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26 March 2015 |
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 News
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LSE continues to widen access LSE has admitted its highest
proportion of state school undergraduates for over ten years, according to
official statistics released this week.
The latest data on widening participation in UK universities, released by
the national Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), show that 71.4 per
cent of the School’s home undergraduates came from state schools in 2013.
This is the highest proportion for the School since HESA widening participation records
began, and well above our benchmark.
The 2013 figures also show LSE beat its benchmarks for the proportion of
its students from lower socio-economic backgrounds (17.9 per cent) and from
low participation neighbourhoods (4.2 per cent). The latter group, in
particular, has been difficult to reach for many universities, especially
those in the Russell Group.
Director of Recruitment and Admissions, Catherine Baldwin, said that
these figures are testament to LSE’s work to widen its pool of applicants:
"LSE works hard to ensure students from a wide variety of backgrounds are
encouraged to apply to the School, as well as other universities in London
and around the UK.
"To help achieve this we undertake a range of outreach schemes for
students from year six to year 13, such as summer schools, mentoring and
access courses. All of these aim to raise the aspirations or attainment of
students from non-traditional backgrounds or from groups under-represented
in higher education."
For more information on the range of LSE’s outreach programmes, visit
Widening Participation. For full performance indicators see
UK Performance Indicators in Higher Education.
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LSE student honoured at prestigious Chinese language competition
Angel Naydenov, undergraduate student in the Department of Anthropology, has
won an award for ‘The Best Performance’ at the UK finals of the Chinese
Bridge College Student Competition.
The competition, which runs annually, contains a three minute speech in
Mandarin, two minutes of questions on Chinese language, culture and
geography, and a three minute talent show. Angel, who is from Bulgaria and
studying Mandarin Language and Society Advanced Level, competed against 30
candidates from 15 universities across the UK to reach the finals, where he
went up against another nine candidates.
This is the second time LSE has won an award in the competition - last year
Edward Knight, from the Department of International Relations, won another
individual award for 'The Most Eloquent'.
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New Centre to drive forward research in vocational education in the
UK LSE is one of four partners behind the new Centre for Vocational
Education Research, created to improve vocational education in the UK.
Professor Sandra McNally of LSE's Centre for Economic Performance is
working with three other experts, all with knowledge in vocational
education: Dr Steven McIntosh of the University of Sheffield, Dr Stefan
Speckesser of the Institute for Employment Studies, and Dr Gavan Conlon of
London Economics.
The Centre, which is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation
and Skills, aims to advance the understanding of the requirements for
vocational education in the UK today, identify the challenges in the
provision of vocational education, and develop and strengthen the
knowledge-base to enable a more agile, relevant and needs-based vocational
education sector.
Professor Sandra McNally, founding director of the new Centre, said:
"While there are many excellent routes available to young people in
vocational education, many do not get the high quality education they need
to fulfil their own potential and to contribute to economic growth. The new
Centre aspires to become a world-class research hub to generate a
step-change in our understanding of the nature, significance and potential
contribution of vocational education to individuals and the wider economy."
For more information, contact Harriet Ogborn at
h.ogborn@lse.ac.uk.
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Psycholoy@LSE - new LSE blog launched
In a world that is fundamentally social, the human element is often
an important contributing factor to today's issues. Understanding how
social, economic, political and cultural issues are explained by human
functioning is of key importance to academics, business and public
administrators. There is a wealth of research that might help advance
our understanding, but often this research is inaccessible or more
complex than most people have time to untangle.
A new blog, Psycholoy@LSE,
has been launched by the Department of Social Psychology to encourage
dialogue and exchange on these issues between the public, business and
academic worlds. The blog will report on on-going debates and activities of
the department and on lines of argument regarding how best to develop a
social psychology that is relevant, challenging and up-to-the minute in its
reach and influence.
The editorial team welcomes suggestions and input from colleagues and
outside contributors - please find out
more here.
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New Gearty Grilling online
A new Gearty Grilling video, part of the series of short video debates
between Conor Gearty, director of the IPA and professor of human rights
law, and leading researchers at LSE, is now online.
This week Tim Allen, Professor of Development Anthropology, discusses
neglected tropical diseases and the controversy surrounding his
fieldwork in Africa.
More
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Celebrating 120 years of LSE Did you know? 20 Kingsway was
where suffragettes could get a cup of tea. Now home to LSE’s Teaching and
Learning Centre, the building used to house the Tea Cup Inn, a tea shop for
suffragettes.
Retrace the links between LSE’s buildings and our early neighbours the
suffragettes at lse.ac.uk/lse120
#LSE120.
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The EU and Russia report
On Thursday 19 March Professor Margot Light, Emeritus Professor of
International Relations and Senior Fellow at LSE IDEAS, and Dr David
Cadier, Fellow in International Strategy and Diplomacy at LSE IDEAS,
participated in an expert roundtable discussion on EU-Russia relations
and the Ukraine crisis, organised by the House of Lords Sub-Committee on
External Affairs.
The seminar participants discussed the findings of the recent report
published the Sub-Committee on this theme.
More
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Human Rights Up Front
Dr Chaloka Beyani (pictured), Associate Professor in the Department
of Law, has been nominated by the United Nations Deputy Secretary
General to be a member of his Senior Experts Group on Human Rights Up
Front.
Dr Beyani addressed the World Humanitarian Summit preparatory meeting for
the Middle East and North Africa in his capacity as UN Special Rapporteur on
the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in Amman, Jordan, from 3-5
March. Prior to this he undertook an official mission to the Central African
Republic and Cameroon from 9-15 February.
Dr Beyani has a long history of working to protect the human rights of
refugees and displaced persons. His research has previously been applied to treaties,
constitutions and international norms which have helped to protect the human
rights of refugees and displaced persons. Read more about his
research impact here.
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Academics abroad
On Wednesday 25 March, Professor Riccardo Crescenzi introduced and
chaired a lecture by Edward Glaeser, entitled 'Triumph
of the City: how our greatest invention makes us richer, smarter,
greener, healthier and happier', at the Roma Tre University.
Professor Jude Howell gave a lecture and seminar on "Civil
society, NGOs and the international security environment" at the NATO
Defence College in Rome from 18-19 March.
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 Notices
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Spring forward On Saturday 29 March the clocks go forward an
hour. All clocks in public areas are state of the art wireless clocks, these
clocks will automatically adjust for DST (Daylight Savings Time).
If you happen to see a clock which hasn’t been adjusted to Daylight
Savings Time or you need any assistance in changing clocks within your area,
please contact Estates at
Estates-Help-Desk@lse.ac.uk.
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Sign up for the LSE Vacations newsletter
If you haven’t already, sign up for the monthly
LSE Vacations newsletter. You’ll receive the latest availability from
around the vacation halls, be kept up to date with various special offers
and promotions, as well as be informed of the latest news and developments.
Remember as a member of staff you are entitled to a 10 per cent discount
from the standard rate. Visit the
website to check availability and obtain your discount code by emailing
vacations@lse.ac.uk or calling 0207
955 7575.
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LSE Perspectives - call for submissions Have you got some
impressive snaps that you’d like to share?
Send them to LSE Arts to see them featured in the Perspectives online
gallery. Each month the arts team selects 12 photos taken by staff and
students to feature in the gallery, and photos range from scenes of London
to trips within the UK and globally.
More
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It’s coming.... Global Corporate Challenge 2015 In the summer
of 2014, a new craze swept the LSE campus - after 100 days the Department of
Management skipped first across the finish line, blistered, bruised, and
with 26 other teams snapping at their heels, hungry to steal Management’s
crown as soon as the opportunity arose.
The Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) is back. Whatever your current
activity level, GCC offers a fun opportunity to team up with colleagues to
improve your fitness and achieve personal health goals, whilst engaging in a
bit of healthy competition with colleagues and 40,000 or so other teams
across the world.
This 100 day activity challenge starts on Wednesday 27 May. More
information will follow before registration opens on Monday 13 April. Keep
an eye out around campus and on the intranet for GCC related news,
information and pop-up events between now and then.
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Computer Tip of the Week - Getting to grips with Webmail for Office 365
With the migration of your email to Office 365, web access to email now
has a new look and feel. Office 365 offers a slim line version of the key
features you would expect from Outlook. Many options, such as creating a
standard signature or setting up Out of Office replies, are done through the
menu available from the Settings icon in the upper right corner of the
screen.
LSE provides two online guides to help you learn to use this version of
webmail efficiently. To set up a standard signature, see
Webmail Office 365 - Creating and Using Signatures.
Web access to LSE Email covers:
- Navigation
- Viewing and working with email
- Turning Conversation view on or off
- Accessing the appropriate contacts list
- Viewing shared mailboxes
- Using the Out of Office assistant
- Forwarding email via Webmail
- Using online help
If you have an IT question, check out our wide range of
online guides and FAQs or attend our weekly
Software Surgeries. Staff and PhD students are invited to enrol for a
one-to-one IT Training session. A huge range of additional computer
training resources is available via the
IT Training website. |
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 LSE
in pictures
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This week's picture features the Old Curiosity Shop framed by the Saw
Swee Hock Student Centre.
For more images like this, visit the
Photography Unit.
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 Research
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Real Wages and Living Standards: the latest UK evidence Since
the global financial crisis, workers’ real wages and family living standards
in the UK have suffered to an extent unprecedented in modern history. The
one group in society for whom living standards have risen since 2008 is
pensioners. But young workers have faced a ‘double whammy’: greater falls in
real wages and bigger rises in unemployment.
These are among the findings of a new report on real wages and living
standards from the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), the latest in a
series of background briefings on key policy issues in the May 2015 UK
general election.
Professor Stephen Machin, the report’s author, comments: "Improving the
labour market prospects and opportunities for young people should be a
central aim of economic policy.
"In the longer run, this is down to education and skill acquisition. But
there are labour market policies that could play a major role in repairing
some of the damage done by the combination of sizable real wage falls and
poor employment opportunities that have hit the wages and living standards
of the young so badly.
"These include raising minimum wages and offering properly funded
apprenticeship and vocational skills programmes."
More
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Which policies can really improve pupil performance? There has
been a radical and as yet unproven shake-up of the UK’s schools system under
the coalition government’s programme of ‘mass academisation’ - yet so far,
the proliferation of academy schools has been surprisingly little discussed
in the run-up to the general election.
This report, also from CEP's series of general election background briefings, explores the evidence on the key drivers of improved
pupil performance, including academy schools, educational spending, teaching
and the curriculum.
Professor Sandra McNally, the report’s author, comments: "We could do
with more debate during the election campaign on the desirability or
otherwise of the academies programme.
"The question is especially pressing for primary schools, which are much
smaller and more numerous than secondary schools - and only 10 per cent of
which currently have academy status. It would be valuable for voters to know
what the different parties plan to do with them and why."
More |
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 Events
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Forthcoming LSE events include....
The World Beyond Your Head: how to flourish in an age of distraction
On: Monday 20 April at 6.30pm in the New Theatre, East Building
Speaker: Matthew Crawford (pictured)
Is Politics Based on Morality?
On: Monday 27 April at 6.30pm in the New Theatre, East Building
Speakers: Dr Fabienne Peter, Professor Catherine Rowett, and Dr Stephen de
Wijze
Integrating Financial Stability and Monetary Policy Analysis
On: Monday 27 April at 6.30pm in the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Speaker: Øystein Olsen (pictured)
The Root of All Good
On: Tuesday 28 April at 6.30pm in the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Speaker: Andrew Palmer
Chile: building bridges in the international arena
On: Thursday 30 April at 6.30pm in the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Speaker: Dr Heraldo Muñoz
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Risk and Stochastics Conference 2015 - in honour of Professor Ragnar
Norberg On: Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 April at the Royal
Statistical Society
The Department of Statistics has organised a two day conference to
celebrate the 70th birthday of Professor Ragnar Norberg (pictured) and
acknowledge his academic achievements, in particular, his legacy at LSE.
Speakers include Odd Olai Aalen, Knut Kristian Aase, Søren Asmussen, Nick
Bingham, Tomas Björk, Freddy Delbaen, Hans Föllmer, Christian Hipp, and
Monique Jeanblanc.
The conference, which includes an evening drinks and buffet reception in
the SDR, is free to attend but registration is essential.
For more information,
click here. To register to attend, visit the
E-shop.
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Podcasts of public lectures and events
A lecture by Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland
Speaker: Nicola Sturgeon
Recorded: Monday 16 March, approx. 55 minutes
VIP: visual international politics
Speaker: Professor William A Callahan
Recorded: Monday 16 March, approx. 61 minutes
The Global Transformation: history, modernity and the making of
international relations
Speakers: Professor Barry Buzan, Professor Craig Calhoun, Dr George Lawson,
Professor Juergen Osterhammel, and Dr Ayse Zarakol
Recorded: Tuesday 17 March, approx. 87 minutes
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 60
second interview
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with..... Ioannis Tsolkas
I love sunny places and like to
fish, so if I could be a fisherman
in a place where summer lasts 12
months per year, I would be the
happiest man alive. Alternatively, I
would be happy if I could be a
farmer in an eco-friendly,
self-sustainable farm.
If you could experience
working in another department/office
at LSE, which would it be?
I am already working in HR one
day per week, and enjoying it, so
the answer is obvious.
If you could bring one famous
person back to life, who would it be
and why?
Aristotle, in order to educate my
children
What is the first record you
ever bought?
Northern Exposure: Expeditions
by Sasha and John Digweed.
What is the first news story
you remember catching your
attention?
The Bhopal disaster, I was 10
years old.
Where is your favourite
holiday destination?
The place I got married recently,
Santorini, and Paris, and in general
sunny places.
What would we be most
surprised to learn about you?
I can dive without equipment and
catch octopuses with my bare hands
(it’s easier than it sounds). |
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 Training
and jobs
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Academic Development Programme Training Sessions Events are
open to academic and professional services staff.
All training sessions are delivered to you by the Research Division in
partnership with the
Teaching
and Learning Centre. For more information, email
researchdivision@lse.ac.uk.
For the list of upcoming events,
click here. For daily updates, follow us on Twitter
@LSE_RD.
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Jobs at LSE Below are some of the vacancies currently being
advertised to internal candidates only, as well as those being advertised
externally.
- Academic Registrar, Academic Registrar's Division
- Communications Coordinator, LSE Careers Service
- Director - Theatrum Mundi, LSE Cities
- Global Health Initiative Manager, LSE Health and Social Care
- Graduate Admissions Selector (three posts), ARD: Graduate
Admissions
- Head of Widening Participation, ARD: Student Recruitment
- Country Economists, International Growth Centre
- Policy Economist (two posts), International Growth Centre
- Research Programme Manager, International Growth Centre
- Fellow In International History, International History
- Fellow in Anthropology (two posts), Anthropology
- Fellow in Conflict Studies, Government
- Fellow in Economics (internal only), Economics
- Fellow in Statistics, Statistics
- Fellow in the Anthropology of China, Anthropology
- National Bank of Greece Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship,
Hellenic Observatory
- Research Officer, Social Psychology
- Research Officer - Fiscal Policy, Centre for Macroeconomics
- Research Officer - LSE Kuwait Programme, Middle East Centre
- Research Officer - New Methodologies, Centre for
Macroeconomics
- Research Officer - TransCrisis, Centre for Analysis of Risk
and Regulation
- Research Officer - Trade and Climate Change, Grantham
Research Institute
- Senior Assistant, Financial Support Office
- Senior Project Manager - Mechanical and Electrical Services,
Estates Division
- Teaching Delivery Coordinator, Government
- Undergraduate Access and Admissions Specialist, ARD:
Undergraduate Admissions
- Undergraduate Programme Administrator (maternity cover),
Statistics
For more information, visit
Jobs at LSE and login via the instructions under the 'Internal
vacancies' heading. |
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 Get
in touch!
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If you have some news, an achievement, or an aspect of LSE life that you
would like to share, I would love to hear from you. Do get in touch
at n.gallivan@lse.ac.uk
or on ext 7582. The next edition of Staff News is on Thursday 9
April. Articles for this should be emailed to me by
Wednesday 1 April. Staff
News is emailed every Thursday during term time and fortnightly during
the holidays.
Thanks, Nicole
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