OPEN DAY BOOKLET
VISIT LSESU.COM AND OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS
CONTENTS 2. Welcome to LSE 3. The Saw Swee Hock Student Centre 4. Catering and the LSESU Venue 5. Societies / Sports 6. Activities Resource Centre Media Group / RAG 7. Societies and Sports Clubs 9. LSESU Gym and Exercise Studio 10. Campaigns and Democracy / Advice
WELCOME TO LSE
LSE is one of the most prestigious institutions in the world and its location in the heart of the world’s greatest city makes it unique amongst universities. Whether you are here for one year as a postgraduate, studying part time or doing an undergraduate course, LSE Students’ Union (LSESU) plays a key role in ensuring that you are properly represented at a course, university and national level. LSESU encompasses a huge range of services and support; from campaigning about issues affecting students, supporting student-run societies and sports teams or just giving you a place to meet new friends, the Students’ Union can help to give you the best possible experience at LSE. Moving to our amazing new building has already had a massive impact on the lives of students here - you only need to head up to the gym or down into the incredible new venue space to appreciate the amazing facilities on offer. We have a couple of
great cafés here (head up to the roof terrace on the 6th floor if the weather is nice!) which double up as study spaces when the Library is too busy. Students’ Union sports clubs and societies are integral to life at LSE - there really is something for everyone - and the majority of students are involved in playing sport or sharing their interests with their friends. Our Sports Ambassador scheme supports students playing sport at an elite level with many representing their countries at national level - and show LSESU’s commitment to sporting achievement. We hope you enjoy this small taster of life at LSE and hope to see you soon!
Nona Buckley-Irvine LSE Students’ Union General Secretary
THE SAW SWEE HOCK STUDENT CENTRE
In January 2014, we moved into the brand new Saw Swee Hock Student Centre – a dedicated student hub located in the heart of LSE’s campus. Moving to the new building has allowed us to provide an unrivalled student experience at LSE by bringing everything the Students’ Union does together in one place. There’s never been a more exciting time to start at LSE and we’re incredibly proud of the top class facilities, spaces and opportunities available to all LSESU members, including:
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LSESU Venue The Three Tuns student bar Catering facilities LSESU Advice Service LSESU Gym and Exercise Studio LSESU Media Centre LSESU Activities Resource Centre LSE Faith Centre LSE Careers LSE Residential Services
CATERING AND THE LSESU VENUE Whatever your diet or lifestyle, our catering facilities have a great selection of delicious meals and snacks to keep you going throughout the day. Need to catch up on work between lectures? Head to the Denning Learning Café for access to wi-fi, computer and printing facilities. Or, if you fancy indulging in something sweet, our Weston Café has a fantastic range of pastries, tarts and cakes which go perfectly with a cup of our Fair Trade coffee. The Weston Café also features a roof terrace which offers an impressive view of London’s skyline – it’s the ideal spot to spend time when the sun is shining! LSESU also provides a great variety of entertainment from live music nights and dance to conferences, talks with high profile speakers
and more. Most of these are hosted in the impressive LSESU Venue, our brand new social space complete with a stage, seating booths and ginormous glitter ball! On Friday nights, the Venue becomes Saucy: Student Friday – one of the biggest and cheapest student nights in central London. Saucy features some of the most incredible live music acts and DJs, and also hosts some of the best themed nights to kick-start your weekend. Alongside the LSESU Venue, we run a student bar called The Three Tuns. The Three Tuns offers a fun atmosphere to play pool, listen to great music or simply enjoy an evening drink with friends at the end of the day.
SOCIETIES Societies are the life and soul of the Students’ Union. They provide opportunities for you to meet new people, develop key skills for your future career and make the most out of your experience at LSE. That’s why we support and develop more than 150 student-led societies at LSES covering a wide range of activities, from academic or political endeavours to cultural celebrations, as well as more lighthearted interests such as music, games and dance.
Whether you’re looking to take up a new hobby or want to keep up an existing interest, there really is something for everyone. Membership costs as little as £1.50, and if you have an idea for a brand new society, just let us know and we can help you set it up!
SPORTS The Athletics Union (AU) is at the heart of sporting life at LSESU and aims to provide opportunities for you to play sport, regardless of your ability. More than 2,500 of our students currently participate in sport at LSE and we have some incredible athletes playing across all levels of competition. Each club has its own committee who work with the AU Executive to ensure that more LSE students have the opportunity and ability to play sport. Joining a sports club can cost between £5–25, including playing in the LUSL and BUCS leagues. If competitive sport isn’t your thing, then why not get involved in LSESU Active LifeStylE – a brand new way
for you to take part in physical activity. Active LifeStylE, funded by Sport England, is all about encouraging you to discover a new sporting passion, socialise, and to explore London and all it has to offer. The programme includes a wide range of activities, from belly dancing and fencing to 5-a-side football and swimming – we run these on campus and at sports facilities across central London and in LSE Halls of Residence. We’re also open to your ideas, so if there’s something new you would like to see just let us know. Outdoor or indoor, team or individual, competitive or leisure – whatever you’re into, there really is something for everyone.
ACTIVITIES RESOURCE CENTRE The Activities Resource Centre (ARC) in the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre is our brand new hub for sports clubs and student societies. In the ARC we offer all the facilities you might need to join, set up and even develop your own societies and clubs. If you’re looking to get the most out of your time at LSE, the ARC is the place to go.
MEDIA GROUP LSESU boasts an active Media Group comprising four societies: The Beaver, the weekly student newspaper; PuLSE Radio; LooSE TV; and the Clare Market Review journal. All four are entirely student-run and students are encouraged to get involved in all aspects of creating media – whether it’s through an editorial role, anchoring your own TV show or producing a radio show, the Media Group has a place for any LSE student. All LSESU Media have been brought together into one purpose-built Media Centre located in the new Saw Swee Hock Student Centre. The LSESU Media Centre offers students an incredible range of facilities including DJ booths, recording equipment and computers.
RAISING & GIVING RAG is our major fundraising society at LSESU. You can do everything from hitchhiking across Europe, jumping out of aeroplanes, or just holding a bucket on Houghton Street – all in the name of charity. RAG members decide which events to run and, at the beginning of the year, choose which three charities they will support with the money they raise.
SOCIETY AND SPORTS CLUBS ABACUS Accounting Society Accounting and Finance Society Accounting, Organisations and Institutions Society Actuarial Society Advertising, Marketing and PR Society Aegis Society African-Caribbean Society Agape Student Life AIESEC Society Albanian Society Album Society Alternative Investments Society Amnesty International Society Anime and Manga Society Anthropology Society Arabic Society Artichoke Asia Careers Society Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society Austrian Society Automotive Society Azerbaikan Society Bacchus Friends Wine Appreciation Baha’i Society Baking Society Balkan Society Baltic Society Bar Society Beekeeping Society Benelux Board Games Society Bridge Society Bright Futures Society Brunei Society Bulgarian Society Business Society Catholic Society CEMS Club Central American Students’ Association (CASA) Chess Society Chile Society China Development Society Chinese Society Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) Chocolate Christian Union Society Cider Appreciation Society Columbian Society Conservative Society Consultancy Society
Corporate Connections Society Counterfire Cycling Society Cypriot Society Czech and Slovak Society Dare to Think Debate Society DESTIN Development Society Drama Society East Africa Society Economics Society Economic History Society Emerging Markets Society ENACTUS Energy Society Entrepreneurs Society European Society Fashion Society Feminist Society Film Society Finance Society Finnish Society FoodCycle Society French Society Gaming Society Geography and Environment Society German Society Global 21 Global Brigades Global Society Graduate Investment Society Graduate Management Society Green Party Society Grimshaw International Relations Club Hayek Society Health Society Hedge Fund Society Hellenic Society Hillsong Society Hindu Society History Society Hong Kong Public Affairs Social Service Society Howard League Student Society Hungarian Society Indonesian Society International Security Society Investment Society Irish Society Islamic Society Israel Society Italian Society
Itchy Feet Society Japan Society Jewish Society Kazakhstan Society Korean Society Labour and Co-operative Society Law Society Law and Financial Markets Society LGBT+ Alliance Liberal Democrats Literature Society London Society Magic Society Malaysia Club Management and Strategy Marxist Society Maths and Stats Society Mauritian Society Methodology Society Mexican Society Mocktail Society Music Society Nepalese Society Oikos Pakistan Society Palestine Society Persian Society Philosophy Society Photography Society Planning Society Polish Business Society Polish Society Political Risk & Investment Society Politics and Forum Society Post-crash Economics Press Club Private Equity Raising and Giving (RAG) Revolving Shed Russian Society Russian Business Society Salsa Society Scandinavian Society Shout Out UK Sikh-Punjab Society Singapore Society Social Entrepreneurship Society Social Policy Society Socialist Worker Student Society Sociology Society Spanish Society SPICE Student Action for Refugees Student Advocates International Students for a Free Tibet LSE Sustainable Futures Society Swing Dance Society Swiss Society Tackle Taiwanese Society Tamil Society
Tax Law Society TEDxLSESU Society TERRA Society The Houghtones Thai Society Think Tank Society Timeless Trading Society Ukrainian Society United Nations Society USA Society Venezuelan Society Vietnam Society Visual Arts Society Welsh Society Women in Business Society Women Leaders of Tomorrow Young Leaders Aerobics Athletics, Running & Triathlon Badminton Basketball (Men‘s) Basketball (Women’s) Capoeira Cricket Dance Darts Floorball Football (Men‘s) Football (Women’s) Golf Handball Hockey (Men‘s) Hockey (Women’s) Horse Riding Jitsu Judo Kabaddi Karate Kitesurf/Wakeboard Lacrosse Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Netball Pole Fitness Rock Climbing Rowing Rugby (Men‘s) Rugby (Women’s) Shooting Snowsports Squash Surf Table Tennis Tae Kwon Do Tai Chi Tennis Ultimate Disc Volleyball Yoga Zumba
LSESU GYM AND EXERCISE STUDIO Looking after your physical and mental wellbeing is important, especially when dealing with the day-to-day stresses student life can sometimes throw at you. Featuring top of the range machines and equipment, our gym caters for the advanced and novice fitnessgoer alike and is fully staffed with a team of friendly, qualified experts seven days a week. Best of all, it’s the cheapest gym you’ll find in central London with incredible student-friendly prices starting at around £18 a month.
Alongside the gym, we run an Exercise Studio. The studio hosts a wide range of classes from dance, aerobics and yoga – it’s the perfect place to stay active, meet new friends and try new activities.
CAMPAIGNS & DEMOCRACY We are one of the most politically active and democratic students’ unions in the country. As an LSE student, you are automatically a member of LSESU and it’s up to you to direct our work and policies. You can democratically influence what we do in so many ways from voting in student elections, taking part in Union General Meetings and Assemblies, as well as by providing feedback on our activities and services.
standing up for students’ rights and actively campaigning on the local, national and global issues affecting its members. In the 1960s, LSE students were at the centre of protests against the war in Vietnam and in the 1970s and 1980s our members mobilised in solidarity with miners. We work to ensure that that tradition continues and that students feel empowered to bring about change in society today.
The Students’ Union is a charitable organisation which is democratically determined by our members; we are led by a Student Executive which ensures that students have the opportunity to make changes within the Students’ Union, the School and wider society. The Student Executive is elected by the student body every year to represent its interests – you could even be the new General Secretary when you come here! LSE Students’ Union has a proud tradition of
We aren’t just active within the School: we are affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS), which campaigns and lobbies on behalf of more than 7 million students in the UK. While studying at LSE, you are also entitled to membership of Student Central, formerly University of London Union, which represents more than 120,000 students across the capital and aims to provide the services and opportunities we can’t.
ADVICE Your time at university should be rewarding and enjoyable, but we also know that student life can be tough. If you ever find yourself in trouble or in need of help, the LSESU Advice Service – run by our team of professional advisers – is on hand to offer free, confidential and independent support on both welfare and academic issues. No problem is too big or too small for us to deal with and because we’re independent from the School, we can represent you and your voice on campus. In the unlikely event that we can’t help, we’ll make sure you get to the people who can.
CONTACTING LSE STUDENTS’ UNION The Students’ Union is here to help you. If you have any queries or feedback on anything in this booklet, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us: su.info@lse.ac.uk Sign up for more information about LSE Students’ Union, the services we offer and student life at LSE at www.lsesu.com/futurestudent
VISIT LSESU.COM AND OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS