London at Night
The London School of Economics and Political Science has announced the creation of a new School of Public Policy, which will launch in September 2018.
The School of Public Policy will build on existing intellectual strengths of LSE, incorporating the two-year interdisciplinary Master of Public Administration (MPA), the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) for working professionals, and the Executive Master of Public Policy, a semi-bespoke degree for future leaders of the UK Civil Service.
In addition, from September 2019 the School of Public Policy will offer a new one-year Master of Public Policy (MPP), aimed at students with relevant professional experience in policy-making. A new Double MPA with Fudan University is scheduled to launch in September 2020.
The School of Public Policy’s teaching will be complemented by direct interaction with policy-making professionals in the UK and internationally. Based in the heart of London, close to both the City and Westminster, LSE is ideally situated to develop a valuable network of practitioners who will reinforce students’ understanding of policy-making in the real world.
This landmark development echoes one of LSE’s founding purposes: to address social and economic issues through systematic training in economics and political science. With the creation of the School of Public Policy, LSE meets the need for more informed public policy analysis and public management, key to understanding and resolving the challenges of contemporary governance.
From mid-2019, the School of Public Policy will be located in the new LSE Centre Building on Houghton Street, where it will sit alongside departments such as Government and International Relations. The LSE Centre Building is designed by the world-leading architects Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners, and is one of LSE’s largest ever capital development projects.
Commenting on the new School of Public Policy, the LSE Director Dame Minouche Shafik said:
“Since its foundation LSE has been focused on teaching and research which seeks to improve society and public policy-making. The plans for a new School of Public Policy represent the next step in this journey.
“We live in critical times for policy makers, with global challenges multiplying and increasing in complexity. This development means LSE will be in an even stronger position to provide the expert teaching which has the potential to improve millions of lives.”
Professor Tony Travers, Interim Director of the Institute of Public Affairs, added:
“Effective public policy is founded on three pillars of understanding: economics, political science and empirical analysis, and LSE is a global leader in each. The School of Public Policy will harness this talent to train the leaders and decision makers of tomorrow.
“Our plans for the School of Public Policy are ambitious and the search now begins to find partners to realise that ambition, including its inaugural Dean.”