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Wednesday, July 15, 2026
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Professor Geoff Mulgan draws on his new book to explore why governments keep failing, what it actually takes to fix them, and how AI and collective intelligence may shape the future of public innovation.
Governments face increasingly complex challenges, from climate change and ageing populations to rapid technological change. Yet public institutions are often criticised for being slow to adapt.
In this event, Geoff Mulgan will discuss the ideas from his new book Advanced Introduction to Public Sector Innovation, exploring how governments can become more innovative, experimental and adaptive while remaining accountable and effective.
Published by Edward Elgar in April 2026, Geoff's new book draws on global case studies to set out the mindsets, methods and strategies needed for governments to innovate, experiment and adapt.
Covering everything from team structures and finance to evidence, data and AI.
Innovation in government is often treated as a buzzword rather than a discipline. Geoff will set out what it actually means in practice, and why it's become essential rather than optional.
From dedicated teams and labs to funding models and incentives, the structures around innovation matter as much as the ideas themselves. What does a public institution built to innovate actually look like?
Good ideas don't survive on conviction alone. Geoff will look at how governments can test, measure and learn from what works, rather than relying on intuition or political fashion.
Climate change, ageing populations and inequality don't respect departmental boundaries. What does it take to innovate at the scale these problems actually demand?
Innovation and strategy are often treated as separate functions, with policy somewhere else entirely. Geoff will explore how the three connect, and what gets lost when they don't.
AI is already changing how governments gather evidence and make decisions. Geoff and Niccolò will discuss where it genuinely helps public innovation, and where it risks making old problems worse.
Professor at UCL and former CEO of Nesta. Spent three decades at the intersection of public innovation, collective intelligence, and AI — including as Director of the UK Government Strategy Unit. Author of Advanced Introduction to Public Sector Innovation.
Associate Professor at LIS and lead of the MASc in AI & Collective Intelligence. DPhil from Oxford; former researcher at MIT Media Lab and the Max Planck Institute. His work investigates how humans and machines can make better decisions together.
Anyone working on innovation, strategy or reform inside government and public institutions, across policy, the civil service, local and national government, philanthropy, or research, as well as those interested in how AI and collective intelligence are reshaping that work.
This event is part of LIS's MASc programme exploring how humans and AI make decisions toegther.
Master’s degree (MASc)
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September 2026
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1-year
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£14,000 / year
Scholarships available. Deadline July 15th.
Campus-first
With some online delivery.
Full-time
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