LSE’s Excellence in Education Awards are made to staff who have demonstrated outstanding teaching and educational leadership. In our ongoing series, we talk to some of the winners to find out more about their excellent teaching and the different approaches they take to working with students.
This week, Dr Jo Braithwaite from LSE’s Law Department tells us why research-led teaching is not just about teaching what you love, and how a dissertation is a good way to explore what interests you the most.
Did you know that LSE's IMT AV team spent over half a million pounds this summer to enhance the audio-visual facilities available in 40 teaching spaces across LSE in response to student feedback?
Come and remember all who have lost their lives in war and particularly alumni of LSE. Join us on Friday 11 November at 10.50am in the Shaw Library, Old Building.
Nikhil Parmar Whilst a student at LSE, Nikhil acted in six plays with the Drama Society, and is now about to appear in the new Sky One supermarket-based comedy Trollied airing next week.
Message from Professor Paul Kelly, Pro-Director (Teaching and Learning)
The School will be conducting teaching surveys in weeks 8 and 9 of this term (14 Nov-25 Nov). Students will be asked to complete questionnaires in classes/seminars/lectures for half-unit courses, and for any other courses on which teachers teach only this term: teaching by permanent teachers on full-unit courses will be surveyed mainly in the Lent term.
The class/seminar survey asks for student views on the course as a whole; it also asks opinion of their class teacher’s performance. The survey covers permanent faculty, GTAs and LSE Fellows. Teachers should conduct surveys during classes/seminars: it should take no more than ten minutes to complete. Some teachers will also conduct a separate survey about lectures.
A huge thank you and congratulations to everyone who exhibited their work at this year’s Research Festival, it was a truly amazing and inspirational event.
On Monday 31 October Ashish Patel, BSc in Mathematics and Economics 2016, won the the Under 25’s category for Mentoring and Coaching in the Team London volunteering awards at City Hall for his work with IntoUniversity.
Ashish has volunteered over 200 hours at IntoUniversity’s education centre in East Ham since 2014 and during this time he has gone above and beyond to support their young people. He volunteered first as an intern and now as an Academic Support Tutor in an after-school club. He also set up his own maths club called Marvellous Maths - for students who struggle with numeracy, and engages beyond the classroom, helping out with family events and providing suggestions for future community. He is now a member of City Year UK.
On Wednesday 2 November DisabledGo and LSE launched the School’s new accessibility guide, which provides a summary of all of our venues’ accessibility with detailed information and photographs to enable you to plan your journeys.
The launch involved a number of drop-in sessions hosted by LSE LIFE and also saw Professor Julia Black, Interim Director, Andrew Young, Chief Operating Officer, and Julia Ryland, LSESU Activities and Development Officer, presented with the DisabledGo plaque.
To coincide with the launch, the LSE-specific DisabledGo app is now available here. Follow @edi_lse for more information.
It has been brought to our attention that Student News may be arriving as junk in some of your inboxes.
Please check the 'junk' folder of your email if you haven't received the latest editions.
Do you need special exam arrangements for your Lent Term exams?
If so, you will need to submit your application by Friday 11 November.
Special examination arrangements are known as Individual Exam Adjustments (IEAs) at LSE. If you think you need special examination arrangements, or have had extra time, the use of a PC, a scribe or a reader, or other provision in the past, you will need to arrange for an IEA with the Disability and Wellbeing Service.
If you are sitting Lent Term (Week 0) exams, you must submit your application for special arrangement to the IEA Panel by Friday 11 November. This deadline is final.
You need to meet a DWS Adviser to set up IEAs, so get your information together and book an appointment now!
For more information, visit the Disability and Wellbeing Service in person or www.lse.ac.uk/IEA.
Please note, if you have ‘Duration of Studies‘ IEAs in place already, this deadline does not apply to you.
Undergraduates, want to find out how knowledge is created? Maybe understand the processes underpinning your degree subject? Perhaps build up your group and team working skills? Even get a taste of the life of an academic researcher? Join LSE GROUPS/Imperial Horizons in 2017 and discover something new.
Work on an authentic research project - one that you and your group have chosen and designed from scratch. This is an immersive, engaging and unique learning experience and offers undergraduates an exciting opportunity to do original research and present it to their peers.
In this innovative collaboration, staff and students from both LSE and Imperial College will work together investigating complex contemporary issues. You’ll meet every Tuesday, 4.30-6.30pm from 17 January to 14 March. Not only will you be devising a research question and carrying out a literature review, you will collect and analyse data, and present your findings. Imperial and LSE supervisors will be supporting you along your academic journey. Get new perspectives, meet new people, and put your own studies in an interdisciplinary context.
Did you know, in order to continue to improve the School’s IT infrastructure, IMT has scheduled regular maintenance periods where upgrades, equipment replacement and other essential work can take place?
Our schedule for 2016-17 is as follows:
Weekly: Every Tuesday morning (6am-8am)
Monthly: Last Thursday of each month (11.59pm-6am)
Termly: One whole Sunday per term:
Michaelmas - 11 December 2016
Lent - 2 April 2017
Summer - 6 August 2017
Any disruptive or emergency works will continue to be communicated through our usual channels, e.g. LSE IT News, @lseitnews, Staff and Student Newsletters and LSEmail where appropriate.
LSE Catering Winter Food Festival
LSE Catering is delighted to announce the dates for our Winter Food Festival this November.
Based at the John Watkins Plaza, outside the Library, LSE Catering will be serving up a hearty range of street-food including Cajun chicken, chipotle smoked beef, Vietnamese noodles and a variety of refreshments and deals.
Serving between 12-2.30pm on the 15, 17, 22 and 24 November, pop down to our street food festival and try our delicious and diverse cuisines for yourself.
Join the LSE Impact Investment Society
The Impact Investment Society at LSE has recently been created and we want you to participate.
We are currently working together with the Marshall Institute, as well as with our like-minded community of LSE students, to define our mission/vision which will include the following areas:
Public policy advocacy for social enterprises, b-corps and impact investment
Please come along to our first society meeting to be held on Wednesday 16 November from 6pm in room 32L.B.07, 32 Lincoln's Inn Fields. We will be announcing our future activities, management team roles, and some surprises! Join us to create LSE’s first like-minded grassroots community of students who truly believe that sustainable value has become inherent to business.
Instagram-er? Like to tweet? Win one of two £50 Amazon vouchers
Have you seen the newly refurbished learning spaces at Clement House, located on floors 2-7 in the central ‘rotunda’ stairwell?
Each area has a slightly different theme and is named after a different city. Creativity, self-study and group discussion are just some of the ideas behind each floor. You'll find whiteboards, lots of plug sockets, furniture of all designs, artwork and a Mac for your use.
Learning Technology and Innovation is doing an evaluation of these spaces to get your views on what works, and what doesn’t work.
How can you get involved for the chance to win one of two £50 Amazon vouchers?
Take a photo of your favourite learning space on floors 2-7, Clement House.
Tell us why you like this space in under 140 characters.
Upload this photo using the hashtag #LSECLM.
The draw will be made at random at the end of Michaelmas Term.
Update from…
LSE Careers
Whether you have a clear idea of what you want to do after your studies or haven’t started thinking about it yet, LSE Careers can help. We provide a range of careers services and events, information and advice online and in one-to-one appointments, and a jobs board with UK and international full-time, part-time, graduate, internship, experienced hire, and volunteering opportunities. Alongside this we also have the following coming up:
International Organisations Day (IOD) 2016 IOD is an all-day event at LSE during which international organisations explain their role, employment opportunities, and the experience and qualifications required for a career in international organisations. This year it’s on Saturday 12 November and booking is open so don’t miss it! Don’t worry if you can’t make it - we’ll have some recordings for you to listen back to, and our International Development Events Programme (IDEP) is coming up in Lent Term.
Meet an Alum on Thursday evenings Alumni are on campus every Thursday as part of our Meet an Alum series to give you a unique opportunity to gain insights into their working lives and career paths and ask for careers advice. So meet a journalist, talk about international development, learn about environmental finance and more - browse and book now!
Come to our Friday employer breakfasts Our breakfasts are catered informal networking events based on a particular topic, sector and/or occupation. There are some great opportunities coming up to explore careers in charities and not-for-profits, international development consultancy, health, and think tanks. Book on CareerHub and find out how to make the most of these events on our blog.
You can find LSE Careers on Floor 5 of the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre - if you have any questions, come up and see us or contact us. To keep up-to-date with careers news and events, subscribe to our blog and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
What’s on
Highlights from LSE's public events
LSE Choir and Orchestra Christmas Concert Have you bought your tickets yet for this year’s Christmas Concert at St Clement Danes Church hosted by LSE Arts and the LSESU Music Society? Taking place on Tuesday 6 December at 7pm, the concert will include the LSE Choir performing a selection of Christmas carols and Te Deum Laudamus by Haydn and the LSE Orchestra performing Milhaud Le Boeuf Sur La Toit, Haydn Trumpet Concerto and Beethoven Symphony No.8. Tickets are £7 and can be purchased from the LSE online store.
Thursday 17 November, 5.30-7pm, Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building Speaker:Nathalie Tocci, Deputy Director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome. Discussants: Sven Biscop, Director of the Europe in the World Programme at Egmont; and Professor Ben Tonra, Jean Monnet Professor of European Foreign, Security and Defence Policy at University College Dublin.
Undoubtedly Brexit has dealt a major blow, both to the UK's role in the world and that of the EU. As one, if not the, Member State with the most global outlook, the damage done both in terms of material capacities and reputation cannot be underestimated. At the same time some argue that the UK's exit from the EU would facilitate integration in the security and defence field. What are the prospects for the implementation of the EU Global Strategy following the UK referendum?
Keep up-to-date with what Brexit means for the UK and the wider world at LSE Brexit blog.
Shocked by Brexit? Concerned about the refugee crisis? Troubled by polarisation around the US elections? Worried about radicalisation and extremism?
We are hosting a hackathon to address issues that polarise our society. Come and take part in four hours of intense problem-solving, with presentations by experienced mentors from the arts, social enterprise and academia.
Identify key issues that are polarising communities
Friday 25 November, 9am-2pm, Saw Swee Hock Student Centre
How can we make ourselves and our communities more resilient against exploitative polarisation? How do we move beyond just tolerating each other to actively seeking out diversity in all its hues? How do we rise above false binaries and better engage in constructive conflict so that we do not succumb to the more destructive kind? How do we ensure that research results and other evidence play a greater role in the public debate and have stronger impact on policy decisions? Join us for a celebration of diversity and an exploration of the drivers of resilience in our society.
We will discuss the role of education with Hanan Al Hroub, winner of the 2016 Global Teacher Prize, and will hear about creative approaches to identity from the creator of the Islamic Superheroes ‘99’, Dr Naif Al Mutawa.
Allyson Stewart-Allen will highlight cultural differences in deal making, Julia Karmo will bring her perspective as a reporter in Cologne to the challenge of addressing fear in migration matters, while Professors Erik Berglof and Christine Chinkin will highlight the role of universities.
Furthermore, we will announce the much-anticipated winners of IGA’s migration video competition and winners of the student ‘Hackathon’ from the prior evening.
This will be a fast-paced, interactive, illuminating and energising morning. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Lutfey Siddiqi or Sophie Wise.
The Legacy of Peace Speaker: Juan Manuel Santos Calderón Recorded: Wednesday 2 November, approx. 61 minutes
What Next for Growth in the UK? Speaker: Vince Cable, Lord Darling, Stephanie Flanders, and George Osborne Recorded: Wednesday 2 November, approx. 64 minutes
Training
This week LSE LIFE is all about communication
Communication is a vital skill for success, both academically and professionally. But what does good communication actually mean, and how can we translate that into our everyday lives?
Speak Up! Make your voice heard in seminars and classes Wednesday 9 November at 5pm and Thursday 10 November at 2pm It can sometimes feel like seminar and class discussions go by in a blur - where you can’t seem to make your way into the conversation or think of anything to say. You might feel more like a passenger rather than a participant. Learn ways to interject, interrupt (politely!) and make a comment you can be proud of with Sara Felix. Book your place
Present with pizzazz Thursday 10 November at 11am and Friday 11 November at 11am Academic theories and cases are often difficult to understand and full of minute details. The whole point of presenting and discussing them in classes and seminars is to make sense of them together with your peers and your teacher. When you have only a few minutes to present a big idea, what information should you highlight? How can you capture your audience’s attention? And how can you help make it more clear and relevant to your peers? Discuss the answers to these questions with Sara Felix. Book your place
Unlock the secrets of your voice Friday 11 November at 2pm It’s not what you say, but the way that you say it. How many times have you heard that? Discover how vocal stress, intonation and pauses influence how others interpret what you say. With Helen Green and Michael Beaney leading the session, practise using your voice in new ways, and build your confidence in speaking. Book your place
This week, LSE’s Athletic Union (AU) are putting on a series of workshops, fitness sessions and events as part of #ThisLSEGirlCan to celebrate sisterhood in sport.
Watch the video below created by Undergraduate Claire Hooi to find out more about the amazing athletes at the School and how you can get involved in sport at LSE.
LSE Chill is a free performance night hosted by LSE Arts at Café 54, New Academic Building. Whether you’re interested in performing or just looking for a feel good atmosphere with some great talent, please come along.
The next Chill will be on Friday 25 November from 6-8pm, and we are looking for performers.
If you are interested in performing, please email arts@lse.ac.uk or click here for more information.
Star of the Week
Star of the Week
Congratulations to LSE graduate Nadia-Rei Erlam, who currently works at LSE's Gender Institute, and has been nominated as this week's Star of the Week.
David Coles, LSE Volunteer Centre, and Viki Chinn and Anne Clinton, LSE Careers, commented: "Nadia-Rei’s volunteering is an incredibly inspirational story. Not only has she made a huge impact on a number of causes but volunteering has helped her professionally and personally. We can’t think of anyone better to be 'Star of the Week'."
Click here to read more about Nadia-Rei's inspirational volunteering over the past year.
Get in touch!
If you have some news, an achievement, or an aspect of LSE life that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you - get in touch at communications.internal@lse.ac.uk or on ext 7582.
The next edition of Student News is on Wednesday 16 November. Articles for this should be emailed to us by Monday 14 November.
Microsoft prevents automatic downloading of images. You can set your Microsoft Outlook to download all pictures in emails from LSEmail. Please find guidance here.
Volunteering opportunities
Meet an Alum on Thursday evenings
Upcoming events for next week include the Fred Halliday Memorial Lecture by 
LSE Chill is a free performance night hosted by LSE Arts at Café 54, New Academic Building. Whether you’re interested in performing or just looking for a feel good atmosphere with some great talent, please come along.
