LSE Impact Prize

Winners of the 2026 LSE Impact Prize, which recognises excellent engagement, impact, and impact culture across the School, will be presented at a special event on 24 June.

These prizes showcase and celebrate the inspiring engagement and impact work achieved across the School

Professor Elizabeth Stokoe, Academic Director of Impact

 

Impact is the benefit that LSE research brings about that leads to the betterment of society. The LSE Impact Prize recognises any type of impact across any pathway. 

Key details 

  • There are eight prize categories, which can be awarded to individuals or teams. 

  • Winners of most categories are awarded £7.5k, which must be used for future engagement and impact activities. 

  • The winner of the Spark Award receives £10k, with two runners up receiving £5k.

  • Applicants can apply directly, apply on behalf of someone else, or nominate somebody 

  • Applications are open to LSE employees in any job family (externals can’t receive monies but will be invited to the ceremony). 

  • All applicants and their colleagues are invited to a prize-giving ceremony on Wednesday 24 June from 4-6pm. Register to attend.

Prize categories 

1. Outstanding individual impact: For excellence in impact achieved by an individual member of staff.

2. Outstanding team impact: For excellence in impact achieved working as a team of researchers, professional services, external non-academic organisations, and other parties. 

3. Outstanding PhD researcher impact: For excellence in impact achieved during or within a year of completing PhD research.
(Must be employed at LSE as a postdoc or Fellow or RA, if after end of PhD. Current PhD students must be at LSE for 2026/27 academic year to receive the prize money.) 

4. Rising star: For impact achieved by an early-career researcher.

5. Outstanding engagement: For innovation and achievement in science communication, translating research insights in open and accessible ways, and/or thought leadership in these domains 

6. Outstanding impact culture: For innovations and achievement in fostering and embedding positive, inclusive and ethical impact environments, and/or thought leadership in these domains.

7.*NEW* Distinguished impact achievement (nomination only): To recognise outstanding and sustained impact(s) from a body of research in any domain.

8. Spark Award: To recognise and support the further development of sustainable new products, services, methodologies or processes with potential to lead to the betterment of society. More details.

Any questions please contact research.impact@lse.ac.uk.