Dame Jacinda Ardern joins Oxford University’s World Leaders Circle

Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has joined Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government World Leaders Circle. Photo / AFP

• Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has joined Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government World Leaders Circle.
• She will join other former world leaders like former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
• It comes off the back of two book announcements already this year, a children’s book and her memoir.

Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has announced a new role with Oxford University.

She revealed on Instagram she was joining Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government World Leaders Circle.

The Circle pioneers research to improve governance spearheaded by an international network of former heads of government.

She will join the likes of former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who announced his involvement with the prestigious circle in January.

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A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)

In the years since she stepped down from New Zealand politics, Ardern has been heavily involved in international politics including becoming a tech governance leadership fellow at Harvard.

Earlier this month, Ardern announced she was releasing a children’s book, titled Mum’s Busy Work.

The book is billed as “an inspiring and heartwarming book about the relationship between a working mum and her daughter by the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern”.

Ardern’s daughter Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford was born in 2018. Ardern discovered she was pregnant six days before she became Prime Minister-elect.

Clarke Gayford, Neve and Jacinda Ardern at Wellington Cathedral of St Paul for the Queen's State Memorial Service on September 26, 2022. Photo / Mark Mitchell

It’s the second book Ardern is releasing this year; her memoir A Different Kind of Power is on shelves in June.

It’s expected to be highly revealing – publisher Penguin has called it “deeply personal” – and will see Ardern reflecting on her rise from rural Waikato to becoming the Prime Minister of New Zealand at 37.

Ardern signed a book deal with Penguin, the Herald revealed in June 2023, after reports of a bidding war in the publishing industry. She hasn’t discussed the financial details, but it’s understood to be worth more than $1 million.

In addition to Ardern’s books landing on shelves this year, she will also be seen on screens.

The new documentary Prime Minister – endorsed by Ardern herself and featuring footage by Clarke Gayford – premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January, where it won filmmakers Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe the Audience Award.

Jacinda Ardern became the world’s youngest female head of government, at age 37, when she took office in 2017 as New Zealand’s Prime Minister.

She stepped down from her role leading the country in 2023.

She has twice been named to Time magazine’s Most Influential People list.

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