Between August 4 and 17, 2025, Ms. Phionah Namuliira, a Research Fellow at the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), participated in the prestigious Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) Advanced Course in Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis.
The training was held at the Department of International Development, University of Oxford, and brought together statisticians, policy analysts, and researchers from across the globe for two weeks of intensive learning, collaboration, and exchange of experiences.
Ms. Namuliira said the training enhanced her capacity to carry out sophisticated poverty analyses. “This course has deepened my ability to not only compute and interpret multidimensional poverty data but also to translate it into actionable policy advice,” she said. “The networking opportunities with leading global researchers were invaluable, and I am committed to sharing the knowledge and materials with colleagues who can apply them in their own work.”
The OPHI Advanced Course is globally recognised for its focus on the Alkire-Foster methodology – the gold standard in measuring multidimensional poverty. Unlike traditional income-based measures, this approach looks at poverty through multiple deprivations, such as lack of education, poor health, inadequate housing, and limited access to clean water and sanitation.
This course allows policymakers and researchers to develop more targeted interventions that address the root causes of poverty rather than its symptoms. The course was led by OPHI Director, Professor Sabina Alkire, alongside an experienced team of researchers who have contributed to shaping global poverty measurement standards adopted by governments and international agencies, including the United Nations Development Programme.
Throughout the programme, participants engaged in a dynamic combination of lectures, hands-on exercises, and applied group work. The sessions covered an extensive range of topics, from the construction and refinement of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to advanced analysis techniques such as gendered and intrahousehold poverty studies, dataset harmonisation, and the identification of interlinkages between different poverty dimensions.
One of the highlights of the course was the mini-conference, where attendees showcased empirical research, methodological innovations, and policy applications of MPI analysis. This platform provided a rare opportunity for professionals from diverse backgrounds to share case studies and discuss how different countries are adapting multidimensional poverty tools to their specific national contexts. For Ms. Namuliira, the conference was both a learning experience and a networking opportunity, as it enabled her to interact with experts from countries as varied as Mexico, Bhutan, South Africa, and the Philippines, each bringing unique perspectives on poverty reduction strategies.
To Ms. Namuliira, the “experience at Oxford was as much about personal growth as it was about professional advancement. Beyond the classroom, the course environment provided a rich cultural exchange, with participants sharing not only data and policy ideas but also their countries’ diverse experiences, challenges, and innovations in the fight against poverty.”
Ms Namuliira (Front R) together with colleagues during the training programme.
