This email is being sent to all taught undergraduate and postgraduate students
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Hello I hope you have been able to have something of a break over the spring vacation and are looking forward to the summer term ahead.
Whilst there are still a couple of weeks of teaching left, you might find it helpful to refresh your academic skills as you prepare for the upcoming assessment period. The Skills Hub offers guidance, resources and workshops to support revision, academic writing and study strategies, which will help boost your confidence ahead of exams – and your Academic Personal Tutors can provide advice and guidance to help you achieve your best results. Remember, all the hard work you have put into your studies has been helping to prepare you for the assessment period – you have got this!
I am very pleased to share that Sussex, in partnership with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), has retained our first in the world ranking for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, for the tenth year in a row. This recognises our excellence in education and research that bring together staff, students and global partners to advance understanding and address inequalities throughout the world.
We also have eight other subjects ranked in the global top 100, up from six in 2025, including three subjects - History, Communication & Media Studies and Psychology- that have risen into the top 100. You can read the full update on the Student Hub.
Read on to find out about: | | |
Share your feedback and help shape your modules Module Evaluation Questionnaires (MEQs) for your spring modules opened on 13 April and will remain open until 1 May. Please take a few minutes to complete them. Your feedback plays an important role in shaping teaching and learning at Sussex.
MEQs are one of the most effective ways to tell us what is working well in your modules and where improvements can be made. The surveys are anonymous and take around two to four minutes to complete. You should have received a personalised link by email, or you can access your surveys via Canvas under ‘Module Evaluations’, or directly through the survey portal: https://sussex.surveys.evasysplus.co.uk/
Feedback from previous surveys has led to real changes, including clearer assessment guidance, improvements to Canvas and reading lists, and enhancements to how seminars and lectures are delivered. | |
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey now open Postgraduate students are invited to take part in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES), which asks students on taught courses, including MA, MSc, MBA, LLM and PGCE programmes, about their academic experience at Sussex.
Your feedback helps the University understand what is working well and where improvements can be made. As a thank you, students who complete the survey by Friday 12 June can opt in to a prize draw to win one of five graduation packages worth £150, covering gown hire, guest tickets and photography. You will receive a personalised link by email from the University survey team, and all responses are anonymous and securely managed. |
Got an idea to make the world a better place? Apply for a £500-£2,000 bursary from the Careers and Entrepreneurship team!
The Careers and Entrepreneurship team have launched their latest initiative, the Changemaker Challenge, where you can apply for a bursary of between £500-£2,000 to develop and deliver an environmental or social impact project.
Open to all current students and recent graduates, and projects can be led by individuals or teams. We welcome ideas that aim to reduce carbon footprints, promote sustainable practices, address climate change; enhance physical and mental wellbeing; celebrate and support culture, heritage, and creativity; or contribute to more equitable opportunities.
Learn more and apply (by midnight on Monday 8 June) on the Student Hub. |
Celebrate the Thai New Year with Eat Central’s £3 student food takeover
Over on Instagram (@sussexunifood) we asked which cuisines you would most like to see as part of the Student Takeover. You voted and Thai came out on top.
Come along to Eat Central from 12pm today, Thursday 16 April, to enjoy these student-inspired dishes for just £3 while stocks last: Thai Green Curry Beef Massaman Veggie Pad Thai |
Local government and mayoral elections on Thursday 7 May: what Sussex students need to know
Local government and mayoral elections are happening on Thursday 7 May. There are no elections taking place in Brighton & Hove, however, many other areas across England, Scotland and Wales are holding elections on this date. If you live outside Brighton & Hove, it is important to check whether your address falls within an area that is voting this year – you can do this by entering your postcode on the Electoral Commission’s “Your Election Information” tool.
The deadline for registering to vote is next Monday, 20 April. Find out more about the elections and the key deadlines to be aware of on the Student Hub. |
Win a pair of free tickets to a Brighton Festival event!
Brighton Festival is back from 1-25 May, and as the Festival’s Higher Education Partner we are delighted to provide you with unique access to the programme. Right now, we have three pairs of free tickets to see Mr Blackpool on Friday 8 May, 8pm at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (ACCA).
To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is and add your University of Sussex email address on this form before 5pm on Friday 24 April. | |
Join us in boosting our biodiversity monitoring
The University of Sussex is strengthening its commitment to nature recovery and local wildlife through a new collaboration with Sussex Nature Sense, a University-led initiative supporting habitat monitoring, biodiversity assessments and nature-recovery planning. and nature-recovery planning.
We are inviting students and staff to take part in hands-on ecological monitoring as citizen scientists. No experience is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to get involved:
Read more about the initiative and upcoming sessions you can take part in. | |
Sussex Awards – see this year’s shortlist! Over 600 nominations were submitted for this year’s Sussex Awards – thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination.
The Sussex Awards celebrate the brilliant work of our staff, students and postgraduate researcher (PGR) community across our Faculties and Divisions – see the full shortlist here.
The winners will be announced at the Sussex Awards Ceremony on Monday 27 April at the Attenborough Centre. The winners of this year’s Adam Weiler Impact Awards will also be presented with their awards on the night. | |
Sussex student leader elected to national role at NUS
Lewis Wilson, the current Education and Employability Officer at the Students’ Union, has been elected Vice President for Higher Education (England) at the National Union of Students (NUS) for the 2026 to 2028 term. The position works closely with government, universities and regulators on major issues including the cost of living, student funding, welfare and the quality of education.
Read more about Lewis’ election and work on the Student Hub. | |
Take part in Sussex’s first inter-residence dodgeball competition
Res Life and Sussex Sport are coming together to host Sussex’s first inter-residence dodgeball competition on Wednesday 29 April, from 1pm-5pm in the Sports Centre.
There will be free pizza, great music and fancy-dress galore, with teams from different residences competing to crown the accommodation dodgeball champions of 2026! Read more and sign up. |
With best wishes, Kate Professor Kate O'Riordan
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) |  |
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The sun has been shining and spring flowers are in full bloom. What flowers have you spotted on campus? |
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| Sent by
Internal Communications, University of Sussex |
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