2026 Autumn Term Week 1

Many thanks to the 4th year students who helped film some content for our Instagram account recently - keep on an eye out as these reels are set to be released by the LSE Social Media team soon!

Maybe you have experience of content creation or would like to learn; please see the opportunities below:

• LSE Student Content Creator roles: open to all LSE students, training provided by the LSE Social Media team, applications are open until 4 October , 👉 apply here 👈
• Language Students only: we have blue tooth mics to loan out if you would like to borrow them and have a go at recording a reel - give us content we can use on our Instagram account, we will give you an a £20 Amazon voucher.
• Third Years: what are you up to on your year abroad? Send us photos and/or reels so other students can see what being on a year abroad is like! We will send you Amazon vouchers in return.

More info on paid student roles are available on our Opportunities page.

There are many opportunities to get involved at LSE, here we highlight Peer to Peer roles and volunteering:

• Lead a Conversation Circle: Discussion groups in your language. More info here. Apply here.
• Bitesize Speaking sessions: meet students to help them with their languages (1-2-1). More info here. Apply here.
• Volunteer Centre: find a cause you are passionate about. More info here.

You can also benefit from Peer to Peer schemes by doing the following:

• Join a Conversation Circle and/or Bitesize Speaking (sessions begin from week 7)
• Meet with your SAM (all 1st years are paired with one)
• Request to meet a Peer Supporter: more info here

Lots more info on our Opportunities page.

📚 Careers Drop-ins with Dr Alex Free
Begins Friday 02/10/26, 2-5pm: STC.2.08 (along the corridor from The Huddle)
Language students on campus

• After this you are welcome to book appointments with Alex directly using the MyCareer platform or contact him via email.

🗣️ Friday Social Special and Meet your SAM - with Pizza! 🍕
Friday 2/10/26 from 5pm: The Huddle
Language students on campus

🗣️ Centre for Language Studies Returners Meal
Wednesday 7th October, 6.30pm: The George, London Bridge
2nd and 4th year language students

📚 Conversation Circles, Bitesize Speaking
LSE Language Community
Starting Monday 9th November
All LSE Students

🗣️ Language Community Get Together
Wednesday 18/11/26, 3-4pm: Hall-Carpenter Room, SAW.3.02
All LSE Students wishing to practise their languages and meet fellow language learners

Ongoing

📚 Tandem Learning 🗣️
LSE Language Community
All LSE Students wishing to find a language buddy

🏃‍♂️‍➡️ LSE Sports 🏸
The LSE Student Union
All LSE Students

LSE Careers is an invaluable resource, do make the most of it! The platform has event listing and job opportunities, as well as information and resources.

The Centre has a dedicated Careers adviser, Dr Alex Free, who will be available from 2 October and then every other Friday for Drop in sessions in STC.08. Below we highlight some upcoming Careers events:

Applications Day
03/10/26, All day
Designed to help you craft standout applications and navigate the job market with confidence.
Banking and Financial Services Fair
05/10/26, 5.30-8.20pm: LSE LIFE, Workspace 1
Meet employers from the banking and financial services.
How to write effective CVs
06/10/26, 12.30am-1pm: OLD.4.10
Learn how to write an effective, tailored CV that reflects your skills and experience.
Discover consultancy: an introduction to management and strategic consultancy with James Brown
06/10/26, 3-4.30pm: Yangtze Lecture Theatre
Join internationally experienced management consultant James Brown, in an interactive session to gain insights in the sector.

• Below Dr Neil McLean explains our recent name change. He also appeared in an Instagram reel in September talking about the change.

LSE Language Centre becomes the Centre for Language Studies

LSE’s Language Centre has adopted a new name: the Centre for Language Studies – a change that reflects both its history and its current teaching portfolio, more closely alligning with similar departments across the sector while recognising its long-standing role in language education at LSE.

The Language Studies Centre was established in 1991, continuing language teaching that had been offered at LSE since 1919 through the Department of Language Studies. In 1999, it became the Language Centre, reflecting terminology commonly used at the time.

Today, the Centre has returned to a broader academic focus that closely mirrors its origins. It hosts two joint degree programmes, teaches language, literature and linguistics courses to nearly 500 students as part of their degree studies, and provides extracurricular language courses to almost 2,000 learners each year.

Dr Neil McLean
Director, Centre for Language Studies

You can watch the Instagram reel here and head to the Centre Instagram page for more reels.

The Spotlight is on alumna Carola Ducco, who graduated from BSc Language, Culture and Society in 2024.

• What is your favourite spot on campus? The tables in front of the library - I’ve spent many a summer night eating my dinner on them while writing essays and preparing exams! Even during those stressful times, the view of the Centre Building and the plaza always gave me a sense of wonder.
• What do you like most about studying at LSE? The community: at LSE, you’re surrounded by brilliance everywhere you go. From my conversations with other students, professors and alumni, I was constantly expanding my intellectual horizons. The population is so diverse that I would find myself in an international history seminar in the morning discussing the Indian Partition with an Indian student, and in the afternoon having a Mandarin conversation class with my coursemates from Bulgaria, Korea, and the US.
• What did you like most about your course at the Centre for Language Studies? The best part of our course was having Neil as the director. He has provided, and continues to provide, unwavering support to all those who ask, current students and alumni alike. I can never be thankful enough for all the conversations at Friday Drinks, from debates about our subjects to career advice.
• How did the course equip you for further study/work? Though my classes didn’t directly equip me for my current work, taking part in the seminars forced me to debate and express my opinion on all kinds of topics, some of which I felt like I knew little about. That ability to formulate coherent reasoning under pressure is invaluable in the workplace.
• What is the most useful advice you can give to a new student? Get involved in societies and student groups as soon as possible, and take up positions of responsibility. One of the most important things you could do at LSE is build your network, and there are few better ways to do it than to organise and take part in activities. Shoutout to Grimshaw Club!
• What are you studying/working in now? Since graduating, I’ve been working in tech advisory at Gartner, in a client-facing role working with English-, Italian-, and French-speaking clients. I’ve been learning a lot about the corporate world and tech and I get to work with leaders across industries and companies I didn’t even know existed.
• What are you looking forward to in the next year? I’m looking to start a Masters’ in clean energy policy in the next year, since I’m looking to move into the climate space. Plus, now that I’ve taken a break from uni, I do miss studying. I’ll also be attending COP31 virtually with an Italian youth association delegation – busy times, but exciting!
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Hopefully I’ll be in London, working in climate policy research. I’d love to combine my background on China and tech with my interest in everything sustainability and climate.

Carola Ducco
BSc Language, Culture and Society (Class of 2024)

Alumni can keep in touch via the Alumni Hub, where you can also find many alumni opportunities.

For those of you living in London or visiting, be sure to check out the Alumni Centre, your space on campus with space to work, relax, learn and reconnect with friends. There are also various personal and professional development opportunities offered.

For those living abroad you can explore these groups and networks.