40 Years of Shaping Health Policy Worldwide: The MSc Health Policy, Planning and Financing Celebrates a Milestone Anniversary
40 Years of Shaping Health Policy Worldwide: The MSc Health Policy, Planning and Financing Celebrates a Milestone Anniversary
We were delighted to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the MSc Health Policy, Planning and Financing (HPPF), a unique joint programme between The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) that has shaped health policy leaders around the world for four decades.
The anniversary celebrations took place across two days, on Friday 27 March at the LSHTM campus and Saturday 28 March at LSE, bringing together over 150 alumni, students, staff, and friends of the HPPF community at each event. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect, reflect, and celebrate the programme’s global impact.
Day One: Journey from 1986 and Beyond
Day one was held in the John Snow Lecture Theatre at LSHTM, with alumni joining both in person and via Zoom from across the globe, a fitting reflection of HPPF’s international reach.
The evening featured keynote addresses from Professor Dame Anne Mills (LSHTM), who explored the development of health policy, planning and financing in low- and middle-income countries, and Professor Sir Julian Le Grand (LSE), who reflected on the evolution of the field in high-income contexts. Together, their talks offered a powerful overview of how the discipline has grown, adapted, and responded to global health challenges over the past 40 years.
This was followed by a panel discussion with HPPF alumni working across policy, academia, and practice:
- Dr Anna Dixon, MBE, MP, Shipley Constituency, UK
- Dr Josep Figueras, Director Emeritus, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
- Imogen Sharp, former civil servant (DoH), PhD Candidate, LSHTM
- Dr Uju Mabel Onyes, Director of Health Financing (Global), Last Mile Health
Their reflections brought the field to life, offering personal insights into navigating careers in health policy and the lasting influence of the programme.
View the Panel Discussion from Day 1 here
View Day 1 Programme here
Image: Day 1 of HPPF 40th Anniversary Celebration at LSHTM
Image: Group of attendees on Day 1 of HPPF 40th Anniversary Celebration
Day Two: A Celebration of Careers and Impact
The second day took place in the Marshall Building at LSE, where it was a real pleasure to welcome back over a hundred members of the HPPF community — alumni, current students, and prospective students alike. Many returned after years (or even decades), sharing reflections on how much has changed, while so much still feels familiar.
Saturday focused on careers and impact, celebrating the many paths HPPF graduates have taken. We were honoured to hear from 19 alumni speakers, who shared how their time on the programme shaped their thinking, professional journeys, and leadership roles across health systems worldwide.
HPPF served as a catalyst for my career growth, providing not only technical foundations but also the confidence to design and implement health policies, strategies, and frameworks across Nigeria and several other African countries.”
— Joy Onyenaturuchi Uzoho, Founding Partner, Halton Health Development Foundation
I wouldn't have heard about Shamiri if it wasn't for the Mental Health Policy class I took with Professor Martin Knapp that shaped my view on the global youth mental health crisis. The HPPF programme was enriching not just for its content, but also for grounding me in a way of thinking that is rigorous, context-sensitive, and grounded in equity.” — Rahim Daya, Chief Growth and Strategy Officer, Shamiri
Image: Speaker Priti Dave on Day 2 of the HPPF 40th Anniversary celebration at LSE
What stood out most was seeing how HPPF continues to shape careers long after graduation, including those from our very first cohort. 📚
But beyond knowledge and professional success, the celebrations highlighted something equally powerful: the strength of the HPPF community. As our final alumni speaker, Anne, summed up so beautifully:
“While HPPF may have shaped our careers, it has also given us something even more valuable — lasting friendships.” — Anne Philpott, Global Health Advisor, SRHR Innovator and Founder of The Pleasure Project
We extend a huge thank you to all our alumni speakers for returning and sharing their experiences so openly. Hearing the full picture, the highs, challenges, and everything between made the conversations especially meaningful, and we’re incredibly proud to have played a small part in your journeys.
Day 2 Alumni Speakers:
Lilian Venetia Vildiridi, Rachel Arrundale, Samuel Gonzalez García, Georgina Connolly, Ziqi Zhou, Uju Mabel Onyes, Joy Onyenaturuchi Uzoho, Caitlin Anne Asjes, Rahim Daya, Sonia Ike, Donn Angelo T. Valdez, Ruben Muyle, Luis Felipe Aceves Arias, Han Kang, Priti Dave, Ariel Frisancho,Ashish Dwivedi, Jerry Dalnes and Anne Philpott.
Watch the alumni presentations from Day 2 here.
View Day 2 Programme here.
Image 1: Session 1 with Rachel Arrundale, Samuel Gonzalez García and Lilian Venetia Vildiridi,
Image 2: Speaker Rahim Daya, Image 3: Speaker Caitlin Anne Asjes and Image 4: Session 4 with Anne Philpott, Priti Dave, Ariel Frisancho, Jerry Dalnes and Ashish Dwivedi.