Student Voice and Community

What are ID Student Event Organisers? 

Each year, the Department of International Development selects a group of volunteer student event organisers from across the five core courses to work together to coordinate events and activities and build a sense of community among students, and between students and staff, in ID.  They will coordinate programme specific and department wide events throughout the year, ranging from socials to educational panel discussions and alumni mixers. Upcoming events and activities which will be shared in the weekly bulletin, and on the ID Student Event Organisers webpage. In this role you will be expected to attend by-weekly meetings with Maya, the Communications and Events officer.  

Benefits: 

As part of the ID Student Event Organisers you will be able to creatively design the events calendar for the Academic year, responding to event requests from your cohort to build a sense of community both within your programme and across the International Development department. You will learn key skills and experience for your CV in event and budget management, including contacting suppliers, booking in speakers, promoting and marketing events, potentially hosting or chairing events and discussions, and representing the students on your programme at a department level.  To help you in your role as ID Student Event Organisers, you will be supported throughout the year by Maya, the Communications and Events officer (student experience). You will also attend a department-led Events Management training in the Autumn term.   

How to become an ID Student Event Organiser? 

Applications should include your name, programme, whether you're a full-time or part-time student and a short statement of interest (200 words). Please submit your application to Maya Bullen (m.r.bullen@lse.ac.uk) by 5.00pm on Friday 4 October. Applications will be reviewed and selected by the ID department Communications and Events team. See timeline. 

What do SSLC reps do? 

Student Academic Representatives are a crucial part of LSE and the LSE Students’ Union. Over 600 Reps are elected at the start of each year by their student peers to represent them in departmental meetings, held once a term (SSLC Meetings). Reps ensure student concerns are addressed and students have a say in the running of their programme. By attending these meetings, Academic Reps raise issues about the quality of their programme and experience as an LSE student. As student leaders, Reps campaign for change by ensuring student voices are heard and problem solving with departments.  

Benefits: 

One of the great things about being a Rep is that you get to bring all the views of other students together and be part of improving the quality of the education at the school. There are many great skills and experience for your CV gained through being a Rep, including attending and sometimes chairing meetings, gathering and collating feedback, identifying key concerns, representing other people, negotiating and seeking student focused solutions, and communicating with groups of people in different contexts. To help you become the best student leaders, the LSESU also run a sector-leading training programme, which is held before your first meeting. The LSESU can give you a reference for your CV, provide a LinkedIn reference, help you develop skills, and even assist you in running your own campaigns. Other benefits include the Academic Rep of the Month Award, with prizes on offer. The LSESU also hosts frequent socials for Reps. Other benefits and events that arise will also be communicated to you directly by the LSESU.  

How to become a SSLC Representative? 

If you are interested in becoming an SSLC rep, you can nominate yourself by writing a short manifesto (up to 100 words) outlining why you want to represent your peers and send it to Andrea Merino Mayayo (a.c.merino-mayayo@lse.ac.uk) by 5.00pm on Friday 4 October. Your manifesto will be shared with your fellow students who will then be able to vote. The reps will be announced on Tuesday 15 October. See timeline. 

Read the summary of the latest SSLC Meeting’s on Moodle. 

What do Student Ambassadors do?  

Every year we recruit volunteer ID Student Ambassadors to support the department with offer-holder communications for the incoming cohort. Over recent years, we have found that offer-holders appreciate being able to talk to current students, when deciding whether they would like to accept their offer.

Benefits:

Benefits of the student Ambassador position include representing the department as an official Mentorship Ambassador and providing potential to shape the ID community experience for incoming students.  

How to become a Student Ambassador?

A callout for Ambassadors will go out in January 2025 and the role will run until the start of the new Academic year in September 2025/26. See timeline. 

The Ethical Development Initiative is a group for Postgraduate students from across LSE who are passionate about promoting critical engagement and ethical awareness in the field of international development. They believe that development discourse should be grounded in ethical considerations and therefore want to encourage their members to develop a critical awareness about the implications of development practices, policies, and discourse. In doing so, they also seek to promote diversity and to engage members in a welcoming space to exchange ideas, collaborate and learn about new or alternative ways of envisioning development. Whether you’re a student, academic, practitioner, or interested in these topics, they would love to see you and hear your voice at their events. Join their LinkedIn Group.  

EDI Board: Penelope Van Der Meer, Thomas Liu, Lara Isabel Cayanan Bautista and Nyashadzashe Mandivenga. 

The ID blog hosts public discussion of issues, research, experiences and free form thinking about international development issues by staff, students and friends of the Department. 

We welcome all students, academics, thinkers, writers and observers of International Development to contribute to the blog. If you would like to write an article for us, please follow the blog’s guidelines and send the written piece with any other media to Dipa Patel, d.patel20@lse.ac.uk. 

The department of ID publishes podcasts created by staff, students and alumni exploring a diverse range of topics related to International Development. 

Each year the department will select a student podcast coordinator from each of the core courses who will jointly take on the responsibility of producing the Humans of ID podcast. These student podcasters will receive training in podcasting and showcase student experience, learning and research in the Department, key topics in international development, events and more. Check out previous seasons of the Humans of ID podcast here. 

If you're interested in creating a podcast for us, or have an idea for a new podcast series, please email intdev.comms@lse.ac.uk, and read our podcast guidelines here. 

All current students in the Department are on a mailing list to receive the weekly ID bulletin during term time. The bulletin keeps you informed on all the key ID updates, events and resources. If you have something you'd like to include in the bulletin, please email Maya Bullen, m.r.bullen@lse.ac.uk. 

You can also sign up to the ID research newsletter to find out about research events, opportunities and publications in the Department. 

We love hosting student spotlights and story takeovers on Instagram to give an insight into the experience of studying in our department. You can see previous takeovers in our 'Day in the life' highlight. 

Takeover content can vary from covering a day on campus, showing your favourite spots in London or attending a department event. If you would like to host an Instagram takeover please contact Maya Bullen, m.r.bullen@lse.ac.uk. 

Visit our cozy MSc Common Room on the 7th floor of Connaught House, whether it’s to study or just unwind and relax.  

See the campus map for help finding your way around LSE campus. To find spaces on campus for study, recreation and food, as well as a broad range of places to visit and tips for traveling around London then visit the facilities guide. 

Women of Color in Consulting (WoCo) is a diverse group of students at the London School of Economics working together to bring visibility to a highly underrepresented group in consulting. Focusing on the importance of representation and intersectionality, WoCo aims to uplift professional women of color. 

WoCo works on projects across multiple sectors, receiving outreach from industry and public groups, and providing unique support to an international community. 

For more information, check out the WoCo website: https://lse.ac.uk/womenofcolorinconsulting. 

LSE Student Futures brings together transformational learning experiences from across our School that take place outside the classroom to empower your academic, personal and professional growth. Find out more about Student Futures here. 

The Volunteer Centre LSE students find a volunteering placement at a charity or not-for-profit organisation during their time studying at LSE. Find out more about volunteering opportunities here. 

LSE Generate supports students and alumni to build a socially responsible business, in the UK and beyond, with a year-round programme packed with funding competitions, events and networking opportunities. Find out more about LSE Generate here. 

If you would like to get in touch with an LSE ID alumnus, we can connect you via the ID LinkedIn Page: please email intdev.comms@lse.ac.uk. 

Find out how to get in touch with a member of the wider LSE alumni community here or use the Ask an Alum service. 

LSE PhD Academy is a dedicated space and services hub for doctoral candidates studying at LSE. Find out more about the PhD Academy here.