News archive 2011

LSE awards three honorary doctorates at graduation ceremonies (19 December 2011)

Professor Rita Giacaman, Professor Marshall Sahlins and Professor Nora Cruz-Quebral received honorary degrees at presentation ceremonies for LSE graduates last week.

Apprenticeships should deliver higher skills and more opportunity (15 December 2011)

Too few young people benefit from apprenticeships and not enough high value skills are delivered finds a new report

Choosing a school is not parents' top priority finds new study (7 December 2011)

More than eight in 10 people think parents should send their children to the nearest state school, reveal new findings from the first survey to gauge Britons’ attitudes to school choice in detail.  

Big questions for young minds – LSE launches new economics lecture for young people online (6 December 2011)

A new online lecture which tackles big questions about the economy for a younger audience has been launched by LSE. In the lecture Professor Danny Quah addresses the issue of the rising economic power of China and other Asian countries and asks whether we should be fearful of this.

Reading the Riots (5 December 2011)

Unprecedented study by LSE and the Guardian finds that widespread anger and frustration with the police was a significant factor behind the summer riots.

Rising debt means sinking US power (2 December 2011)

American military power will decline from 2020 unless the US can solve its mounting debt crisis argues a special report from LSE IDEAS.

LSE response to the Woolf Inquiry (30 November 2011)

The Council of LSE has published the report of Lord Woolf's Inquiry into the School's links with Libya. It has also announced the results of a separate inquiry by the University of London into alleged academic misconduct by Saif Gaddafi.

LSE appoints new Director (24 November 2011)

Professor Craig Calhoun, renowned social scientist and public intellectual, will take up the post of Director at LSE in September 2012.

Hong Kong tops global health index (15 November 2011)

Hong Kong, Osaka, Tokyo and Singapore – all high-income Asian cities – come out on top of a new study of 129 world metropolitan regions.

Economically-troubled countries more likely to be led by those with economics training according to new research (9 November 2011)

The finance ministers of economically-troubled nations such as Greece and Portugal are more likely to be highly educated in economics than their peers in other countries, including the UK, according to new research presented at the 2011 Dahrendorf Symposium.

Istanbul, Singapore and London beckon for new master's applicants (9 November 2011)

Competition is now open for places on an executive programme which will take participants to London, Istanbul and Singapore to understand the crucial issues in global management.

New life-saving app (7 November 2011)

A new app developed at LSE to save lives in a major disaster is to be tested at the Lord Mayor's Show in the City of London.

LSE academics brief the House of Lords on potential impact of legal aid cuts (1 November 2011)

Vulnerable people often require legal advice to access the welfare that is their right and legal aid cuts threaten this, LSE academics argue in a briefing paper presented to the House of Lords.  

LSE hosts Chinese Minister of Education (28 October 2011)

H.E. Mr Yuan Guiren, Minister of Education in the People’s Republic of China, visited LSE on Friday 28 October as part of an official visit to the UK. LSE is the only university to be visited by the Minister during his three day visit to the UK.

UK National Security Council lacks capacities to deliver coherent defence strategy (26 October 2011)

The UK can no longer make effective national defence strategy as it once did, and the National Security Council (NSC) currently lacks the method and institutional frame to address future security threats, warns a paper by LSE Professor Gwyn Prins.  

TRIUM ranked second in the world by the Financial Times (24 October 2011)

The TRIUM Global Executive MBA Program, in which LSE is a partner, has been ranked second in the world by the Financial Times annual ranking of Executive MBA programs.

LSE to Monitor Inequality and Poverty under the Coalition  (21 October 2011)
LSE researchers have launched a new programme to report on the impact of the recession, spending changes and the government's social policy reforms on inequality and poverty in the UK.

Fuel poverty a serious problem says independent review by LSE expert (19 October 2011)

At least 2,700 people in England die each year because they cannot afford to keep warm an interim report to the Government has warned.

Academics find common ground on planning reform (17 October 2011)

The reform of planning legislation has sharply divided commentators, academics and members of the public. LSE London brought together a group of academics to try to find some areas of consensus.

Target internet protection at the most disadvantaged children recommends online study (12 October 2011)

Disadvantaged children get less help and support to protect them from the dangers of being online, researchers have found.

LSE academics question merits of extending competition to improve hospital care (10 October 2011)

More research is needed before conclusions can be drawn about the effect of recent reforms on hospital quality, let alone about the merits of the coalition government's proposals to extend competition, warn experts from LSE.

LSE rises sharply in world university ranking (6 October 2011)

LSE has jumped 39 places in the in the ranking of world universities published today by Times Higher Education.

OECD well placed to steer global recovery says secretary general (6 October 2011)

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development secretary general Angel Gurria examines the challenges facing the OECD in the latest issue of Global Policy.

Private renters need more secure tenures says new research (5 October 2011)

If the private rental market is to provide an attractive alternative to home ownership in the UK then a full range of tenancy agreements must be available, according to new research by LSE London.

 LSE produces new Twitter guide for academics  (3 October 2011)

The LSE Public Policy Group has published a new guide to show academics how Twitter can help with their teaching and research.

LSE academic prescribes ‘hope’ in the battle against HIV/AIDS (27 September 2011)

'Hope' could be a valuable tool to enable policy makers to adopt the best policies to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, an LSE professor has argued.

Report exposes the top 10 myths of internet safety (22 September 2011)

Researchers today published a list of the top 10 myths about internet safety for children to show how many peoples' knowledge of online dangers are out of date.

Chaotic energy policies need world-wide solutions argues special report (19 September 2011)

Mismanagement of energy threatens global harmony and prosperity, argues a new study in the journal Global Policy, which suggests that more effective international co-ordination of energy policy could offer hope for a better-governed future.

Nick Clegg outlines plans for economic recovery (14 September 2011)

Nick Clegg delivered a speech to an audience at LSE where he outlined government plans for recovery in the face of 'stark' economic pressures.

Great recession will hit incomes for years (12 September 2011)

Ordinary households have yet to feel the worst effects of the recession on their income a study of 21 wealthier countries reveals today.

Do tax credits really 'make work pay'? (9 September 2011)

Using benefits or tax credit schemes to top-up low wages is not necessarily a good way of promoting a work ethic among people in chronically low-paid work, according to new research from LSE.

LSE shortlisted for Special Award in this year's Top Employers for Working Families (7 September 2011)

The London School of Economics and Political Science has reached the finals of the Top Employers for Working Families awards and is shortlisted in the Best for Fathers category.

Boys with absent fathers more likely to be young fathers (7 September 2011)

Boys with absent fathers are more likely to hit puberty later, but become fathers earlier according to research from LSE.

Reading the riots - LSE and Guardian launch study of disorder in English cities (5 September 2011)

The causes and consequences of the English riots last month, the most serious bout of civil unrest in a generation, will be examined in an innovative study by LSE and the Guardian newspaper.

Women more stressed by commuting than men (22 August 2011)

Women suffer more stress from their daily commute than men according to new research by LSE and the University of Sheffield.

Cyclists can help Britain's economy get back on its bike (22 August 2011)

Cycling contributes almost £3 billion to the UK economy shows a new report from the London School of Economics and Political Science which also reveals that almost a quarter of the population are now cyclists.

Police patrols highly effective for cutting crime (19 August 2011)

A new study from LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance shows that police patrols are a highly effective tool for cutting crime.

Life-threatening nut allergies viewed as ‘frivolous and self indulgent fad’ (16 August 2011)

Parents of nut-allergy sufferers face hostility and scepticism in trying to find safe environments for their children, a new study has found.

Influence and affluence examined at LSE China 2011 Conference (12 August 2011)

Around 300 LSE alumni and friends attended the LSE China 2011 Conference in Beijing on Thursday 11 August. The event, which examined Influence and Affluence: changing dynamics in East-West relations, followed the LSE Graduation Ceremony, the second overseas graduation to be held by LSE.

Rethinking Europe: the international Dahrendorf Symposium 2011 (28 July 2011)

On  and 10 November 2011, leading figures from academia, politics, industry, civil society and the media will attend the Dahrendorf Symposium 2011, to help provide a new direction for the debate on Europe.

Keeping the past public (14 July 2011)

The findings of archaeological investigations which developers must fund on possible heritage sites should be made more easily available to maximise their value to society according to new research by LSE London.

LSE Access Agreement approved (12 July 2011)

LSE’s new Access Agreement for 2012 has been approved by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA). This will see the School increase the annual amount spent on bursaries and discounts for UK undergraduates to over £2.2 million by 2015.

Girls as likely as boys to bully others online survey discovers (6 July 2011)

Girls are just as likely as boys to bully other children online a survey of young people’s internet habits reveals. EU Kids Online asked 25,000 children across Europe whether they had ever bullied others, or been bullied, online and found that 93 per cent had no experience of bullying at all.

Future of Britain's poorest families still relies on urgent social investment finds new book (4 July 2011)

Some of Britain's poorest neighbourhoods are at risk of decaying into ghetto-like enclaves if budget cuts halt society's efforts to pull them 'back from the cliff edge', a new book warns.

Case for investment in London's affordable housing is overwhelming (27 June 2011)

The case for government investment in affordable housing in London is overwhelming according to a report by LSE London.  

LSE academic appointed to new Greek cabinet (17 June 2011)

Professor Elias Mossialos, Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Public Health and Director of LSE Health, has been appointed to the new Greek cabinet.

The potential storms of cloud computing (15 June 2011)

The gap in expectations and perception of risk between senior business and IT executives is likely to be a major challenge to the expansion of cloud computing, according to a new report from LSE.

Politicians shouldn’t use social media just for the sake of it argues tweeting MP (9 June 2011)

A new paper by Stella Creasy MP, to be presented at the POLIS Media and Power conference, argues that politicians need to start thinking of social media as a conversation not a broadcast.

Zimbabwe’s university teachers can help rebuild their country event will hear (8 June 2011)

Author and journalist Peter Godwin will speak about current events in his native land at an event on Thursday (9 June) which coincides with the launch of a new campaign to help Zimbabwean academics and its higher education system.

Turkey is first among rising powers says new LSE report (7 June 2011)

Turkey's growing influence is likely to see it play an increasing role in Middle East affairs during the Arab Spring, concludes a special report on the country published today ahead of its national elections

LSE retains First class honours for People & Planet Green League (7 June 2011)

LSE has been awarded a First for its commitment to systemic environmental management and its environmental performance in the 2011 People & Planet Green League.

Living in the Endless City reveals the dynamics of the 21st century city (6 June 2011)

Fifty per cent of the world's population currently live in cities with 33 per cent of city dwellers currently living in slums. By 2050, 75 per cent will live in cities with half the world's population will living in slums. This is one of the findings of Living in the Endless City.

The Munro Review of Child Protection (26 May 2011)

Professor Eileen Munro, Department of Social Policy, has completed her ten month long review of the child protection service in England.

LSE ranked top university in London in Guardian university guide

The London School of Economics and Political Science has been ranked as the top university in London and the UK’s fourth best university in the 2012 Guardian university guide.

Managers should be assessed on work-life balance

Managers' performance appraisals should include their effectiveness in helping employees achieve a good work-life balance, according to new research from LSE.

Message from Judith Rees on tuition fees and financial support

On May 11 LSE’s Academic Board met and voted on two alternative packages for tuition fees and financial support for 2012 onwards. As the result was extremely close there will be no formal recommendation going forward from the Academic Board to the LSE Council.

New study is first to identify a “happiness gene”

People tend to be happier if they possess a more efficient version of a gene which regulates the transport of serotonin in the brain, a new study has shown.

Children who care could be the solution not the problem

British children who care for their sick or disabled parents will attend the launch of a new exhibition of photographs and drawings by children who care for relatives dying of AIDS in Africa on May 14 at LSE.

Model economic answers were mostly wrong finds review (6 May 2011)

Most economists were caught unawares by the world financial crisis because they were relying on the wrong models rather than the science of economics itself being at fault, a new study has suggested. 

Voting experts unanimously reject First Past the Post

At a recent workshop organised by the Voting Power and Procedures research programme at LSE, 22 voting theory specialists voted to select the "best voting procedure" to elect one out of thee or more candidates. First Past The Post (FPTP)­ –­ also known as Plurality Voting – received no votes.

Promotion, prevention and early intervention dramatically cut the costs of mental ill health, says government – sponsored research report

Every pound spent on parenting programmes to prevent conduct disorder in young children saves the UK £8 over a child’s lifetime, according to a new report.

LSE ranked fourth in latest university league table

The Complete University Guide sees LSE rated as the fourth best university in the UK and second best in London.

Study reveals the UK’s ’under-age’ social networking generation (18 April 2011)

Younger children are increasingly setting up their own pages on social networking sites such as Facebook, finds a new study published today.

UK less effective than Albania in tackling human trafficking (14 April 2011)
A new index which measures the effectiveness of government policies to fight human trafficking has found that the UK fares worse than some less developed countries such as Albania and Vietnam.

Will the Olympics make us happier? (5 April 2011)

A new study into whether hosting the 2012 Olympic Games will boost our happiness is being launched by LSE, with funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

LSE the host of ‘OECD at 50, Better Policies for Better Lives’ seminar

Vincent Cable MP, Angel Gurria and Howard Davies opened the day long seminar celebrating the OECD's 50th year.

Property prices can be predicted ahead of transport improvements (24 March 2011)

An economic model which accurately predicts the increase in property prices to result from new transport links will provide planners with crucial information about the cost and social benefit of future projects.

LSE experts question music industry claims on file-sharing (21 March 2011)

A new report from LSE casts doubt on the proportionality and likely effectiveness of measures to protect intellectual property, due to be implemented by the Digital Economy Act.

Doubling expenditure on the NHS between 1997 and 2010 had a variable impact on health system performance (16 March 2011)

A new report reveals that while public expenditure on health care in England more than doubled between 1997 and 2010, the impact on health system performance has been variable.

Academic esteem for LSE (11 March 2011)

The first ranking of global universities based on their reputation among senior academics places LSE 37th in the world and fifth in the UK.

For genuine localism central government must relinquish local finance powers to councils (7 March 2011)

LSE academics Professor George Jones and Tony Travers, along with Professor John Stewart from the University of Birmingham argue that genuine localism can never be realised until and unless central government gives up its 100 per cent control over all tax sources in the UK.

LSE Director steps down (3 March 2011)

It is with great regret and reluctance that the Council of the London School of Economics and Political Science announces that it has accepted the resignation of Sir Howard Davies as Director.

Indian academic takes up top international affairs and history chair at LSE (3 March 2011)

Ramachandra Guha, a historian and biographer based in Bangalore, will succeed Professor Niall Ferguson as holder of the Philippe Roman Chair in history and international affairs. He takes up the post in September.

 £300,000 fund to North African students (Update: 1 March 2011)

The LSE Council met on 1 March. It discussed the School's links with Libya and in particular the research grant received from the GICDF. The Council agreed a proposal from the School that £300,000 should be used as a scholarship fund to support students from North Africa.

Proposed visa restrictions would deter potential LSE students (21 February 2011)
A recent survey by LSE suggests that the proposed visa regulations could deter significant numbers of international students from studying at the School.

LSE's Gender Institute flourishes as an autonomous academic department (17 February 2011)   

LSE's Gender Institute has grown so rapidly over the last five years that it is now the largest of its kind in Europe and has become an autonomous academic department.                        

Government’s Spending Review: fair? (9 February 2011)

The government's claim that its 2010 Spending Review promotes 'fairness' has been challenged by Dr Tania Burchardt, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Policy

Young teens find it easier to "be themselves" online than offiline (8 February 2011)

Nearly half of European 11-16 year olds agree that they find it easier to be themselves on the internet than when they are with people face to face, and the one in eight young people who strongly agree are more likely to take risks online.