Knowledge beyond boundaries: LSE's interdisciplinary student research conference

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has announced its annual Knowledge Beyond Boundaries interdisciplinary student research conference, scheduled for June 17, 2025. Hosted as part of the week-long LSE Festival, the event will bring together students and alumni from LSE and the CIVICA network of European universities to explore social science perspectives on future global challenges. This conference highlights the growing trend of hybrid, interdisciplinary academic events that bridge the gap between student research and public engagement within the international higher education sector.

Hosted by LSE100, the school’s flagship interdisciplinary course, the Knowledge Beyond Boundaries conference will be held both in-person on the LSE campus and online on June 17, 2025. The event is a core component of the LSE Festival: Visions for the Future, which runs from June 16 to June 21, 2025, and explores the threats and opportunities of the coming years. By involving current students and alumni from LSE alongside partners from the CIVICA network of European universities, the conference emphasizes the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches in tackling complex global issues and imagining a better world.

The conference program is designed to be diverse and interactive, featuring panel discussions, a poster gallery, live performances, and keynote addresses. These sessions will share research from across the social sciences, focusing on the festival's central theme of future visions and what a better world could look like. Specific areas of interest include the revolutionary power of technology and AI, with the event serving as a forum for discussing how these tools can be used to understand the world better while limiting potential harms. The organizers have structured the day to allow for flexible attendance, encouraging guests to join for the full schedule or specific segments as their time permits.

From an event management perspective, the conference demonstrates a robust approach to accessibility and multi-channel content distribution. LSE plans to provide automated live captions for livestreams and will record sessions for future podcast release, which are typically available one week after the event. Booking for all festival events is set to open on May 19, 2025, and the university has established clear protocols for media queries and press seat allocations. This comprehensive planning, combined with the provision of on-site catering and international institutional partnerships through the CIVICA network, highlights the evolving standards for high-level academic and public-facing conferences.