LSE is a really diverse place...
Students who attend LSE come from over 148 different countries in the world, and speak over 100 languages! It’s no wonder that students always talk about how culturally diverse the student body is. And with lots of students from all walks of life, comes lots of communities to celebrate and welcome them!
Keep on reading if you want to know more about Faith, National and Cultural Societies (or student groups as we sometimes call them!) and what they are getting up to this year!
Whether your faith is part of who you are, whether you’re looking to educate yourself, or whether you want to meet students who share your nationality or culture - these societies are open to you, and any student who may be curious and want to find out more!
Although a lot of their activities may be online, our faith, culture and nationality societies deliver a wide range of opportunities for students to immerse themselves in. You may even find your new home away from home. Try a buddy program, join a talk on a topic of debate, learn about others' way of life and if campus fully and safely re-opens, attend an event to try some tasty delicacies from all over the world!
So, without further ado, here is your whistle-stop tour through the LSESU National, Cultural and Faith Societies and how you can get involved!
Before we continue…
We (LSE Students’ Union) are working with the School on the safe return to campus for all of our students. This includes re-working and adjusting our programmes, our initiatives, our ways of working and our different spaces. We will also be taking into account any changes in Government guidance that occur between now and September.
Our LSESU Societies are undertaking similar practices, looking at how they can execute their events, initiatives, socials and activities in the safest way possible for their members. This may mean the vast majority of activities are digital, but there could also be possibilities for physical participation providing it is in line with the recommended guidance. All of their activities will be subject to changes based on the most up-to-date advice and recommendations from LSESU, the School and the Government.
This means that some of the activities referenced below could be subject to change. Any updates will be cited on their relevant web pages, so keep regular tabs on society webpages and social media channels for their respective updates. One of the best ways to stay updated with general information about Welcome and your arrival is by signing up to our Welcome Mailing list by clicking here.
LSESU Faith Societies
There are a number of Faith Societies that you can join as a student at LSE. Here’s a brief overview of who they are and what they do!
- Believers Love World - A campus church group open to all students from all backgrounds; learn about Jesus, meet new people and have some fun!
- Catholic Society - balancing balancing intellectual discussion and social action, as well as spirituality and prayer, come and learn about the Catholic Faith.
- Christian Union - is passionate about knowing Jesus and introducing Him to others, meeting regularly to share the message of Christianity.
- Gospel Society - meet with faith, hope and love. Explore and learn more about your faith at weekly meetings and worship nights for prayer, praise and thanksgiving.
- Hindu Society - explore the idea of Hinduism though religous, educational, charitable and social events. Holding around 2 events a week during term time there’s something for everyone!
- Islamic society - offers a wide variety of services for Muslims and Non-Muslims; from talks, social and sports to interfaith and charity events.
- Jewish Society - is an active and vibrant community. They are pluralist and non-denominational so no matter how affiliated you are, there will be something for you. L’Chaim!
- Sikh-Punjab Society - enjoy bringing community and culture together! With a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere with events ranging from talks and alumni panels to fun socials.
- Women’s Interfaith Group - unites female students of faith (or none) in charity work and social action projects, such as Soup Kitchens, toiletries collections and speaker events on key issues facing women of faith at sessions.
Our faith based societies provide a strong community and do so much to support our students who practice their faith. Whether you practice fully or even a little, our societies will have something that you can engage in – from academic events and guidance, all the way to social action work. If that wasn’t enough, they even deliver award winning sports programmes for students of faith! They ensure your time at LSE works with your faith, not against it.
The LSE Faith Centre
All of the LSESU Faith Societies work very closely with the LSE Faith Centre, based in Saw Swee Hock Centre on the 2nd floor. The Faith Centre is home to the LSE’s diverse religious activities (including Societies), transformational interfaith leadership programmes and a quiet, reflective space for all staff and students.
At the LSE faith Centre, you can take the time to dive deep into your practice or find out more about how faith impacts on the world around us. They offer a wide range of opportunities for personal growth and learning, to help you develop into a better leader for when your graduate. Most of our LSESU Faith Societies hold their events in partnership with LSE Faith Centre to ensure they have the best speakers around! Find out more about the LSE Faith Centre on the LSE Website.
LSESU National and Cultural Societies
There’s a lot of national and cultural societies at LSE. And remember, you don’t have to be from the country in question to join - they are open to all students! You may think that these societies aren’t for you because you aren’t of that nationality or culture, but don’t speak so soon!...
Our diverse range of societies deliver events that cater for students looking to find their home away from home and to celebrate their culture. They also deliver a wide range of educational talks, conferences and panel events that can help advance your academic studies and support you in learning about a new culture for future job placements! Don’t miss out on the fun!
There’s so many to get involved in, see for yourself:
- Afghan
- African Carribean
- Albania
- Armenian
- Association of British & Chinese University Students (ABACUS)
- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (AESEAN)
- Australia & New Zealand
- Austrian
- Bangla
- Brazillian
- British People of Colour
- Canadian
- Chile
- Chinese
- Colombian
- Cypriot
- Czech & Slovak
- Dutch & Flemish
- Filipino
- French
- German
- Gulf
- Hellenic
- India
- Indian National Students' Association
- Indonesian
- Irish
- Israel
- Italian
- Japan
- Kazakh
- Korean
- Korean Entertainment
- Latin American
- Malaysia Club
- Mexican
- Middle East & North Africa
- Nordic
- Northern
- Pakistab
- Persian
- Romanian
- Singapore
- Somali
- South Asia
- Spanish
- Sri Lanka
- Swiss
- Taiwanese
- Tamil
- Thai
- Third Culture Kids
- Turkish
- U.S.
- Ukranian
- Vietnam
- Welsh
How do I get involved?
Getting involved is super easy – our LSESU National, Cultural & Faith Societies are open to all LSE students and you can join our societies via our website. Memberships are currently available to buy, so why not head on over there now!
You can also check out our National, Cultural, Faith as well as all other LSESU Socieites on social media to see what they’re getting up to! Their social media accounts will be cited on their respective pages on our website – search for the societies your interested in here.
What if I can’t find my faith, culture or nationality?
Fear not! This doesn’t mean that there aren’t others of your faith, culture or nationality on campus. It just means that the group hasn’t been started yet!
What a great opportunity for you to be the founder, the leader, and to kick start what could be a successful legacy down the line…
Plus, our incredible Societies Team will be on hand to support you every step of the way. Go on, make it happen!
To see how you can set up your own society at LSESU click here.