London School of Economics

The London School of Economics and Political Science, usually called LSE, is a public research university in London that focuses on the social sciences, both theoretical and applied. It is part of the University of London. LSE was founded in 1895 by four members of the Fabian Society: Sidney and Beatrice Webb, Graham Wallas, and George Bernard Shaw. It became a member of the University of London in 1900 and started offering its first degree programs under that university the following year. In 2008, LSE began awarding its own degrees, and it remains a constituent college of the University of London.

The school sits in the London Boroughs of Camden and Westminster, near the boundary between Covent Garden and Holborn, in an area historically called Clare Market. As of the 2023/24 academic year, LSE had fewer than 13,000 students, most of whom were postgraduates, and nearly two-thirds came from outside the United Kingdom. It has an endowment that is typically ranked around 10th or below among UK universities and reported an income of approximately £450 million in 2022/23, with £39.2 million coming from research grants. LSE belongs to the Russell Group, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and the European University Association, and is often considered part of the "golden triangle" of research universities in southeast England. Its main library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science (commonly called LSE Library), is one of the world’s largest libraries devoted to economics and social sciences.

Since its founding in 1895, more than 40 world leaders, 21 Nobel laureates, two presidents of the European Commission, and three presidents of the International Court of Justice have taught or studied at LSE.

The idea for LSE was conceived during a breakfast meeting on 4 August 1894 among the Webbs, Louis Flood, and George Bernard Shaw. The proposal was accepted by trustees in February 1895, and first classes were held that October in rooms at 9 John Street, Adelphi, in the City of Westminster. The school was initially funded by a £20,000 bequest from Henry Hunt Hutchinson, a lawyer and Fabian Society member, who left the money in trust to advance the society’s objectives. The five trustees were Sidney Webb, Edward Pease, Constance Hutchinson, W. S.