European Integration Studies, Miskolc, Volume 2. Number 2. (2003) pp. 109-122 LSE EXPERIENCE∗ KRISZTINA MAJOROS, PHD Institute for Economic Theories, University of Miskolc 3515 Miskolc-Egyetemváros, Hungary [email protected] Field of research: History of Economic Thought Abstract: The London School of Economics and Political Science (known everywhere by its „LSE” acronym) is one of the world's leading social science institutions, where I had the chance to do research work this year. Awarded the Hungarian Eötvös Fellowship by the Hungarian Scholarship Board for four months to Great Britain I could spend a productive period of research at LSE and experience the ways of research and teaching joining to the Economic History Department. The aim of this study is to give impression about LSE, its special and unique environment that helped me undertaking a valuable research work, and showed me the feeling of being an LSE researcher. Keywords: London School of Economics and Political Science, research and teaching at LSE, history of LSE, Economic History Department. The London School of Economics and Political Science is a world class centre for its concentration of teaching and research across the full range of the social, political and economic sciences. Founded in 1895, LSE has an outstanding reputation for academic excellence. LSE is an unusual university in two respects. From the early days it emphasised graduate study, and today roughly half of its students are graduates. And students have always come from outside the UK: in the 1920s and 1930s 20-25 per cent, and now over 50 per cent. Students continue to travel from all over the world to come and study – now from over 130 countries. The teaching staff aims to reflect this diversity, with 40 per cent of staff coming from outside the UK plus around 100 academic visitors who come, each year, to work at the School. There are also many contacts with overseas organisations and academic institutions. Eminent scholars, world leaders and public figures come to lecture and debate or to attend seminars at LSE. The study of social, economic and political problems covers not only the UK and European Union, but also countries of every continent. From its foundation LSE has aimed to be a laboratory of the social sciences, a place where ideas are developed, analysed, evaluated and disseminated around the globe. Thirteen Nobel Prize winners in economics, literature and peace have been either LSE staff or alumni: George Bernard Shaw (1925), Ralph Bunche (1950), Bertrand Russell (1950), Philip Noel-Baker (1959), Sir John Hicks (1972), Friedrich von Hayek (1974), James Meade (1977), Arthur Lewis (1979), Merton Miller (1990), Ronald Coase (1991), ∗ Made by the support of Hungarian Eötvös Fellowship 110 Krisztina Majoros Amartya Sen (1998) – during my research work I had the chance to meet and interview him at Trinity College, Cambridge; Robert Mundell (1999) and George Akerlof (2001). The main entrance of LSE, the entrance of “Old Building” LSE Experience 111 Location of the School The School’s situation in central London, close to the centres of government, finance, the law and business is of obvious importance for its work. Its location in central London is central to its success. The following map shows the location of the campus. The location of LSE in Central London 112 Krisztina Majoros However space has always been at a premium. The School opened modestly in rooms in the Adelphi in 1895 and since then it has sought to plant an ever-expanding footprint on the area. A closer view of the current buildings of campus can be seen on the following map: Detailed map of LSE buildings Teaching LSE offers a unique opportunity to study the social sciences in a university institution with a worldwide academic reputation, while enjoying the cultural, social and recreational facilities of one of the world's great capital cities and a focal point in the increasing integration of Europe. The School teaches through 18 academic departments: Accounting and Finance; Anthropology; Economic History; Economics; Geography and Environment; Government; Industrial Relations; Information Systems; International History; International Relations; Law; Mathematics; Operational Research; Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method; Social Policy; Social Psychology; Sociology; Statistics. And five interdisciplinary institutes: LSE Experience 113 European Institute; Interdisciplinary Institute of Management; Language Centre; Media and Communications; Methodology Institute. At postgraduate level, the Graduate School offers a wide range of taught master's programmes (MA, MSc and LLM) normally of one academic or calendar year full-time study, or two years' part-time. Research programmes for MPhil or PhD degrees are offered by all departments and institutes. Programmes for LSE's own diploma qualification are also available either as conversion courses or to extend the depth or range of undergraduate studies. Language teaching is provided through the Language Centre, both as a degree option, and to learn or improve a language. LSE is responsible for the University of London's External Programme in economics, management, finance and social sciences. External students undertake study in their own countries, based on course structures and content set by LSE staff. Currently there are around 9,000 students studying in 136 countries. Some students go on to study programmes at LSE. Summer Schools provide an opportunity to experience life at LSE. The programme takes place in London between July and August, and in Bangkok in April. Courses are intensively taught over three weeks and examined to the standards of comparable LSE courses. Winter and Summer Schools are provided for young people in secondary education, along with a student shadowing scheme, as part of LSE's commitment to widening participation in higher education among young people who might not otherwise have considered studying for a university degree. The national Quality Assessment Agency (QAA) regularly inspects teaching quality across UK universities. Of those subject areas assessed at LSE since 1999 the following areas were approved – economics, mathematics (including the Statistics Department), philosophy, politics (covering the Departments of Government and International Relations, the Development Studies and European Institutes), psychology, management (with Industrial Relations). All achieved a score of 22 or above, regarded as excellent, with management awarded 24, the highest rating possible. Research The School is a world centre for advanced research. In the 2001 UK Research Assessment Exercise carried out by the Higher Education Funding Council, the School's research was rated second among around 200 universities and colleges. LSE came second after Cambridge for the quality of its research. LSE submitted 97 per cent of its staff for assessment, more than any other UK university. Below is a table of the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise grades: comparison of LSE, Cambridge and Oxford. 5* is the highest grade possible in the RAE. Under Proportion of staff submitted, A means that at least 95% of the staff in the subject area had done enough research to be entered; B - means that less than 95% of the staff in the subject area had done enough research to be entered. 114 Krisztina Majoros Table 1. National Research Assessment (2001), comparison of LSE, Cambridge and Oxford LSE Cambridge Oxford Grade Number of Proportion Grade Number of Proportion Grade Number of Proportion staff of staff staff of staff staff of staff submitted submitted submitted submitted submitted submitted Accounting and 5* 32 A n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Finance Anthropology 5* 17 A 5 24 A 5 24 A Business and 5 45 A 5 41 A 5 38 A Management Economics and 5* 51 A 5 45 B 5 63 B Econometrics Geography 5 25 A 5 44 A 4 36 A History-Economic 5 17 A 5 81 A 5 131 A History - 5* 17 B International Law 5* 43 A 5* 76 A 5* 80 B Philosophy 5* 11 A 5* 39 A 5* 49 B Politics and 5 76 A 4 18 A 5* 71 B International Studies Social Policy 5* 43 A n/a n/a n/a 4 17 B and Administration Sociology 5 39 A 5 22 A 5 13 B Statistics and 4 15 B 5* 17 B 5* 12 B Operational Research Total 5* grades 7 54% 4 40% 4 36% Total 5 grades 5 38% 5 50% 5 46% Total 4 grades 1 8% 1 10% 2 18% LSE Experience 115 A further review in 2003 retrospectively introduced a higher grading of 5** for subject areas which had achieved 5* in the two previous rounds of research assessment. Economics and Social Policy received a 5**. In total LSE received 12 grades of 5**, 5* and 5 for all but one of its units of assessment. There are currently over 30 active research centres and units at the School, ranging from large multidisciplinary centres with substantial financial support to small centres with more modest resources. Most of LSE's research centres and units are financed by industry, commerce, research councils or charitable foundations. There are four centres funded mainly by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Others are funded through public or private partnerships; for example, funders for the Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation include the ESRC, Deutsche Bank, Aon and BP. The interdisciplinary research centres at LSE are the followings: – Asia Research Centre – Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation (CARR) – Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) – Centre for Civil Society (CCS) – Centre for Community Operational Research (SCORE) – Centre for Discrete and Applicable Mathematics (CDAM) – Centre for Economic