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 Featured in the above photo:  Lunch and conversation with Lord Neil Kinnock in the House of Lords Dining Room. 

By Olivia Lacny (PMBA '23)

One of my biggest regrets from my undergraduate years is that I didn’t study abroad. My friends would come back from a semester in Paris, a summer in Valencia, or a month in Nicaragua with memories and a whole new world perspective that I envied. I knew at the time that my financial situation could not support an extended time abroad and I did not yet have the confidence to travel alone. Still, it bothered me that I hadn’t taken the opportunity to revel in the mélange of culture and academia. I made my peace with that fact, accepting that the time in my life for living abroad had passed.

Lunch at country inn in Winchester, author left foreground.

Having experienced graduate school in my late twenties, I knew that the lessons I gleaned from academia were more meaningful than when I was in my late teens/early twenties. I feel that having waited until grad school to “study abroad”, this sentiment holds true. The timing is right. I remember snickering at my friends who returned to America feeling “cultured” and “worldly”, as if 16 weeks in a different country could alter your world view. I understand it now. Just six days in the United Kingdom has changed my outlook on climate change, work-life balance, and the impact policy has on public health outcomes. 

Most of this is due to the interactions that we had with the different spheres of expertise, but I would be remiss if I thought my classmates didn’t also play into this perspective shift. I thought that after this trip I would have gotten my “study abroad fix”, but I want to live an extended time abroad now more than ever. This is just the beginning and as a prepare to enter my thirties, I’m open to the opportunity of moving outside of the United States. Mortgage, dog, and homelife aside, this trip has taught me the importance of immersion in a different culture.

What I Learned from My Peers

This experience wouldn’t have altered my perspective, had it been a class of 20, like-minded MBA students.  One of the most invaluable attributes of this course is that I was surrounded by people who chartered a different path in academia. I learned almost as much from the questions that others asked, as I learned from the keynote speakers. For instance, some of my classmates had an impressive background in environmental policy. Every time that  they asked a question about climate policies, I would find myself amazed by their expertise in the field. I felt this with almost all my classmates from different programs. At dinner our first night,  a couple of my classmates spent 25 minutes talking about the Jones Act as it relates to the Coast Guard and the supply chain. Did I have any clue what the Jones Act was? No, but I do now! The smaller, informal interactions with my peers proved to be as meaningful and informative as our formal interactions.

General Observations

Learnings from the trip fall into two categories: 1) dialogue and perspective from our speakers and 2) cultural aspects of living in the UK. To begin with the content of our speaker series, one of the most striking aspects of our dialogue was that regardless of industry, businesspeople and policy makers have made a conscious effort to incorporate sustainability into their strategy. The most surprising, was that however conservative Liam Fox is, he is actively aware of the consequences of climate change. Both sides of the aisle agree that this is a world crisis. This is a stark contrast from the American conservative parties who refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of climate change.

Liam Fox speaking with STAP UK participants.

Culturally, it’s obvious that Brits spend more time thinking about current international events compared to how often Americans think about global happenings. Could it be because Brexit was only a few years ago, and the fallout from leaving the EU has dominated the news ever since? Maybe. On the train a man and his son (who was probably around 7 or 8 years old) sat down across from me. The son asked a question that prompted his father to respond with his thoughts on the US’s national debt. The reverse situation would never happen in the US! I doubt American third graders are keen to discuss other countries’ national debt. This was also a theme of my conversations at the Alumni event. Expats explained how they spent their weekends and I realized how easy it is to immerse yourself in a dozen different cultures. You can easily take a weekend trip to Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome (the list goes on)- where the language, food, fashion, and traditions are all wildly different than London. In the US we have the option of traveling across the US or to Canada all of which are similar. Mexico is the only country within somewhat close proximity in which you can experience a different culture.

Core Memories

I’ve created so many wonderful memories, it’s hard to decide on my favorite part of the trip. I enjoyed seeing Winchester and its remarkable cathedral and Cambridge with its medieval charm. Never again in my life, will I have the opportunity to speak with MPs in the House of Commons, or dine with a real-life Lord.  As much as I would love to do a graduate program abroad, I will probably never have another opportunity to study economics at Cambridge. 

Global Head of Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare Richard Threlfall with UK STAP group at KPMG Headquarters, Canary Wharf. 

My favorite speakers included MP Carolyn Harris and Richard Threlfall from KPMG. Both had a contagious enthusiasm for their work. As a consultant, I appreciated learning about consulting in a different industry. I loved Richard’s “primer” activity asking questions like “what would happen 6 years & 26 days from today?”. It felt like a game of trivia, which was a welcome change after a long day of meetings.

Carolyn Harris did not fit my perception of an MP. It was empowering to hear that someone with a working-class background and purple hair could become an MP, and that you don’t need to fit the classic mold of a “politician” in order to be one in the UK. This is different from politicians in the US, where it is almost impossible to become a representative without copious amounts of money and fashion conformity.

STAP UK 2023 participants in Parliament with MP Carolyn Harris and Councillor Aysha Raza

Carolyn spoke with such passion on the concept of women’s health and menopause, it reinvigorated the same passion that I once had while studying in undergrad. When Carolyn said that she would let us know when she was on Capitol Hill, I would ACTUALLY want to see her! She was a refreshing personality in a somewhat stuffy parliament building.

Conclusion

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program. It exceeded my expectations and pushed me to learn and explore academic disciplines other than my own. The itinerary was perfectly organized and executed and with each new guest speaker I felt more excited. I used to poke fun at my friends who said study abroad “changed their life”, and while I’m the same person that I was before London, I will cherish the memories I created through this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Featured in the above photo: STAP UK participants at the Houses of Parliament. 

By Sydney Smith (MAccy '23)

Washington is a city full of recovering idealists- we strive to find common ground and a sense of pride while seeking change in our country and local communities. The reality of political showmanship and involvement of lobbying by private enterprise can be frustrating. As business and policy students, we are not immune to this spreading pessimism. In our classrooms and papers, we grapple with a gnawing sense of dread, questioning whether our nation is capable of marching towards progress. The challenges our generation faces- growing wealth inequality; rampant misinformation; unequal access to education, housing, and healthcare; and the impending threat of climate catastrophe- seem insurmountable. It's hard to fathom how our “large tent” democracy, with its wide-ranging political viewpoints and philosophies, can confront these existential issues in a unified front. The challenges that we face are formidable and frankly petrifying, even if our nation was less divided.

I know this firsthand, as I am one of those former idealists. I’ve always been interested in the intersection between policy, politics, and profit. In my undergraduate research, I wrote a capstone paper on the economic incentives of pharmaceutical patent length and its remarkable ability to stoke innovation within the industry. At the time, I was wholly under the impression that market flaws and externalities could be corrected with the right blend of government regulation and industry compliance. When I first moved to D.C., I brought this optimistic philosophy with me. Over four years in this city, I became pessimistic about our government’s inability to legislate and move through social challenges within a radically divided nation. 

The author in Winchester, ancient capital of England.

This is why I was initially drawn to the Business and the State study-abroad program offered by GWSB: I was hoping to better understand regulatory mechanisms that harness the power of private industry’s innovation. Instead, my takeaways are more interpersonal than technical- I was particularly transformed by our speakers’ optimism, community pride, iterative legislative philosophy, and collaborative spirit.

Key Takeaway: Gaining Appreciation for NHS & National Pride

One of the most profound surprises during the program was the unwavering optimism radiating from the speakers we encountered. It challenged my own pessimistic perspective and instilled a renewed sense of hope. Throughout the course, the National Health Service (NHS) became a symbol of wide public support and collaboration. As our first speaker in D.C., Tom Haigh cautiously discussed the challenge of increasing NHS wait times for specialists. I found the contrast between his sanitized presentation and Sonia Klein's candor quite interesting. As a civil servant and embassy representative, Mr. Haigh stayed on message: the NHS struggled during the pandemic, but the government was acting quickly to accelerate access. Meanwhile, Sonia Klein was more willing to chime in and challenge our presumptions about British healthcare- and regularly pushed back against in-class criticisms on doctor pay and innovation of the NHS. Both Mr. Haigh and Ms. Klein were effusive in their support and pride in centralized healthcare. 

STAP UK participants at Great Ormond Street Hospital, learning about the NHS from Dr. Daljit Hothi, Associate Medical Director. 

The unwavering national pride in the NHS stood in sharp contrast to contentious debates over healthcare in the US. The guest speakers celebrated the system's merits despite its flaws. Their philosophy of healthcare as a basic right for all citizens was striking. It became apparent that the NHS symbolizes core national values of equality and community. While private interests certainly play a small role in its functioning, the spirit of public good prevails. The NHS represents a shared ideal that all deserve quality care regardless of economic status. This clear national consensus does not exist in America's fractured healthcare system.

Surprises: Broad Support on Climate Change

Beyond healthcare, I encountered unexpected and encouraging perspectives on climate change that further impressed me. While Dr. Liam Fox MP has a reputation for “right-wing” Tory ideals, he discussed climate change not just as a legitimate driver of global social strife, but also highlighted the urgent issue of water rights. Although I understand UK political parties differ from the US, I was relieved that the science of climate change seems to be widely accepted rather than maligned in Parliament. Fox's forward-looking views defied my expectations; they showcased the potential for, and urgent need of, bipartisan cooperation in addressing environmental concerns in the US. Similarly, Richard Threlfall of KPMG passionately endorsed global innovative efforts to combat climate change. Most inspiring to me was his commentary on the need for wealthy countries to contribute to a global fund supporting struggling island nations during the climate crisis - this willingness to subvert traditional capitalist ideals renewed my faith in business leaders prioritizing global well-being over profiteering.

Having studied the partisan divide over climate change policies in the US, I expected to hear similar skepticism within the UK's Conservative party and from business leaders. Yet MP Liam Fox and business leader Richard Threlfall both urgently emphasized the need for climate action, contrasting sharply with denialism from American conservatives. His science-based perspectives surprised me given right-wing and efficiency-focused ideological opposition to environmental regulations in the US; climate policy has not become as politically polarized in the UK as it has across the Atlantic. Discussing climate change as an imminent threat requiring global collaboration rather than a contested scientific theory suggested potential for consensus-driven policymaking.

Former Defense Secretary MP Liam Fox speaking with STAP UK participants in Parliament. 

Incremental Change Through Trial and Error: Lessons on Flexible Policymaking

The program not only revealed surprising viewpoints but also highlighted the power of incremental progress throughout the years—a notion that resonated deeply with me. Labour MP, Carolyn Harris described her efforts to spread awareness of and regulate the pernicious gambling industry as a piece-meal process. MP Harris sought to decrease the harm of gambling first, by decreasing the cost of each bet; in response, the gambling industry shifted toward online gambling- which conveniently fell outside of the current law. Legislators must be willing to try one model of regulation and then shift with the changing tides of private industry. Our speaker at Cambridge, Professor David Newbery discussed the challenges of getting regulatory structure correct for privatized electricity in the U.K.- this took three separate frameworks before striking a moderate balance between the power of the regulators and the electric companies. Professor Newberry did not seem to dwell on the fact that the regulation was not perfect, instead he focused on the incremental improvements overtime. This was an excellent real-world example of “not letting perfect get in the way of good enough.”

STAP UK participants with Member of Parliament (MP) Carolyn Harris and Councillor Dr. Aysha Raza. 

The nuanced perspectives on evolving regulations resonated with me as a pragmatist at heart. More than lofty ideologies, it takes reasonable compromises and dedication over time to truly improve society. MP Harris' journey regulating gambling and Professor Newbery's analysis of iterative electricity frameworks demonstrated that progress emerges slowly through trial and error. 

Rather than work backwards from theoretical or academic perfection, policymakers must craft practical solutions first and refine them as needs and scenarios shift. I gained appreciation for this flexible, incremental approach from UK leaders across sectors. Their lived experiences revealed how even flawed policies can move towards better alignment through dedication to the bigger picture.

This course provided invaluable insight into the interplay between government, business, and social institutions in the UK. The passion speakers conveyed about quintessentially British programs like the NHS demonstrated deep national pride and a willingness to bring in unexpected viewpoints. I gained appreciation for how policy change can occur incrementally over years through coalition-building. While theory is important- I’ve always found praxis to be far more enlightening, especially within the context of experiential learning.

The author at the British Army Logistic Corps Museum, Winchester.

I look forward to applying the nuanced understanding of public-private partnerships I developed to my future career in public service. I am grateful for the inspiring examples of collaboration, persistence, and pragmatic optimism this course provided. It was a rare intellectual treat for me to speak to so many fascinating and intelligent people- and still leave the conversations full of hope.

Featured in the above photo: STAP UK Participants with Long Harbour speaker, Christophe de Taurines, BBA 1986. 

By Cassie Nestor (MA International Economic Policy '23)

Visiting London, I was able to see the benefits and shortcomings of private and public ownership. Studying economics, I am accustomed to focusing on the most efficient outcomes. However, this program forced me to challenge what efficiency looks like, reexamine where different comparative advantages exist, and appreciate the need to be flexible in creating solutions with well-defined and explicit goals. There is an opportunity cost to every decision. In focusing on private sector ownership, England forgoes public sector ownership and its affinity towards social progress. In choosing public sector ownership, England forgoes private sector ownership and its profit seeking behavior that leads to the efficient use of resources and lower prices for consumers. Business and the State in London: Privatization, Nationalization, and Public-Private Partnerships exposed the tensions between the private and public sectors and the need to strike a balance between the two in such a way that neither progress nor profit are compromised. 

During this program, I was unsure that the competing goals of the public and private sectors would ever exist in cohesion and that maybe progress and profit should not mix. This notion was solidified by our first visit to Long Harbour and our discussion with Senior Advisor Christophe de Taurines. His most striking comment was when he indicated that social change is not part of their model, and that the real estate firm is unable to profit on certain people. Businesses must meet their bottom line. While disheartening, that is a reality faced by all firms; if an activity is generating a loss, the rational choice is to discontinue operations. But what was unsaid is that discontinuing operations meant that some groups were left without access to housing and other goods. These decisions often hurt the most vulnerable in a society. If left only to the private sector, poor and disadvantaged individuals would continue to have less because they are not seen as a lucrative business opportunity.  

Global Head of Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare Richard Threlfall with UK STAP group at KPMG Headquarters, Canary Wharf. 

The dichotomy of the motives between the public and private sectors was illustrated by Richard Threlfall, Global Head of Infrastructure, Government, and Healthcare at KPMG. It was during this visit that we took a macro approach to major questions and events happening in the world. Unlike Taurines, who emphasized the need to make profit, Threlfall emphasized the need for larger states and larger players to cover the costs incurred by developing countries as they make important decisions to meet their development goals. 

While discussed at the international level, the same is true at the national level. Governments are able to reach households and communities that are overlooked by the private sector and absorb the costs of providing goods and services to unprofitable communities in the name of social progress. However, when governments choose to engage in these activities, their balance sheets grow at an accelerated and dangerous rate. 

Public ownership presents its own challenges. After talking to doctors in the National Health Service (NHS), different politicians, and members of the local community, I learned that public ownership has caused health care in England to be slightly underproductive. We became aware of inefficiencies such as the long wait times and underfunding. These issues have become so prevalent that there has been a push to privatize parts of the NHS to ensure that it is able to meet the needs of the people. There is a gap that exists between the market outcome and the social outcome. This gap leaves space for the rise of private public partnerships and their keen ability to balance the need to make profit and the need to prioritize social progress. 

STAP UK 2023 participants at NHS Great Ormand Street Hospital with Dr. Daljit Hothi, Associate Medical Director. 

Public private partnerships are still very experimental, with each union leading to a unique outcome and a set of lessons learned. After listening to the speakers, I have come to accept that a happy medium between private and public ownership has yet to be discovered. This course helped me realize that while the “perfect balance” between private and public ownership will vary across industry and consumer needs, we should not be discouraged from trying. It is only then  that society will achieve both progress and profit. 

STAP UK participants on their way to the GWU UK Alumni Networking Event. 

The most beneficial aspect of this program was the knowledge received from my peers. It is easy to become siloed in one school of thought. Every tool we have to understand the world is flawed because every academic discipline emphasizes and ignores different variables that would otherwise have a significant impact on the way that we answer different questions. In staying in our traditional paradigms, we lose the possibility of asking and answering new and complex questions.  However, with classmates across different schools and professional backgrounds, ideas that I would not normally come across in my classes became major topics of discussions. These questions pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow intellectually. Together, my classmates and I were able to pool our knowledge and catch many of our speakers by surprise with the complexity of our questions. 

Now having a slightly stronger working knowledge of different topics such as healthcare and climate change, two very salient topics in both the US and the UK, I am better equipped to answer complex questions that require unconventional solutions. 

Studying international economic policy, I have been fortunate enough to be part of a program that allows me to have a foot in both the world of policy through the Elliott School of International Affairs and the world of business through GWSB. By taking classes that span across both fields, I have been able to generate a dynamic understanding of the nexus between business and politics which would have been absent if I was not encouraged to take classes and learn the importance of balancing the priorities of business executives and elected officials. 

The most important lesson I will hold on to is that the private and public sectors need the other to succeed, and the success of both sectors will benefit the consumer. A strong private sector needs a strong public sector to set the rules of the road in terms of regulations and promote fair competition. A strong public sector needs a strong private sector to spur innovation, job creation, and economic growth.

The author with the River Thames in the background.

When both entities are in concert, the consumer feels empowered to participate in the economy and take responsible economic risks which will contribute to widespread prosperity. Business and the State in London is a well-designed combination of business and politics and will leave a lasting impression on my professional career.

Featured in the above photo: The group in front of Buckingham Palace. 

By Carol Baillie (MA Environmental Resource Policy '23) 

Studying abroad has been a goal of mine since I was a first-year college student back home in California. This was prior to joining the U.S. Coast Guard, which would lead me down the career path to where I am today at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and as a part-time graduate student at The George Washington University. Studying abroad in London represents the journey I have been on in life to identify my goals and academic focus. In turn, the Short Term Study Away Program (STAP) UK experience meant many things to me.

Prior to departing for the UK, I was extremely nervous about leaving behind my service dog Norm as I have both physical and mental disabilities that he assists me with on a daily basis. Additionally, it was my first international trip without my wife to help guide me through the airport customs process. I prepared a briefing book with all of the materials from G&EE, the course information and lecture materials, travel details, etc. so I wouldn’t forget anything and was exhibiting the Coast Guard motto of “Semper Paratus” or “always ready.” Even though I meticulously prepared, the unexpected happened, a moment that will forever be etched into my memory for a multitude of reasons.

The author by the canal in Winchester, ancient capital of England. 

At the end of the first official day of the program we were waiting in the lobby of KPMG when I heard the distinct sound of metal breaking. I felt an instant loosening of my carbon fiber ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) and broke into tears fearing the worst since I did not have a replacement brace with me or any materials to repair it. Instantly, without asking, several of my classmates rallied around me to lend assistance. First, they sat me down and encouraged me to relax as they worked to help find a temporary solution to fix the brace until we reached the hotel. Second, the magic of teamwork happened, my brace was “rigged” so I could continue to fully participate in the remainder of the day and program. I felt an overwhelming sense of emotions at once and the experience showed me that I could trust, something I struggle with in daily life.

Some of the biggest challenges associated with being a part-time Environmental Resource Policy graduate student were not only to make the STAP opportunity work with my job at the EPA, but also with leaving my comfort zone. My decision to study abroad was based on the following:

  1. Do I have enough work leave balance?
  2. Would I be able to study in a location that interested me?
  3. Would I be able to study material that aligns with my degree and career?
  4. Would I learn something new?

As a result, STAP UK: Business and the State was the best fit. This program served as an impetus for my recovery from my fourth surgery in three years among other “carrots”. I was determined to learn anything and everything while studying abroad including business-related topics (since it is a business course!), public-private partnerships, State owned enterprises (SOEs), and privatization of assets. What surprised me about the experience was learning not only about these topics but also about myself.

Two themes emerged in both the course theory and practice during the overseas program: net zero strategies and the role of public-private partnerships. Net zero strategy is the equivalent of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts in the US for those not familiar with the concept of climate change and environmental science.  

STAP UK participants with Long Harbour speaker, Christophe de Taurines, BBA 1986

Christophe de Taurines at Long Harbour introduced net zero and the UK environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework through the Fawley waterside project. It was interesting to learn how in practice, not just in theory, the UK in comparison to the US is far less progressive when it comes to net zero and ESG. Iit was quite shocking to be frank. 

The US has no clear or enforceable national climate change standards in comparison to the UK’s net zero strategy. Furthermore, when I asked a question regarding responsible parties and the clean-up of land for the Fawley waterside project, the responsible party offered a fifty-year guarantee on the land cleanup free from contamination, a stark contrast to US standards for Superfund sites which have no guarantees. I left the meeting with Mr. Taurines more intrigued about ESG and net zero, particularly regarding his statement, “There is no ESG if it is not economically viable…there has to be economic incentives to be viable including incentives to be sustainable.” Is this true, even in the US? The answer is yes. 

Utilities and privatization were first introduced in the pre-travel course readings by Dr. David Newbery in “Privatization, Restructuring, and Regulation of Utilities,” and later reinforced by Dr. Newbery in his lecture at Cambridge University regarding “Privatisation, Restructuring, Regulation and Reform of Electricity: progress to net-zero.” I was particularly interested in the lecture because it tied together both net zero and privatization of utilities (electricity in this case!), two topics I hoped to study. 

Professor Sir David Newbery speaks to the STAP UK group at Cambridge University

Dr. Newbery’s two-part lecture explored how restructuring is essential prior to privatizing an asset which was right in line with his discussion in the pre-course reading materials. The entire lecture was extremely engaging, and I was impressed by the caliber of instruction my classmates and I were afforded through academic engagement at Cambridge University.

It pushed me to learn the role economics play in PPPs and regulation with privatization which is something I plan to share with my colleagues at the EPA. I’m glad that I took several economics courses in both my undergraduate and now graduate degree programs!

Through Dr. Newbery, I learned that to understand regulation, you can do so through the following equation: 𝑅𝑅 = 𝑏𝑏R + (1 − b)C and that it is applicable for public ownership and regulation. However, I also left his lecture with a new dream - I enjoyed Dr. Newbery’s lecture so much that I left wanting to pursue my PhD at Cambridge University in the future!

The author in front of Buckingham Palace. 

Through the STAP UK experience, I also learned independence and that I can trust others to assist me in times of need. It is okay to ask for help and receive it. Overall, I am glad that I participated in this program and highly recommend it.