Welcome to the June issue of Transforming Sussex, shining a spotlight on some recent developments that are changing Sussex. Included this month:

• A new external print service for Sussex - find out how Print Marketplace works

• Learn how the new facilities management partnership will make it easier to log and track jobs

• See how we're improving campus fitness facilities this summer.

Read on to find out more, or click below to head to a section. 

• Better Campus

• Better Research

• Better Ways of Working

• Better Education

• View our photo gallery - our projects in pictures 📷

• Connect with us for quick updates 🔗

You can also visit the Transforming Sussex web pages for more information.

New external print service now available

With the closure of the Print Unit at the end of this month, the University is pleased to have secured a new external print service via ‘Print Marketplace’. Find out how it works and how to set up your account.

This online portal enables users to order almost any type of printing, including posters, leaflets, and Sussex-branded stationery.

Sussex Sport: new gym and studio space to be built this summer

Sport, wellbeing, and fitness are crucial to the staff and student experience, and so a short project will take place over the summer to improve campus fitness facilities ready for the start of the new academic year. This will provide more workout stations in a new, larger gym. A new wellbeing and fitness studio will also open in the Arches, next to the Student Centre.

View the full details.

Sharing the benefits of our new Facilities Management partnership

From a responsive, 24/7 helpdesk, to QR codes for raising maintenance requests, our new Facilities Management (FM) partnership with OCS will bring many benefits when it comes into effect on 1 July. Read more about how we'll be making it easier to log and track jobs and how we'll improve our maintenance processes on campus.

West Ring Main project given the green light 

The West Ring Main project received approval to proceed at June’s CSIB (Capital Strategic Investment Board). The project aims to improve our campus’ electrical network power supply by introducing a third electrical ring main, which combined with the existing two electrical ring mains, will facilitate greater power supply resilience across our entire campus. Installation of the West Ring Main will provide the benefit of improved energy delivery efficiencies. Initial groundworks are planned to start this summer, with trenches being excavated for installation of the new 11KV cabling scheduled to start in July. 

West Slope engagement 

Over 100 staff, students and members of the community shared their thoughts on design ideas for West Slope’s public artwork in May. All the feedback has been collated and shared with the review panel who will select the final design. Read more about the role of art on campus.  

The West Slope team also attended the June Open Day, meeting lots of prospective students and sharing pictures and information about the first new accommodation rooms that will be available in September 2026. There was a positive reaction from visitors, both to West Slope accommodation and the new Health and Wellbeing Centre.  

Increasing recycling rates on campus

More food waste recycling bins are being put in office kitchens in a bid to reduce waste. Plus, you can now recycle more than ever in the mixed recycling bins on campus: Tetra Paks and plastic tubs are just two of the new additions.

Read the full article to find out more.

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Ethics RM preparation work continues

The Ethics Research Manager (RM) project is preparing to go live on 1 July, following successful testing with students and other users. Various training resources and guides will be available online beforehand, ideal for postgraduate researchers (PGRs) and staff to use to get up to speed.

Key dates include:

• 1 July: new system opens for staff and PGRs

• 7 July: undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate taught (PGT) submission deadline (Sussex Direct)

• August: Faculty Research Ethics Committees closed for summer.

• 1 September: system opens for UG and PGT students.

Visit the project webpage for more information.

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Adecco announced as new provider of temporary and casual workers

Adecco UK Ltd has been announced as the University’s new Managed Service Provider (MSP), replacing current provider Reed from this autumn. Adecco will provide hiring managers with a more efficient, simple and streamlined way to hire temporary and casual workers.

View more information.

The New Web Estate project - a golden opportunity to showcase Sussex

As the New Web Estate project moves into the procurement phase, the project team have shared their vision for our new website and staff intranet. The vision involves a new approach to content and a new content governance model to help ensure that it remains relevant, accurate, engaging and accessible for users.

In a related article, Marcus Williams, Director of Student Recruitment, Admissions and International Development, reflected on the golden opportunity our new website represents for shaping how potential students view the University. 

Laying the groundwork for a better supported finance system

The Unit4 Stabilise and Migrate project is progressing well. Recently, new servers have been successfully built and the software installed to support the longer-term upgrade of Unit4. These developments are laying the groundwork for a more stable and efficient, cloud-ready finance system, and will support the successful delivery of the project.

Visit the project webpage for more information.

New hardware installed as Network Replacement Project continues

As work continues around the campus to install new network cabling, the project team has been working hard behind the scenes to kit out a new secondary data centre, which will help to ensure the reliability of our new network.

At the same time, design documentation which sets out how the new hardware will be linked together has been approved by the University's Technical Review Board, clearing the way for important configuration and testing work to take place in our test lab.

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Final stage of Student information System (SIS) launch recommended for delayed release 

The SIS project team continue to work hard on our new Student Information System and have now released three of four main stages of the system, including admissions and some UKVI functionality.

There are a few risks associated with the fourth release, and so the project Steering Group has recommended that it be delayed from its original release date of August (subject to FRC and Council approval). So, for 2025 academic year registration the existing Oracle system will be used and alternative dates for full SIS delivery will be explored. 

Clearing and confirmation activity is expected to go ahead as planned in the new system this summer and testing for this is well underway.

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Our projects in pictures

Click to take a look at our photo gallery and see what we've been up to.

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Connect with us for quick updates

Did you know we have a social network to share quick updates and information and discuss matters with colleagues? There are a number of communities that you can join and follow so you can find out what is happening around our University.

Join our Food at Sussex, Campus Travel and Transport, and Creating a Better Campus communities for more news.

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This information is correct at the time of publishing, but please note that all project work is fast-moving, and plans are subject to change.