The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Georgetown University have unveiled a new strategic partnership underpinned by a joint research fund, signalling a deepening of transatlantic academic collaboration at a time of mounting global challenges. Bringing together two leading institutions in the social sciences and international affairs, the initiative aims to foster cutting-edge, policy-relevant research on issues ranging from democracy and governance to inequality, climate change and global security. The partnership will support joint projects,faculty exchanges and collaborative events,creating a platform for scholars and students on both sides of the Atlantic to shape debate and inform decision-making in an increasingly complex world.
LSE and Georgetown deepen transatlantic collaboration with new strategic partnership
Building on decades of academic exchange, the two universities have agreed a long-term framework that will see faculty and students work together on pressing global challenges, from democratic resilience to climate governance. The collaboration will be anchored by a new joint research fund, enabling cross-campus teams to compete for seed grants that support innovative, policy-relevant projects. Priority will be given to proposals that blend empirical research with practical impact, ensuring insights reach lawmakers, international organisations and civil society leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.
The partnership also paves the way for a richer ecosystem of shared teaching, public debate and knowledge exchange, including:
- Co-taught courses that leverage complementary expertise in international relations, public policy and economics.
- Visiting scholar schemes enabling faculty to embed in each other’s departments for intensive collaboration.
- Student mobility pathways for short-term study, joint seminars and policy clinics in London and Washington, DC.
- Public events series featuring policymakers, alumni and researchers exploring transatlantic policy priorities.
| Focus Area | Sample Themes |
|---|---|
| Democracy & Governance | Election integrity, digital misinformation |
| Climate & Sustainability | Just transition, green finance |
| Global Economic Policy | Trade shocks, inclusive growth |
| Security & Diplomacy | Transatlantic defense, emerging powers |
Joint research fund to prioritise global governance sustainability and social inequality
The new joint fund will support pioneering projects that interrogate how power, policy and people intersect in an era of intensifying climate emergency and widening disparities. Drawing on the combined strengths of both institutions in economics,law,public policy and international relations,the program will convene interdisciplinary teams to examine issues such as climate justice,digital governance and the social contract in fractured societies. Priority will be given to research that advances evidence-based solutions and engages directly with policymakers, civil society and affected communities, ensuring that academic insight translates into tangible impact.
Funding calls will invite proposals that demonstrate clear pathways to influence debates on sustainability, inclusion and fairness in global rule‑making. Projects are expected to integrate at least one of the following focal themes:
- Climate and resource governance – aligning environmental policy with social protection.
- Economic inequality – assessing tax, trade and financial regimes that shape global wealth distribution.
- Democratic accountability – exploring depiction and voice within multilateral institutions.
- Technology and rights – evaluating AI, data governance and their implications for vulnerable groups.
| Focus Area | Sample Output | Primary Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Lasting governance | Policy briefs on climate finance | Multilateral agencies |
| Social inequality | City-level inequality dashboards | Urban policymakers |
| Inclusive institutions | Recommendations on voting reform | International forums |
Opportunities for faculty and students to shape collaborative research agendas
Through this joint fund, academics and students from both institutions will be able to co-design projects from the ground up, rather than simply joining at the implementation stage. Calls for proposals will invite interdisciplinary teams to pitch ideas that respond to shared global challenges, with a particular emphasis on comparative research, policy impact, and student-centred inquiry. Informal idea labs, virtual sandpits and themed workshops will be used to match researchers with complementary expertise, ensuring that early-career scholars and postgraduate students gain direct access to senior faculty networks on both sides of the Atlantic.
In practice, this means expanded scope for collaboration across teaching, fieldwork and dissemination. Joint working groups will support activities such as:
- Co-authored publications drawing on data from multiple regions
- Student research assistants embedded in faculty-led projects
- Shared datasets and open research infrastructures
- Policy labs connecting research teams with practitioners and alumni
| Role | Sample Prospect |
|---|---|
| Faculty | Lead a cross-campus working group on democratic resilience |
| PhD students | Co-design comparative case studies with dual supervision |
| Master’s students | Develop policy briefs from joint research outputs |
| Undergraduates | Support pilot surveys and data visualisation tasks |
Recommendations for maximising impact through interdisciplinary projects and policy engagement
Drawing on the complementary strengths of both institutions, teams are encouraged to move beyond traditional disciplinary silos by pairing, for example, economists with technologists, political scientists with public health experts, or legal scholars with climate scientists. This not only enriches the research design but also makes findings more persuasive to decision-makers who increasingly face cross-cutting challenges. Early engagement with stakeholders is crucial: project leads should identify relevant ministries, city authorities, regulators, NGOs and private-sector partners at the proposal stage, and build in moments for consultation, feedback and co-production of evidence. To support this, applicants are advised to embed communication and impact plans – including accessible policy briefs, media engagement and concise data visualisations – directly into their methodology.
- Co-design research questions with practitioners and affected communities.
- Invest in translation of technical results into clear, actionable recommendations.
- Time outputs to coincide with policy windows such as budget cycles or global summits.
- Share data responsibly, prioritising openness while protecting privacy and security.
| Project Focus | Key Policy Audience | Impact Channel |
|---|---|---|
| AI and inequality | Labour ministries | Regulatory guidelines |
| Climate migration | Urban planners | City resilience plans |
| Democratic resilience | Election bodies | Risk assessments |
Future Outlook
As the first projects supported by the joint research fund get under way, both institutions are positioning the partnership as more than a symbolic alignment.By pooling expertise, data and global networks, LSE and Georgetown aim to move beyond commentary to shape the evidence base that informs decision-makers in London, Washington and beyond.In an era when democratic institutions, global markets and international norms are all under strain, the collaboration underscores a shared conviction: that rigorous, independent research remains essential to understanding – and navigating – a rapidly changing world.
