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The Black Achievement Conference: Year 12

The Black Achievement Conference is a long-standing event organised by the LSE Widening Participation team since 2007. The event is a half-day online conference which celebrates the achievements and contributions of the black community at LSE.

I found this conference very uplifting and motivating, thank you!
Conference participant

Applications now open. Apply here.

The event is exclusively for Year 12 students of black heritage who are interested in finding out more about what our world-leading university has to offer. The conference will showcase the achievements of the black community at LSE, giving participants a taste of what it would be like to study at LSE and what a degree in social sciences could lead to.

The conference typically engages a host of contributors including LSE students, staff and alumni. There will be a full and varied programme during the event, enabling participants to gain an insight into university life, study, and the university application process.

In keeping with the theme of Black History Month, the theme for the 2024 conference is “Saluting Our Sisters”. Participants will hear from a host of inspiring black women from across the university, sharing their experiences of studying and working at LSE. 

When and where does the conference take place?

The Black Achievement Conference will take place on Saturday 18 May 2024 from 13.30-17.15 via Zoom.

What activities are included?

The 2024 conference will include:

  • A lecture delivered by leading LSE academic Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah. Abenaa is an Associate Professor of law, her research focuses on criminal procedure, the law of evidence and criminal law, with a particular emphasis on fair trial rights. She will be speaking about her research on the use of rap music as evidence in criminal trials and the ‘Art Not Evidence’ campaign which is seeking law reform.

  • A session from the LSE Admissions Team on applying to university and the LSE admissions process.
  • A talk from LSE Alumni Tosin Akinluyi, a Managing Director at multinational investment bank Morgan Stanley. Tosin graduated with a BSc in Economics in 1995 and has over 25 years of international finance experience. Tosin is the recipient of several awards and recognitions, including being named the Black British Business Award’s 2023 Financial Services Senior Leader and one of the 2020 Cranfield Business School’s 100 Women to Watch.
  • A session from the Widening Participation Team on student finance and what financial support is available to make university a viable option for participants.
  • Talks from two prominent black student societies at LSE; the African and Caribbean Society and the Advancing Black Careers Society which aims to advance the careers of black students at LSE through networking and careers events.
  • A discussion panel involving current LSE students exploring student life and experiences of being part of the black student community at LSE.

 *The timetable and speakers are subject to last minute changes 

Are there any costs involved?

The Black Achievement Conference is free to attend.

Who is eligible?

This is event is open to selected Year 12 (or equivalent) students of Black heritage.

Priority Criteria

Applicants should:

  • Be currently in Year 12 (England and Wales), Year 13 (N. Ireland) or S5 (Scotland)
  • Have always attended a UK state-funded, non-fee-paying school/college/sixth form
  • Identify as being of Black British African/Caribbean or Black British African/Caribbean mixed heritage. This includes students who identify as Black British “other”
  • Be considering making an application to undergraduate study at LSE
  • Be available for the duration of the event.

Additional criteria

We would also particularly encourage applications from students who belong to one (or more) of our other widening participation target groups, namely:

  • Those living in postcode areas of historic low progression to higher education. This is determined by home postcode, which must be in POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2.
    Check your postcode (selecting MSOA) to see if you have ‘Quintile 1’ or ‘Quintile 2’ next to POLAR4 in the table. More information about POLAR.
  • Those living in postcode areas of historic deprivation as defined by the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which must be in IMD quintile 1 or 2 (deciles 1-4) or regional equivalent*. 
    Check your postcode in EnglandNorthern IrelandScotland or Wales.
  • Those who identify as having a disability or specific learning difficulty**
  • Those who identify as care-experienced (i.e. those who have been in the care of the local authority).

More information about how LSE uses widening participation data during the admissions process can be found under the contextual admissions section of this admissions information page.

* Ranks 1-356 in Northern Ireland IMD
  Overall Decile 1 or 2 in Scotland
  Ranks 1-764 in Wales IMD

**Have a disability or specific learning difficulty as defined by UCAS:

  • You have a social/communication difference such as autism/Asperger's
  • You are blind or have a serious visual impairment uncorrected by glasses
  • You are deaf or have a serious hearing impairment
  • You have a long-standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy
  • You have a mental health condition, such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety disorder
  • You have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or AD(H)D
  •  You have physical impairment or mobility issues, such as difficulty using your arms or using a wheelchair or crutches
  • You have a disability, impairment or medical condition that is not listed above.

In the circumstance that the programme is oversubscribed, and places need to be allocated, applicants will be considered for places based on the extent to which they meet our widening participation criteria.

Those applicants who meet all the priority criteria and one or more of our additional criteria will be prioritised for places.

How can I find out more and apply?

Applications for the Black Achievement Conference open on Monday 12 February 2024 and close at midnight on Sunday 24 March 2024.

Applications can be made via an online application form which is available here.

If you require an alternative format, please email Ard.BAC@lse.ac.uk.   

The LSE BAC team will then shortlist applications and communicate selection decisions in April via email.  

The LSE BAC team will allocate event invitations based on applicants' eligibility and event demand.

Applicants will be considered for places based on the extent to which they meet our widening participation criteria. Those applicants who meet all the priority criteria and one or more of our additional criteria will be prioritised for places. 

Contact

If you have any questions, please email Ard.BAC@lse.ac.uk and the LSE BAC team will reply as soon as possible.

What training do LSE staff receive?

All staff and students involved in the sessions receive appropriate training before the event. Staff or students working directly and regularly with young people receive specific training on working with children, in line with our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy. They also undergo an appropriate level Disclosure and Barring Service check. 

Cancellation Policy

Please note that as a result of circumstances or events outside of our control (known as a Force Majeure event), which includes but is not limited to industrial action, official government advice, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises, we may need to cancel an event at short notice.

In the event of a cancellation, a change of venue or date, we will endeavour to notify attendees wherever possible through the contact details given at the time of booking. For the avoidance of doubt, the School will not be liable for any costs you may incur as a result of any cancellation, change of venue or date.