TRIUM ranked second in the world

The TRIUM Global Executive MBA Programme, in which LSE is a partner, has been ranked second in the world by the Financial Times.

LSESU Michaelmas term elections

Vote for the students you want to represent you this academic year. Voting closes at 7pm on Thursday 27 October.

Professor Paul Kelly

Professor Kelly, who came to LSE in 1984 to do his PhD, once ate fish stomach while in Beijing - 'It was interesting but I probably wouldn’t eat another one.'

Message from Professor Janet Hartley (pictured), pro-director for teaching and learning.

In recent years your fellow students requested, through the National Student Survey (NSS), improvements in feedback on their academic work. In response, the School last year put in place a number of new feedback initiatives. Your departments now provide:

• feedback on summative coursework (i.e. coursework that counts towards your final course mark)
• feedback on a draft chapter/plan of dissertations submitted in good time prior to final submission.

A number of departments also participated in a trial of ‘collective exam feedback’ on one first year undergraduate paper in the 2010/11 exam session. School committees responsible for teaching and assessment are considering the outcome of this trial.

Several departments also offer additional forms of feedback, including: mock examinations; special class assessment exercises in first year undergraduate courses to help students acquire ‘assessment literacy’; and feedback on presentations.

The School recognises that there is still much to do in this area: although our 2011 NSS score for ‘assessment and feedback’ of 68 per cent represents an improvement (compared to 63 per cent in 2010), student satisfaction in this area remains below where we would wish it to be. The School will carefully monitor its feedback initiatives in the coming years.

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

Each year, the Financial Times survey evaluates Executive MBA programmes offered by business schools from all over the world. The study assesses the career progress of alumni three years after programme completion (the Class of 2008), the academic excellence of the faculty, as well as the programme's international scope. One hundred programmes are ranked in this year's table.

TRIUM, an alliance between LSE, New York University Stern School of Business and HEC School of Management, Paris, has risen from third place in last year's rankings to second in the world.

LSE sculpture named one of the top ten public contemporary artworks in London

ArtLyst, one of the most comprehensive resource websites for contemporary art in London, has named Richard Wilson's sculpture at LSE as one of the top ten public contemporary art works in London.

The sculpture, named 'Square the Block', was installed on the corner of LSE's New Academic Building in 2009.

Where it looks as if the corner of the building has been sliced away to facilitate the movement of passers by, Richard Wilson added a new corner section made from vertical slices of the rest of the building, the lower section of which appears compressed and twisted as if shunted upwards to free up the pavement.

More information on the sculpture can be found here. 'Square the Block' isn’t the only art work at LSE - have a look at the other artworks around the campus here.
 

The Orientation Steering Group would like to congratulate the winners of the Orientation Quiz Challenge: Team Quantum and Team Accounting 101.

New students who arrived at LSE before Orientation Week were invited to get to know each other while learning more about the School and London by participating in the Challenge.

Teams of at least five participants were formed to complete the 20 question downloadable quiz, which included a variety of fun facts about London and LSE.

The winning teams were each awarded £100 restaurant vouchers. Team Quantum included students Yong Che, Eric He, Shang-lin Tsai, Yu Chen Gan, Gracie Jingyi Wu, and Wenzhen Yang. Team Accounting 101 included Rian Puthucheary, Vishwanath Elangovan, Ron Yeo, Kim Hutchinson, and Robert Daily.

Message from the LSESU - Michaelmas term elections

Vote for the students you want to represent you this academic year. Candidates' manifestos can be found online on the LSESU website.

The positions available are:

• One postgraduate officer

• One mature and part time students officer

• One general course president

• Three academic board members

• Five members of the Court of Governors

• Two NUS conference delegates

Voting closes at 7pm on Thursday 27 October. Vote online at www.lsesu.com/vote.
 

London universities have joined forces to offer students a range of exciting volunteering opportunities across London. Join in to help the community, meet new people, and learn valuable new skills for the future. Opportunities range from running a bingo club for elderly people, to workshops on picking up employability skills through volunteering.

The event runs until Friday 4 November at universities across London. For more information and to sign up to opportunities, visit the LSVF website.

The Volunteer Centre at LSE Careers is running two events. One is helping out at a community garden and the other is running a lunch club for elderly people with a game of bingo.

Student Counselling Service

The Student Counselling Service has a few spaces available in the following groups:

Bereavement group
Five week group, starting Thursday 10 November, from 2.30-4pm
This is a small group, limited to 12 students, for those affected by the death of someone close. The group will be run by an experienced counsellor, and is a safe, supportive space for you to talk in confidence to others who understand.

Self-esteem group
Three week group, starting Monday 14 November, from 11am-1pm
This group is for students who doubt and criticise themselves excessively, lack confidence or have low self-esteem. It will explore ways to raise self-esteem, think more positively, practise better self-care and be more assertive.

Stress management group
Three week group, starting Thursday 17 November, from 11am-1pm
This group will help students to develop new coping strategies, manage anxiety and stress, feel more in control, help to challenge negative thinking, and will look at good self-care.

Get your student led project off the ground with an Annual Fund grant. Visit apply for funding where you will find details on applying, including guidelines and the link to the online application form.

Please submit your application by Wednesday 16 November - late submissions will not be accepted.

Dr Ilina Singh from LSE’s BIOS Centre is investigating students’ attitudes to and experiences around smart drugs (also known as ‘cognitive enhancement’).

If you are a UK or Irish student under the age of 23 and would like to share your views, contact us and participate in a confidential 60 minute focus group discussion with students from other London universities.

Send a brief email stating your age, gender and the degree for which you are reading to Imre Bard at i.bard@lse.ac.uk.

Would you like to take part in research experiments at LSE? During the course of this year, Dr Oliver Curry will be running a series of internet and lab-based research projects, involving surveys, questionnaires, social psychology experiments, and economic games, and he is looking for recruits. Last year over 400 people signed up.

Depending on the study, you can expect to receive payment for your time and effort, learn more about the experimental process, and make a valuable contribution to research.

To register, visit the sign up page. You will be contacted when suitable research projects arise and can then decide whether or not to participate.

Moodle is a great tool to support your learning but do you like the way it looks and feels?

The School would like to know what you think about Moodle and would like your help to improve the way Moodle’s front page is presented on the website.

Courses scheduled for next week include:

• Microsoft Office: various topics covering Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010 and Outlook 2010
• Going beyond Google
• Citing, referencing and creating a bibliography
• International students' workshop
• PhD: thinking about your PhD
• PhD: writing for the media one

UKCISA (the UK Council for International Student Affairs) would like feedback on the experience of applying for a Tier 4 student visa.

If you have applied for a Tier 4 student visa during 2011, please take a few minutes to complete their online survey. If you complete the survey, you can choose to be entered for a prize draw to win one of five iPod Shuffles.

The LSESU Fashion Society needs you

The LSESU Fashion Society is running a logo design competition to give its logo a much needed makeover. The new logo will be used in all Society promotional material and will feature prominently at events, including the sell-out fashion show in February. The competition is open to all students so if you are a budding designer, send high-resolution graphics to jl901231@gmail.com by Tuesday 1 November.

The society is also looking for contributions for its blog, Qualified. So if you have strong feelings about wearing leggings as trousers, or want everyone to see how great Versace for H&M looks, send an email to z.othieno@lse.ac.uk by Tuesday 1 November with some details about yourself and what you would like to blog about. This is a great opportunity for anyone, whether you're a writer or just simply have an eye for fashion, plus you get free membership to the Society.
 

Let's Get Quizzical

Let’s Get Quizzical is the new charity pub quiz being held every Monday night at LSE's George IV pub.

The quiz will be an international affair covering a range of subjects, in a fun atmosphere where you can enjoy a drink with your friends and also have the opportunity to win plenty of prizes. Participants compete in teams with a minimum donation of £1 per person. All money raised will be donated to a local homeless project in London.

The first quiz will take place on Monday 31 October at 8.30pm. If you would like to reserve a table for your team, email m.m.moore@lse.ac.uk.
 

A limited number of half price Student Champion tickets are available for the Battle of Ideas festival at the Royal College of Art, London, on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October.

During the course of the weekend, over 2,250 people will be participating in 75 different debates involving hundreds of speakers. This year’s festival programme includes strands of debate entitled Battle for the World, Battle for Morality, Food Fight, Society Wars, Battle for Our Brains, Reassessing Politics and Sporting Contests.

There will also be debates on: The Battle against the Fates, Profiting responsibly? Business in the big society, Creativity and curiosity: do we make stuff up or find it out? Has tolerance gone too far? Loyalty in an age of whistle-blowing and Wikileaks, Is individualism bad for society? as well as many more discussions on current themes in the arts, science, health, parenting, education, design, international relations and religion.

For just £10, LSE students can get all the perks of ICA membership for a whole year and access to the most exciting new art, films, music, debates, live art and club nights:

• Access to a members-only studio with Wi-Fi and a modular space to read, think and create work
• At least four private view invitations per year
• 12 free film previews for you and a friend
• 10 per cent off books, food and drink
• Free entry to artist talks and club nights
• Discounts on all tickets

Building an International Rule of Law
On: Thursday 27 October at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Judge Patrick Robinson, president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

The Role of a Foreign Bank in China
On: Monday 31 October at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Sir Thomas Harris, vice chairman of Standard Chartered Capital Markets Ltd.

Shadow World: inside the global arms trade
On: Tuesday 1 November at 6.30pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speaker: Andrew Feinstein (pictured), author and founding co-director of Corruption Watch.

The Rare Find
On: Wednesday 2 November at 6.30pm in the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Speaker: George Anders, a founding member of Bloomberg View's board of editors, writing about technology, innovation and economics.

On: Friday 28 October at 12.30pm in the Shaw Library, Old Building

The LSESU Italian Society is please to announce this lecture and concert with renowned Italian pianist Giovanni Allevi (pictured).

Giovanni Allevi will discuss a variety of topics, ranging from the philosophy of music to his perspectives on contemporary classical music, as well as playing a few of his most recognised pieces.

LSE 'Pink' Chill - this Friday

Friday 28 October

The next LSE Chill session takes place this Friday in the 4th Floor Café Bar, Old Building from 5.30pm.

The event will be a special one as we’ll be supporting the Breast Cancer Campaign ‘Wear it Pink’ day. There will be games and fun in the evening and please wear something pink if you can.

The line up is as follows:

• 6-6.30pm David Lewis
  Described by Sing Out as 'a writer and singer worth getting to know', David Lewis has recorded and released three CDs of acoustic folk-rock since the early 1990s.

• 6.45-7.15pm Daniel Print
  Celebrating ten years as a solo singer-songwriter, Daniel will be playing a selection of his own songs, some from his days on the London gig circuit and some new songs.

• 7.30-8pm Veronique Mizgailo
  Veronique, who works in the Directorate, has a classical singing background, having sung with notable choirs such as the London Philharmonic Choir. She will be accompanied by Andy Thornes, a professional musician and songwriter, to perform a selection of standard and classic pop ballads.

LSE Arts is still looking for acts to perform across the year. If you are interested in performing, email arts@lse.ac.uk. For more information, visit www.lse.ac.uk/arts.
 

On: Saturday 29 October in the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Registration: 9.30-10.30am
Conference: 10.30am-5.30pm

This one day conference, organised by the LSESU Student Action for Refugees Society, aims to:

• highlight situations of persecution from which LGBTI people seek protection
• explore how the UK asylum system accounts for the claims of LGBTI individuals
• and examine the way these issues have been framed.

There will be workshops themed around issues to do with homelessness, legal issues and remedies surrounding immigration detention, health and welfare issues faced by detainees in immigration detention, LGBTI asylum law, issues relating to trans asylum seekers, and the shared experiences of lesbian asylum seekers.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Helen Bamber OBE, co-founding director of the Helen Bamber Foundation
• Erin Power, executive director of the UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group
• S Chelvan, barrister at No 5 Chambers, expert on LGBTI asylum law
• John Bosco, gay Ugandan refugee and activist
• Ali Hili, gay Iraqi refugee and leader of the Iragi LGBTI group.

On: Tuesday 1 November at the Old Library, Guildhall, London

The LSE Asia Research Centre is supporting a symposium hosted by Asia House. This event will focus on the key challenges facing global youth in the 21st century, bringing together leaders from the corporate sector, academia, governments and NGOs. They will discuss and debate the uniquely challenging issue of disenfranchised youth in the countries of Asia and the impacts of frequent civil unrest on economy, education, environment and women in these regions.

Speakers will include:

• Malcolm Gillies, vice chancellor, London Metropolitan University
• Mishal Husain, BBC News
• Ruth Kattumuri, co-director, LSE Asia Research Centre
• Gerard Lyons, global head of research, Standard Chartered
• Tomas Romero, partner, Wipro
• David Skelton, deputy director, Policy Exchange.

On: Thursday 10 November from 6.30-8pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Sven Lindqvist, author of over 30 widely translated books including A History of Bombing.

This lecture marks the centenary of aerial bombardment and examines the relationship between racism, imperialism and aerial warfare.

In November 1911, an Italian pilot dropped the first bombs from an aeroplane on to an oasis outside Tripoli. More than just a military revolution, this development changed both war and peace.The lecture is linked to the conference ‘Shock and Awe: 100 years of bombing from above’ (10-12 November), a joint initiative of LSE Sociology and the Sociology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Podcasts of public lectures and events

Is Happiness the Right Measure of Social Progress?
Speakers: Professor Lord Richard Layard and Professor Lord Robert Skidelsky
Recorded: Tuesday 18 October, approx 72 minutes
Click here to listen

Are Adverbial Rules Enough?
Speaker: Oliver Letwin MP
Recorded: Wednesday 19 October 2011, approx 39 mins
Click here to listen

Combating Carbon in an Economic Crisis
Speakers: Tom Burke and Avinash Persaud
Recorded: Thursday 20 October 2011, approx 94 minutes
Click here to listen

Nicole wants to hear from you!

Do you have some news, an achievement, or an aspect of LSE life that you would like to share? If so, then I would love to hear from you, contact me at n.gallivan@lse.ac.uk or on ext 7582.

The next edition of Student News is on Wednesday 2 November. Articles for this should be emailed to me by Monday 31 October. Student News is emailed on Wednesdays, on a weekly basis during Michaelmas and Lent term and fortnightly during Summer term.