The Brian Abel-Smith and Walter Holland Fund
The Brian Abel-Smith and Walter Holland Fund, hosted by LSE Health, was established to honour two leading figures whose work transformed health policy, social welfare, and public health. The Fund supports a range of activities that reflect their shared commitment to combining rigorous research with real-world impact.
Brian Abel-Smith was one of the most influential academics and expert advisers of the 20th century in shaping social welfare. Driven by a strong social mission to improve the lives of the poorest, he combined intellectual excellence with practical policy engagement. As Professor of Social Administration at LSE from 1965 to 1991, Abel-Smith’s work left an enduring mark on health policy and welfare systems worldwide.
Walter Holland was a pioneer in public health research and epidemiology, renowned for bringing historical insight to practical policy questions. A doctor by training, he founded the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Social Medicine and later the acclaimed Health Services Research Unit at St Thomas’s Hospital, advancing evidence-based approaches to health services and public health.
Supporting Excellence and Impact
- Brian Abel-Smith MSc Prizes: Awarded annually to students on the MSc International Health Policy, MSc International Health Policy (Health Economics), and MSc Health Policy Planning and Financing programmes. Three prizes recognise best overall performance in each programme, and one prize honours the best dissertation in the MSc International Health Policy programme (Distinction grade).
- Walter Holland MSc Prizes: Awarded annually to MSc Global Health Policy students for Best Dissertation and Best Overall Performance.
View previous prize winners here.
Every two years, the Fund recognises individuals whose lifetime contributions reflect the values of Abel-Smith and Holland:
- The Brian Abel-Smith Lifetime Achievement Award honours those who have made a significant intellectual contribution to health policy and social welfare, alongside notable policy impact that benefits population health.
- The Walter Holland Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates individuals who have advanced public health research and achieved policy or practice impact, improving health outcomes globally.
Both awards place equal emphasis on research excellence and real-world influence, echoing the achievements of their namesakes. Each prize carries a £10,000 award, and recipients deliver an award lecture at LSE, fostering dialogue on the future of health policy and public health.
The Fund supports the Brian Abel-Smith Chair, currently held by Professor Elias Mossialos, and Brian Abel-Smith Visiting Research Fellows, advancing health policy research and thought leadership.
Biography Series: LSE Pioneers in Social Policy
The achievements of Abel-Smith, Holland and their fellow social policy pioneers have been chronicled in an LSE biography series commissioned by the Fund – LSE Pioneers in Social Policy. Sally Sheard’s critically acclaimed biography of Abel-Smith, The Passionate Economist launched the series in 2014. John Stewart’s biography of Richard Titmuss, A Commitment to Welfare, followed in June 2020.
Make a donation
The Brian Abel-Smith Memorial Fund programme is a charitable objective of the LSE, which is itself an educational charity. This status enables UK donors to increase the value of their gifts by making a covenant to the Fund, or by giving a single sum under Gift Aid.
In the USA donations may be made through the Second Centennial Fund, Inc (a Section 501 (c)(3) organisation), with a recommendation as to their application.
To make a donation, contact LSE Philantrophy and Global Engagement (PAGE):
Email: regulargiving@lse.ac.uk
Or write to:
Brian Abel-Smith Memorial Fund
LSE Philantrophy and Global Engagement (PAGE)
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE (UK)