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Aarya Kamat

January 23rd, 2023

Three reasons why you should attend public lectures at LSE

5 comments | 10 shares

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Aarya Kamat

January 23rd, 2023

Three reasons why you should attend public lectures at LSE

5 comments | 10 shares

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

If being a student at LSE has made me realise one thing, it is that it’s crucial to use all the opportunities that both the city and the university offer. One great way of doing that is to attend the public lectures at the LSE, which are delivered by leading personnel in their respective fields. I have attended three talks so far.  First up was “From Coase to culture: visible hands building equilibrium“, which questioned whether ideas and techniques associated with organizational culture might be useful in building relational contracts, and was delivered by Robert Gibbons from MIT. I also attended an online talk, “Doughnut economics: a new economic vision for cities“, which made the audience seriously question how economics should be taught in the 21st century and how we need to shift from the growth and supply and demand perspective often laid out in economics. This talk was delivered by Kate Raworth, the author of the influential book with the same name. Finally, I attended “If you are so ethical, why are you so highly paid?“, delivered by several LSE academics, which discussed how CEOs’ high salaries are actually due to a market failure and how overpaying CEOs is a weakly dominant strategy.

The panel discussion at ‘If You’re So Ethical Why Are You So Highly Paid?’

 

I have really enjoyed the three talks I’ve attended so far and here are the three reasons why you should be attending the LSE public lectures too:

Improves critical thinking skills

After I attended my first public talk at LSE, I was nothing short of amazed. I had entered with an empty mind but left with so many new perspectives and questions to think about and I felt like I had to listen to more. The most exciting part of the talks is watching academics and the public question the ideas presented by the speakers. You may not always get a chance to ask your own question, if you have one, but it is useful to listen to the questions others ask to add nuance to your own perspective.

 

Attending one of the online public lectures in November
A good place to network

Students and professionals from all over come to listen to these talks. So, do use these moments to enrich your LinkedIn profiles! It’s a great chance to network with others, show your commitment to your education and these events can help you shine at job interviews too.

Helps you stay connected to the real world

The public lectures are an intellectually stimulating environment and a great supplement to the things you will learn in your lectures. The talks help me to stay grounded in the real world, in a way. As a student of economics, this is vital, as it is easy to get swallowed up by theories while studying. Attending public lectures helps you connect the dots and gives meaning to what you learn in the classroom.

The public lectures are an intellectually stimulating environment and a great supplement to the things you will learn in your lectures

The talks are a testament to the LSE’s motto, which is “to understand the causes of things” for the betterment of society.  It is a way to bridge the gap between the layperson and the academic. Dissemination of knowledge to the public and being open to questioning is one of the greatest services an expert can provide.

Even though the teaching terms can get stressful sometimes, I would highly recommend any student to check out these lectures, as the pay-off is great for the couple of hours taken out of your study time.

For more information about events, do take a look at LSE events.

 

About the author

Aarya Kamat

I am an Indian General course student at the LSE and I am in the economics department. I am primarily known for my sardonic sense of humour and random chains of thought. In my spare time, I read, explore museums, cook or take photos of wildlife.

Posted In: LSE | Study Abroad

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