Change Makers is a collaborative programme between LSE and LSE Students’ Union which gives current students the chance to make meaningful change at LSE through team-based independent research.
Change Makers identify a particular aspect of LSE to investigate. They then plan and carry out a small-scale research project as part of a team (with funding and research support from LSE).
At the end of the project, Change Makers communicate their findings to senior leadership accross LSE, and co-create actions with relevant stakeholders for LSE and LSESU to take forward.
Watch this video of Zoya, a previous Change Maker, sharing their experience with the programme:
You can read last year's finished projects in the online research gallery and watch some of the projects being presentated at the 2024 End of Year Event on YouTube.
All of the 2022/23 Change Makers reports have been shared with staff from accross LSE who are in a position to consider and, wherever possible, act upon Change Makers recommendations. We will update this information about changes made in due course.
Some of the actions LSE has taken in response to previous years' Change Makers projects include:
- More funding made available to provide student opportunities (such as off-site trips) consistently across departments
- The LSE Ethics Code has been dramatized in a short film for social media
- Targeted changes made to the induction for Graduate Teaching Assistants in Economics
- Change Makers projects contributed to ongoing work in Anthropology on decolonisation. Changes in the department included a new museum trip and ‘anti treasure hunt’ for incoming first year undergraduates; revision of the curriculum for a first year core course; and a new name, and display of former staff and students, for the Old Anthropology Library.
- The introduction of a Neurodivergent Student Academic Mentoring Scheme through LSE LIFE.
In 2023-24, Change Makers were supported throughout the duration of their projects, which typically ran from December - June.
Each project received:
- Access to a Moodle course with information about planning your project, undertaking your research and presenting your findings
- A designated supervisor to provide academic guidance and support
- A project sponsor from the area of the School you are researching
- General support with project administration and communication from the Change Makers team
- Funding in the form of a salary and project resources
In 2023/24 Change Makers researchers were expected to:
- Take a pro-active and collaborative approach to planning and conducting their research as part of a group
- Attend relevant researcher training and development workshops
- Communicate with their project supervisor every other week during term-time
- Meet with their project sponsor (from the area of LSE / LSESU they are researching) periodically throughout their project to understand the operational context and the research questions that will be most useful.
- Present their findings at the annual Change Makers event in Spring Term
- Organise a "Dialogue Meeting" with their supervisor and project sponsor in Spring Term to discuss research findings and collaboratively determine what actions LSE could look to take in response.
- Produce a short report or academic poster, alongside any optional additional outputs (e.g. a longer report, infographics, video recording, etc.) in Spring Term
Contact us
Contact lse.changemakers@lse.ac.uk if you have any questions about Change Makers or the application process.
