Celebrating Five Years of Impact: UCL GBSH Launches Its First Societal Impact Report at the House of Commons

On the 6th of May, Global Policy Network joined UCL’s Global Business School for Health (GBSH) to mark a major milestone with the launch of its first Societal Impact Report, celebrated at a special reception in the House of Commons. The event brought together more than 100 leaders, partners, and collaborators to reflect on five years of rea lworld impact and to celebrate GBSH’s role as the world’s first business school dedicated exclusively to health.

Hosted by Baroness Gisela Stuart, the evening formed part of UCL’s bicentenary celebrations and the fifth anniversary of GBSH - a moment that underscored both legacy and ambition.

A Vision for the Future of Health Leadership

The event opened with remarks from Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, UCL Vice-President (Health), who captured the ethos of GBSH’s mission:

“GBSH has become more than a school. It has become a living laboratory for the future of health leadership… We are creating partnerships that allow us to test ideas, learn from practice, and contribute to real-world change. We are not here to admire problems from a distance. We are here to help solve them.”

Speakers including Dr Marzena Mieroda (Deputy Director, Partnerships & Enterprise), Dr Annmarie Hanlon, and Chris Outram, each reflecting on the school’s evolution and the collaborative ecosystem that has shaped its success.

Introducing the GBSH Societal Impact Report

The centrepiece of the evening was the launch of the GBSH Societal Impact Report, which showcases the school’s achievements across research, innovation, education, partnerships, and global engagement.

The report introduces the GBSH Societal Impact Framework, a model designed to:

• Evidence impact across all GBSH activities

• Provide a shared structure for measuring outcomes

• Ensure work leads to real-world change grounded in data and practice

The report demonstrates how GBSH’s global partnerships translate into meaningful societal impact through powerful case studies ranging from strengthening primary healthcare systems in India to advancing climate-health innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.

It also recognises the wider GBSH ecosystem: students, faculty, alumni, partners, and collaborators whose contributions shape the school’s impact.

GPN’s Role as a Strategic Partner

As a proud partner of UCL GBSH, the Global Policy Networkwas honoured to attend the launch event. Representing GPN, our Founder and CEO, Ameneh Ghazal Saatchi joined leaders from across sectors to celebrate the school’s achievements and reaffirm our shared commitment to evidencebased policy, global collaboration, and health system transformation.

For GPN, this event was more than a celebration - it was a recognition of the importance of policy-driven impact, and of the role that networks like ours play in shaping the future of global health. Our partnership with GBSH reflects our mission to connect policy, practice, and innovation to drive measurable societal change.

Congratulations to UCL GBSH

We extend our warmest congratulations to Professor Nora Colton, Director of UCL GBSH, and to the entire team whose vision and dedication have shaped the school’s remarkable first five years.

The launch of the Societal Impact Report marks not only a moment of reflection, but a foundation for the future. At GPN, we look forward to deepening our collaboration with GBSH as they continue to redefine what health leadership can achieve.