Research

Professor Simon Hix introduces the key theme of research

Take a strategic approach

We will reaffirm the contribution social sciences can make to the global sustainability debate, and to focus and strengthen our efforts and resources on impactful sustainability research.

Create supportive mechanisms

We will implement structural change and create funding incentives to advance the sustainability agenda.

Foster collaboration

We will foster stronger internal cross-disciplinary collaboration within LSE to leverage and extend our external partnerships.

Example of supporting initiatives:

• Identify opportunities where LSE research can contribute to global debates on sustainability (e.g. on changing environmental behaviours, effective environmental policies, and green growth/building-back better).
• Support research which actively engages policy makers, stakeholders and society in the co-production of knowledge and research on sustainability.
• Make sustainability a key strategic area for philanthropic support at LSE.
• Strengthen the Grantham Research Institute’s role as a School-wide vehicle for collaborative research and impact on environmental sustainability.
• Ring fence funding to support sustainability research and cross collaboration.
• Create opportunities for cross-disciplinary knowledge and expertise sharing (e.g. brown bag lunch sessions, research seminar) and undergraduate engagement (e.g. undergraduate edited sustainability journal).
• Promote LSE-wide initiatives for research collaboration (e.g. conferences, training modules) on environmental sustainability across departments and centres.
• Encourage online research activities, to reduce research-related travel (e.g. online seminars and PhD vivas).
• Leverage our existing external partnerships (e.g. CIVICA Alliance, Global Public Policy Network, Global Alliance of Universities on Climate) and develop new partnerships to step up LSE’s contribution to global sustainability research and debate.