23 June 2020
Dear all,
I am writing to you at the end of an academic year in which the world in which we operate is fundamentally different. The coronavirus epidemic has caused the loss of lives and upended economies and societies everywhere in the world. We have also had a powerful reminder of the very real injustices faced by black people globally with the killing of George Floyd in the United States. The LSE community, one of the most global and diverse in the world, is fundamentally affected and committed to rising to these challenges.
Our commitment to challenging racial inequality
Our commitment to inclusivity is stronger than ever. We must continue to challenge racial injustices and inequalities in our society – through our teaching, our research, and our engagement programmes. We will also ensure that we are doing all we can as an institution to examine our own policies, practices and actions and will be looking at what more we can do to raise awareness of and make progress on building a more inclusive society at LSE and in the world.
Crucially, we must not let the sense of urgency fade. The call for immediate action is right, and to achieve meaningful impact it must be coupled with dialogue that represents the voices in the community that need to be heard. This is a responsibility we share, and I am grateful to alumni, friends and supporters for your input and contributions, guidance and support.
Supporting students and learning: now and in future
We acted quickly as the pandemic developed to ensure we could continue to educate, support and fulfil our duty of care to students as physical distancing became a part of our daily lives. Our teaching moved quickly online and students and staff have adapted and innovated to continue to deliver world class education through new channels. Staff also worked to ensure we increased School capability to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of all students and offer enhanced virtual services.
Naturally the pandemic has impacted upon our student body in different ways and has highlighted why support now is essential for student hardship and scholarships, so that background and circumstance do not prevent some of the most talented young people reaching their full potential through an LSE education. I reiterate my gratitude to alumni and friends whose generosity is helping us to provide immediate support to alleviate some of the burdens COVID-19 has imposed on students. Your impact is profound.
We are preparing for a new academic year where we will welcome prospective students beginning their LSE experience and welcome back returning students. We are working hard with staff and alumni volunteers to ensure that Destination LSE events, which welcome offer holders into the community, and Welcome week are as engaging online as they are in person. In 2020/21, our teaching will continue to innovate and adapt; small, physically distant learning on campus will be complemented by online lectures.
In a challenging year we can still take pride and continue to learn
Naturally, global circumstances have dominated everyone’s thoughts in 2020 but our achievements prior to and during the past three months should still be recognised. Casting our minds back to the start of this academic year, we launched LSE 2030 – our strategy for the School. And, despite the rapid shift of our short-term focus, our enduring commitment to educate for impact, lead research for the world, and develop LSE for everyone has helped us to navigate this crisis.
We’ve made huge advancements in our technical capabilities and established frameworks to strengthen support for education enhancement. Externally, we’ve made significant contributions to the pandemic through our role in leading social science policy and discussions as we help shape response and recovery across the globe.
When we entered lockdown, I expressed my firm belief that the LSE community would come together, and the strength of our global network has shone through in every conceivable way.
You are keeping connected with LSE, participating in our vibrant COVID-19 virtual lecture series and utilising the resources and lifelong learning opportunities we share with you to continue your intellectual engagement with LSE. You are sharing your inspiring stories and experiences during the pandemic and in response to global events since George Floyd’s tragic death. And, as volunteers and philanthropic supporters, you continue to support current students and future students.
When I joined LSE as Director in 2017, I did not foresee that I would be leading our School through one of the most important and challenging times in its history. I am so impressed at how our community has responded – with creativity, compassion and mutual solidarity. It gives me confidence that we will get through this challenging time and achieve even more together in the years ahead. Thank you for being a part of LSE. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
With sincere thanks,
Minouche Shafik
LSE Director
PS The class of 2020 will be graduating into a very different world this summer – and we have already advised them of the invaluable global alumni network. Please do welcome them, and look out for this summer's #LSE20for20 social campaign, which will ask alumni to share a video with 20 seconds of advice and memories for our 2020 graduates.