: Leaders are struggling with shaping artificial intelligence strategy. After all, this work involves tackling tough topics like risk management and AI ethics, plus data management and culture challenges. Meanwhile, AI tools are continuously evolving. Here, we’ve gathered 10 of our most popular, valuable AI articles of recent months to share timely lessons on 10 pressing AI issues. “Despite…