LSESU Turkish Soc launches emergency fundraiser a er earthquake hits Turkey, Syria

Aysha Sarah Klara Woxstr öm News Editors

In the early hours of 6 February, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and parts of Syria. Almost 9 hours later, a second, 7.5-magnitude tremor followed. Both of these have caused disastrous civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure which are expected to increase.

e death toll from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has increased to over 23,000 as of 11 February. According to media sources, 20,318 people have been killed and over 80,052 have been reported injured. Meanwhile, the death toll in Syria soared to 3,513. In ten provinces, Turkish President Tayy- ip Erdogan imposed a state of emergency. Multiple nations, including the US, India, the European Union, Ukraine, and China, have expressed their support for the two nations with President Joe Biden, authorising an “immediate US response”. e LSESU Turkish Society prepared a bake sale on 8 February to raise funds for the emergency appeal. e society posted on their o cial Instagram account, “As a community, we have a responsibility to help those in need and make a positive impact on the world… Your support will make a real di erence in the lives of those a ected by this tragedy.” e chair of LSESU Turkish Society, Yunus Kaan Yilmazturk, told e Beaver, ‘‘ e priority will change over the course of the events, the rst 72 hours, we try to nd the people in the eld. A er that, obviously, we have to understand the magnitude, we have to understand how these people are a ected and what we can do… this is the best we can do while we are in London and while we are studying.’’

At the bake sale, the LSESU Turkish Society raised funds to support the earthquake victims while sharing their culture with other LSE students.

On 8 February, it was reported that the Turkish society has raised almost 3000 pounds. e LSESU Turkish society later said in an open letter to the LSE community , on February 10, they raised 4900 pounds in less than two days.

When asked about the potential impact of the crisis, Yilmazturk continued, ‘‘[E] motionally and psychologically this will last, I would say, decades. We had a very big earthquake back in 1999, which was in the Marmara region close to Istanbul, and it’s a very lively memory in people’s minds… is is the biggest in the Turkish Republic’s history. We are celebrating Turkey’s 100th anniversary of the Republic this year, and this is the biggest catastrophe of the century. So, it will last a long time, a decade probably, whatever we can do, we are just here to make a di erence.’’

In the open letter to the LSE community the LSESU Turkish society also wrote they have decided to continue their fundraising e orts on campus. To support the earthquake’s victims, the LSESU Turkish society has referred to the Turkish NGO Ahbap, and the LSE Turkish Society’s fundraisers for Turkey Mozaik Foundation and Oxfam.

International fees halve EU student enrolment at UK universities

Jack Beeching Beaver Editor

Illustrated by Anoushka Guli

In 2021, 53 percent fewer EU students enrolled in their rst year at a UK university compared with 2020, according to gures by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) .

HESA said, “ is decrease aligns with the UK’s exit from the EU and a change in international fee policy from 1 August 2021.”

Since 2021, EU students have been subject to international tuition fees – estimated to average £22,000 per year for undergraduates. Prior to Brexit, EU students paid home fees, usually £9,250, and were eligible for student nance. e total number of EU students at LSE has declined from 2,424 in 2020 to 1,885 this academic year, indicating that enrolments to the School are following the national trend.

In contrast, the number of non-EU international students enrolling in their rst year rose by 32% between 2020 and 2021. Chinese and Indian students are the largest groups, making up 27% and 23% of non-EU international students in 2021, respectively.

Data Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency

An LSE spokesperson told e Beaver, “Similar to most UK universities, LSE has seen an overall drop in EU students enrolling over the past few years, although the numbers vary across departments and nationalities.

“We remain committed to attracting outstanding applicants from all over the world. Overseas students, including from the EU, make an enormous contribution to our community and to the UK’s culture, society and economy.”