Laura González Ugalde
Master of Public Administration (MPA) Class of 2026
Name: Laura González Ugalde
Programme: Master of Public Administration (MPA), Class of 2026
Nationality: Chilean
Luksic Scholar
Being part of the Luksic community has been incredibly meaningful. I’ve had the chance to connect with Chilean alumni who have generously shared their experiences working in policy both in Chile and internationally.
Can you tell us about your background and why you chose to study the MPA at SPP?
I’m an economist from Chile with over five years of experience in the public sector. I started my career at the Ministry of Finance, working at the National Productivity Commission on regulatory quality and policy evaluation. The role gave me a solid analytical foundation and helped me understand how policies actually work on the ground. Over time, I became increasingly interested in the challenges of implementation, which led me to move to the Ministry of Education, where I focused on early childhood education policy.
I chose the MPA at LSE’s School of Public Policy for three main reasons. First, the program’s emphasis on quantitative methods strengthens my economics background and gives me new tools for evidence-based policymaking. Second, the strong political economy component helps me think not just about whether policies work, but about how to make them feasible in real institutional settings—something particularly relevant in Chile. And finally, the international environment at LSE allows me to learn from policy approaches around the world, which is incredibly valuable for adapting solutions to Latin American contexts.
Could you share what receiving the Luksic scholarship means to you personally, and how it has supported you in pursuing your academic goals at LSE and future career?
The Luksic scholarship has truly made this experience possible—I wouldn’t have been able to study at LSE without it. Beyond the financial support, which allowed me to focus fully on my studies, being part of the Luksic community has been incredibly meaningful. I’ve had the chance to connect with Chilean alumni who have generously shared their experiences working in policy both in Chile and internationally. Their guidance has helped me reflect more strategically on my career goals and the type of impact I want to contribute to in the future.
What have been some of your takeaways from your studies so far? How are you hoping to apply these to your career/next steps?
One of my biggest takeaways from studying at LSE has been learning from classmates who come from all over the world. I’ve met people from places very different from Chile and Latin America—Indonesia, Lebanon, India, and many others—each bringing their own perspectives on public problems and solutions. These exchanges have broadened my understanding of what is possible in policymaking. Looking ahead, I hope to apply these insights back home, sharing and adapting approaches that might already be more developed elsewhere and contributing to better-designed and better-implemented public policies.
What are you most looking forward to in your second year?
In my second year, I’m most looking forward to applying the methods I’ve learned to the major projects we have ahead. I’ll be working on my Capstone, which focuses on a transport-related policy challenge, as well as my policy paper on social housing in Chile. Something I really value about the MPA is that LSE teaches not only the technical side of designing policies but also the political and implementation aspects. That combination makes it possible to think about solutions that are both rigorous and realistically implementable.
Can you tell us anything about your Capstone project and how it is progressing?
I am working with Transport for London on a project that examines the factors behind the decline in bus usage over recent years and why ridership has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our work involves analysing a wide range of data—travel patterns, route characteristics, socioeconomic trends, and changes in mobility behaviour—to test different hypotheses and understand what might be driving these shifts. What I’ve enjoyed most is the combination of rigorous analytical work with insights from practitioners who know London’s transport system first-hand.
What is the best thing about being a SPP student?
For me, the best part of being an SPP student is the sense of community. Classes aren’t massive lecture halls—you learn in smaller groups where you can genuinely share your views and hear a wide range of perspectives. It also feels very personal. Whenever you have a question or face a challenge, there’s always someone you can reach out to, and the support is real. It makes the whole experience feel collaborative and welcoming.
Who would you recommend the programme to?
At first, I thought the programme was mainly for public servants, but I quickly realized that wasn’t the case. It’s really open to anyone who wants to learn how to create solutions for public problems—whether you work in the public sector, private companies, civil society, international organizations, or elsewhere. If you want to make a positive impact on society, this programme has a lot to offer.
What are your hopes or plans for your future after graduation?
I would like to work in international organizations because I’m interested in how countries can work together on important issues. Last summer, I had the chance to intern at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC, which helped me understand how these organizations operate. In the long term, I’d like to return to the public sector in my country to use what I’ve learned and contribute to improving policies locally.
What is your favourite place in London?
It’s hard to pick just one favourite place because there are so many great spots. I especially enjoy the parks and the variety of museums, which cover many different topics and are free for everyone to visit.
Where is your favourite spot on campus?
I love the 5th floor to study and the Marshall Building to have lunch with friends.