External Study Kick off day

James Abdey introduces Statistics 1 at this years kick off day. Photo courtesy of Gaute B. Iversen.

For the past five years External students have gathered at the LSE for a special event called the kick off day. The kick off day is thought of as the unofficial introduction to the new academic year for External Study students.

Originally the event was organised by a group of External Study students who met through the online community YANSA (You Are Not Studying Alone). The successes of previous kick off days encouraged the External Study office at LSE to take over the running of the event this year.

Previous kick off events have been motivating and inspiring. Sharing experiences as External Study students and being in contact with others doing the same programme has been very helpful.

This year’s kick off day was once again successful. Around seventy students from the USA, Europe and Africa travelled to London to meet fellow students and kick off their studies in the inspiring Old Theatre of the LSE campus.

Most of these students work full-time as professionals or managers. Their professions range from bankers and management consultants to engineers, journalists and IT-professionals.

The kick off day is an excellent opportunity to network with fellow students and get to know each other and make friends! The event is also an opportunity for External Study students to engage with academics on a personal basis for advice and support, in order to make the best preparations for an effective study year.

After a warm welcome by Rosie Gosling, this year’s kick off day focused on the strategic selection of units and effective study skills. The day continued with academics introducing the wide variety of subjects offered on the External programme and giving practical advice on how best to approach studies.

The day was, as always, rounded off with an unofficial dinner in Covent Garden.

If you attended this year’s kick-off day please send us your feedback  to externalstudy@lse.ac.uk

Thanks to everybody who came to the kick off day at LSE this year. Good luck in your studies, and I hope to see you all again at the Study Weekend in February. 

Gaute B. Iversen

The External study office would like to thank everybody that attended the kick off day this year and in particular we would like to thank the members of YANSA for their help on the day and their continued support to the programme.