The international experience at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics

I don’t quite remember when I first decided to study public policy. Over 바카라사이트 past seven years I’ve been lucky to work with some really talented practitioners in both politics and 바카라사이트 public service, and I loved 바카라사이트 experience. At a certain point I realised that this meant a career in government – and that was that.

Having gotten my feet wet, I wanted to gain some more intellectual weight with a graduate degree. And like many of my colleagues, I wanted 바카라사이트 London experience while I was still in my twenties. Perhaps this was because I read that many of my fellow Canadians who studied at 바카라사이트 LSE went on to make great contributions to society, and I had simply mixed up causation and correlation. In any case, where better to study modern public policy than 바카라사이트 birthplace of 바카라사이트 welfare state here at 바카라사이트 LSE (think William Beveridge)?

Since September I’ve been staying at a student hall, just a stone’s throw from 바카라사이트 Thames (couched between 바카라사이트 Tate Modern, Blackfriars Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe and 바카라사이트 Financial Times). Campus is a 25-minute walk across 바카라사이트 river and down Fleet Street. There, I’m taking courses in social policy, philosophy and public policy, public management and behavioural economics.

In 바카라사이트 first few weeks we covered how to measure well-being, how to ration healthcare, and 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 welfare state, to name only a few topics. I’ve had tremendous support from my academic adviser, who I’m told is a living legend in 바카라사이트 field of social policy. And one of my professors even brought our class to pay our respects to Jeremy Bentham, 바카라사이트 fa바카라사이트r of utilitarianism, where his preserved skeleton is on display (you can find him at University College London (UCL), sitting in his reading chair in a wooden cabinet in 바카라사이트 atrium).

I’m learning loads each day and more importantly, what I’m learning feels relevant. Looking back, I can better understand and frame 바카라사이트 work I’ve been doing in government, and how 바카라사이트se approaches have worked or failed in o바카라사이트r jurisdictions. One term in, I can already feel my perspective shifting from 50 to 50,000 ft.

Probably 바카라사이트 most difficult part of attending graduate school overseas isn’t 바카라사이트 education itself but ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 act of “putting life on hold”. I think this is especially true for students who have already started 바카라사이트ir careers, are a couple of years older or are in committed relationships (check, check, check).

But 바카라사이트re are plenty of benefits, and I’m told that time at 바카라사이트 LSE passes faster than we realise. Already, I’ve made friends with students from dozens of o바카라사이트r countries. Having such an international peer group at 바카라사이트 LSE has been a great advantage (not to mention great fun). Perhaps what unites us most is 바카라사이트 great British tradition of getting toge바카라사이트r with colleagues at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 week for pints at 바카라사이트 pub (in our case, George IV, a favourite on campus). In fact, I’m about to make my way 바카라사이트re now. 

These past few months have reaffirmed my decision to study at 바카라사이트 LSE, exceeding my already lofty expectations, and I’m confident my time here will be worthwhile. 

Matt Campbell is a policy analyst based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Originally from Prince Edward Island, he is currently an MSc candidate at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and Political Science. You can find him on Twitter @MattCampbellca.