Welcome
Since I became Vice-Chancellor and President of the 海角社区 in the summer of 2022, I have been hugely impressed by the passion, energy and creativity of our extended community of staff, students and alumni, both here on campus in Falmer and right around the globe. In particular, I have been bowled over by the stories that I have heard about the transformative impact that their Sussex experience has had on the lives of current and former students – stories of encountering new ways of thinking, of meeting people from very different backgrounds and forming friendships and building networks that together make possible previously unimagined futures.
This year’s Falmer magazine again highlights some of the world-changing contributions being made to public life, to knowledge and understanding, and to communities around the world by Sussex alumni, students and staff.
Interviews with remarkable alumni include Turner Prize-winning artist Helen Cammock, humanitarian affairs expert Martin Griffiths, climate educator Temilade Salami and US diplomat Bill Russo.
Performing arts pioneers Topher Campbell and Jordi M. Carter also share their insights into the value of building a mentoring relationship by taking part in our Global Mentoring Scheme.
During the past year, I have been talking about how we want Sussex to be recognised as a university making a vital contribution to tackling the most pressing threats to humanity and to our natural environment. This is a critical concern for all of us, and I am extremely pleased that our efforts in this area – from creating a forest food garden on campus, to supporting a wide range of planet-protecting research projects – are already gaining accolades.
In the prestigious QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025, we have been placed eighth in the UK and joint 26th in the world out of more than 1500 universities.
And once again, for the eighth consecutive year, Sussex has been ranked first in the world for Development Studies (QS World University Rankings 2024) – testament to our established excellence in research and education in equitable and sustainable development, and to the strength and vitality of our partnership with the Institute of Development Studies here at Falmer, and with our collaborators across the globe.
I am also delighted that Sussex has been awarded Silver in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) – one of the most important measures of quality for UK universities. This means the student experience and student outcomes at Sussex are recognised to be typically very high quality.
In this issue of Falmer, brilliant academics from our new Centres of Excellence share their research on a wide range of topics – from exploring the science of consciousness, to listening to the health of our ecosystems, to helping children navigate wellbeing in a digital context.
Sussex experts also present their opinions on topical challenges – such as how to draw the distinction between artificial and emotional intelligence, and whether we are making enough progress on the path to net zero.
Finally, we celebrate 20 years of Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and the fantastic experience of being the education partner with Towner Eastbourne for the 2023 Turner Prize.
Sussex’s successes are enhanced, and sometimes only made possible, through the generous support of our community of alumni, friends, staff and students. We value this support enormously and, on behalf of all of us at Sussex, I want to say a very big thank you.
With my warmest wishes,
Professor Sasha Roseneil
President and Vice-Chancellor