LSE Simulations

This guide is based around six case studies of simulations at LSE all of which have been designed using a similar process. The guide outlines the key design questions that underpinned each stage of the process, and which you can use to think through how you might embed a simulation in your course. 

Case study 1 – Outbreak of the Vaca virus

This simulation recreated the governance decisions of an outbreak of ‘Vaca Virus’ in the country of ‘Esperanza’ Students were allocated to small groups, each taking on a different role as stakeholder groups in either Esperanza or in external organizations. 

Case study 2 – DemRes, City of Drais and micromobility

In this simulation students play the role of policy evaluation professionals at a fictional research organisation (DemRes) producing evidence for policy in the fictional Evbaland. This welcome letter provides an overview of the organisation and the roles within the policy evaluation units. 

Case Study 3: New Generation Behavioural Science and the Felix Foundation

In this simulation students worked in small groups. Each group included the same roles (two research analysts, a policy analyst and stakeholder liaison). The job descriptions below provided the students with an overview of the role they would play. 

Case Study 5: Wellbeing for Policy

In this simulation students are allocated to (fictitious) policy consulting companies, and within these, to different roles. This letter of appointment illustrates how that allocation of roles and what the roles entail is communicated to students. 

Case Study 6: Museum of the Future

In this simulation students play the role of curator/researcher for the museum’s next round of acquisitions. This letter of appointment outlines what is involved in playing this role.

Case Study 1: Outbreak of the Vaca virus

This simulation recreated the governance decisions of an outbreak of ‘Vaca Virus’ in the country of ‘Esperanza’. To prepare for the simulation students had to familiarise themselves with the geographical, social, economic and political background of Esperanza and the symptoms, transmission, treatment and prevention of the Vaca Virus. This resource contains illustrative extracts from that background information. 

Case study 2: DemRes, City of Drais and micromobility

In this simulation students play the role of policy evaluation professionals at a fictional research organisation (DemRes) producing evidence for policy in the fictional Evbaland. To prepare for the simulation students had to read and discuss the contextual information on City of Drais tender opportunity and the tender document. 

Case study 3: New Generation Behavioural Science and the Felix Foundation

This simulation involves students working, in their roles as professionals at New Generation Behavioural Science (NGBS), a fictitious not-for-profit consultancy firm, to produce a white paper and presentation that addresses a client’s (The Felix Foundation) project request. To prepare for the simulation students attend an NGBS ‘onboarding’ workshop where they are given further details of the client and stakeholders and the task and possible projects are outlined. 

Case Study 5: Wellbeing for Policy

In this simulation, which runs across the course, students are randomly allocated to (fictitious) policy consulting companies, and within these, randomly to different roles. They are then given a real policy issue from a UK Government department to work on together as a team, and then present their final policy appraisals (cost benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses) to a real audience of UK civil servants and policy-makers. The letters below illustrate how the students are informed of the tasks they will be completing. Further guidance is provided during in-class sessions. 

Case Study 6: Museum of the Future

In this simulation students play the role of curator/researcher for the museum’s next round of acquisitions. To prepare for the simulation students needed to understand the ways in which museums collect, display and interpret the objects. 

Case study 1: Outbreak of the Vaca virus 

This was a one-day simulation activity on the course Global Health Security, which recreated the governance decisions of an outbreak of ‘Vaca Virus’ in the country of ‘Esperanza’. The activity unfolded over the course of the day with new information, such as the development of vaccines, civil unrest and community resistance, which each actor had to react to in real time. An overview of the schedule for the day is outlined below followed by examples of play cards that were handed to students containing new information that they needed to respond to. 

Case study 2: DemRes, City of Drais and micromobility 

In this simulation students play the role of policy evaluation professionals at a fictional research organisation (DemRes), which has received an invitation to tender for a policy evaluation project. The DemRes Policy Evaluation Unit has to meet to decide whether its expertise fits the project, and which research group to select to prepare the response. 

Case study 3: New Generation Behavioural Science and the Felix Foundation 

This simulation involves students working, in their roles as professionals at New Generation Behavioural Science (NGBS), a fictious not-for-profit consultancy firm, to produce a White Paper and presentation that addresses a client’s (The Felix Foundation) project request. Included in this resource you will find: 

• the schedule for the simulation event, 
• a template for the structure of the White Paper students need to develop. 
• play cards that are handed to the students during the day which they need to respond to in their presentation/White Paper, 

Case study 4: LSE Congress 

In this simulation students are invited to explore how LSE’s research can contribute to the progress towards the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The simulation culminates in the LSE Congress summit, which is an all-day event. At the summit they are allocated to transdisciplinary coalitions, and they are given a new scenario to which they need to respond. This resource includes the new scenario and the worksheets given to students to help them complete the new tasks.