Vlad Mykhnenko

Professor Vlad Mykhnenko is Professor of Geography and Political Economy in the University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education, and a Research Fellow in Sustainable Urban Development at St. Peter's College, Oxford. He serves as Academic Director for Social Sciences at Oxford Lifelong Learning and has been with the Department since January 2017, initially taking up an Associate Professorship in Sustainable Urban Development. His academic career spans multiple institutions including the University of Birmingham, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the University of Nottingham, the University of Glasgow, and the Central European University.

Professor Mykhnenko's educational background includes:

• PhD in Political Economy from Darwin College, the University of Cambridge (2005)
• MA in International Relations and European Studies from the Central European University (1999)
• MA (1998) and BA (1996) in International Relations from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

As an economic geographer specializing in geographical political economy, Professor Mykhnenko challenges conventional wisdom about urban and regional development. His research initially focused on transition economies of Eastern Europe (particularly Polish Upper Silesia and the Ukrainian Donbas) before expanding to cities and regions worldwide. He has produced over 140 research outputs and secured £16 million in external research funding, with £2 million as Principal Investigator. His current research initiatives focus on green steel - rebuilding Ukraine's iron and steel sector post-war without fossil fuels - and sustainable urban development in Kazakhstan.

His publication record demonstrates significant scholarly impact across diverse areas including urban shrinkage, post-war reconstruction, geopolitical analysis, and future trends in technology and governance. The breadth of his research interests spans from analyzing spatial economic patterns in African cities to examining the implications of the metaverse for future business practices.

Professor Mykhnenko has substantial policy impact, with research quoted in at least 79 policy documents by 49 organizations across 21 countries. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, with 30% directly attributed to SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. He has advised governments, intergovernmental organizations, and multinational enterprises, including serving on a UN expert group to shape the New Urban Agenda and providing expert evidence to the UK House of Commons on Ukraine's recovery. In early 2025, he was appointed a commissioner for the Lancet Commission on Ukraine.

Professor Mykhnenko has taught over 3,100 students across various institutions and currently contributes to Oxford's MSc in Sustainable Urban Development program. He has supervised numerous doctoral students and received recognition for his teaching excellence, including Fellow of the Higher Education Academy status and a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice. His commitment to research-led teaching has resulted in innovative pedagogical approaches documented in peer-reviewed academic publications.