The
University of Sussex is a British
campus universityA campus university is a British term for a University situated on one site, with student accommodation, teaching and research facilities, and leisure activities all together...
situated next to the
East SussexEast Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:See main article:History of Sussex...
village of
FalmerFalmer is a small village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England, lying between Brighton and Lewes, approximately five miles north-east of the former.Falmer village is divided by the A27 road...
, within the city of Brighton and Hove. It was the first of the "
plate glassThe term plate glass university has come into use by some to refer to one of the several universities founded in the United Kingdom in the 1960s in the era of the Robbins Report on higher education...
" universities founded in the 1960s. It received its
Royal CharterIn medieval Europe, royal charters were used to create cities . The date that such a charter was granted is considered to be when a city was "founded", regardless of when the locality originally began to be settled.At one time a royal charter was the only way in which an incorporated body could be...
in August 1961. Sussex quickly came to be identified with postwar social change and an innovative interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research.
The
universityA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
is ranked within the top 20 in the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
:
The GuardianThe Guardian is a British daily newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Founded in 1821, it is unique among major British newspapers in being owned by a foundation .The Guardian Weekly, which circulates worldwide, provides a compact digest of four newspapers...
university rankings for 2010 placed Sussex 18th; the 2008
Good University Guide placed it 24th. According to the 2010
Guardian university rankings, Sussex has Britain's best chemistry department. Its professor, Geoff Cloke, was in 2007 elected a
fellowA fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes...
of The Royal Society. In 2008 the University of Sussex was ranked 20th in the UK, within the top 50 in Europe and 130th in the World.
Sussex is the only English university located entirely within an area of outstanding natural beauty, the
South DownsThe South Downs is one of the four areas of chalk downland in southern England. They extend from the eastern side of Hampshire through Sussex, culminating in the cliffs at Beachy Head...
.
History
The
University of Sussex initially began as an idea for the construction of a university to serve
BrightonBrighton is a town in the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex on the south coast of Great Britain...
. In December 1911 there was a public meeting at the
Royal PavilionThe Royal Pavilion is a former royal residence located in Brighton, England. It was built in the early 19th Century as a seaside retreat for the then Prince Regent. It is often referred to as the Brighton Pavilion...
in order to discover ways in which to fund the construction of a university. However, the project was halted by the First World War and the money raised was instead used for books for the Municipal Technical College. However, the idea was revived in the 1950s, and in June 1958, the government approved the corporation's scheme for a university at
BrightonBrighton is a town in the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex on the south coast of Great Britain...
, the first of a new generation of red brick universities which came to be known as
plate glass universitiesThe term plate glass university has come into use by some to refer to one of the several universities founded in the United Kingdom in the 1960s in the era of the Robbins Report on higher education...
. The University was established as a company in 1959, with a
Royal CharterIn medieval Europe, royal charters were used to create cities . The date that such a charter was granted is considered to be when a city was "founded", regardless of when the locality originally began to be settled.At one time a royal charter was the only way in which an incorporated body could be...
being granted on 16 August 1961.
The University of Sussex rapidly gained a reputation of
radicalismRadicalisation or Radicalization is the transformation from passiveness or activism to more revolutionary, militant or extreme postures...
and
liberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of individual freedom. This belief is widely accepted today throughout the world, and was recognized as an important value by many philosophers throughout history...
.
In 2004, the University started using a new corporate-style logo in place of its
coat of armsA coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, in European tradition, is a design belonging to a particular person and used by them in a wide variety of ways. Historically, they were used by knights to identify them apart from enemy...
. Former vice-chancellor, Professor Alasdair Smith, said: "Our new visual identity is the starting point for what will be a fresh look and feel for Sussex. It is based on the university's vision and values, themselves a statement of what it aspires to be: pioneering, creative, international, excellent, engaging and challenging". The new logo is also meant to reflect the large changes that are occurring at Sussex, such as the opening of the new
Brighton and Sussex Medical SchoolBrighton and Sussex Medical School is one of a number of new medical schools formed in the UK following the Labour Governments 1997 election victory. Like other UK medical schools it is based on the principles and standards of 'Tomorrow's Doctor', an initiative by the General Medical Council...
, new degree programmes, and the largest amount of building work on campus since the university opened. The University retains the right to resume use of its coat of arms.
Campus
The campus, designed by Sir
Basil SpenceSir Basil Urwin Spence, OM, OBE, RA was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.-Training:Spence was born in Bombay, India, the son of Urwin...
, is located in the village of
FalmerFalmer is a small village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England, lying between Brighton and Lewes, approximately five miles north-east of the former.Falmer village is divided by the A27 road...
, next to its railway station, and accessed by car from the
A27 roadThe A27 is a major road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish in the county of Wiltshire. Heading east it closely parallels the south coast where it passes through West Sussex and terminates at Pevensey in East Sussex.Between Portsmouth and Lewes, it is one of the...
. It is situated next to the Sussex Downs, which influenced
SirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in most English speaking cultures...
Basil SpenceSir Basil Urwin Spence, OM, OBE, RA was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.-Training:Spence was born in Bombay, India, the son of Urwin...
's design of the campus.
Sir Basil Spence's designs were appreciated in the architecture community, with many of the buildings on the University's campus winning awards. The
gatehouseA gatehouse is a feature of European castles, manor houses and mansions. Originally a gatehouse was a fortified structure built over the gateway to a city or castle...
-inspired Falmer House won a
bronze medalA bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
from the
Royal Institute of British ArchitectsThe Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects in the United Kingdom.Originally named the Institute of British Architects in London, it was formed in 1834 by several prominent architects, including Philip Hardwick, Thomas Allom, William Donthorne, Thomas Leverton...
. Another campus building, The Meeting House, won the
Civic TrustThe Civic Trust of England was a charitable organisation founded in 1957. It ceased operations in 2009 and went into administration due to lack of funds...
award in 1969. In 1993, the buildings which made up the core of Sir
Basil SpenceSir Basil Urwin Spence, OM, OBE, RA was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.-Training:Spence was born in Bombay, India, the son of Urwin...
's designs were given
listed building status, with Falmer House being one of only two buildings to be given a Grade 1 status of "exceptional interest".
The Gardner Arts Centre, another of Basil Spence's designs, was opened in 1969 as the first university campus arts centre. It had a 480 seat purpose built theatre, a visual art gallery and studio space and was regularly used for theatre and dance as well as showing a range of films on a modern cinema screen. The Centre closed in the summer of 2007: withdrawal of funding and the cost of renovating the building were given as the key reasons.
Plans have been put forward to the local council to refurbish the centre, with work starting as soon as mid 2009. It is hoped the centre will be open in 2011-2012, in time for the University's 50th anniversary celebrations.
League tables
The
universityA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
is ranked within the top 30 in the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
:
The GuardianThe Guardian is a British daily newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Founded in 1821, it is unique among major British newspapers in being owned by a foundation .The Guardian Weekly, which circulates worldwide, provides a compact digest of four newspapers...
university rankings for 2005 placed Sussex 16th; the 2008
Good University Guide placed it 24th. According to the 2008 and 2010
Guardian university rankings, Sussex has Britain's best chemistry department. Its professor, Geoff Cloke, was in 2007 elected a
fellowA fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes...
of The Royal Society. In 2008 the University of Sussex was ranked 20th in the UK, within the top 50 in Europe and 130th in the World.
UK University RankingsLeague tables of British universities have been published annually, by The Times, The Independent and several other organizations, since October 1992. These league tables have become increasingly popular over the last few years in the perception of British public,The main aim of these ranking is to...
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35th |
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18th |
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16th |
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33rd |
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22nd |
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26th |
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41st |
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29th |
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Organisation
In 2009 the university adopted a new organisational structure. The term "Schools of Studies" was retained, but headed by a "Head of School" rather than the traditional "Dean". Many of these new heads were appointed from outside Sussex rather than from existing faculty.
The schools are listed below.
The term "department" has been retained in some cases, where a school contains separate disciplines.
- Engineering and Design
- Informatics
- Life Sciences
Includes: Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry and Biochemistry
and houses the Centre for Genome Damage and Stability
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Includes: Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy
- Psychology
- Business, Management and Economics
- Education and Social Work
- Global Studies
Includes: Anthropology, Geography and International Relations; as well as interdisciplinary programmes in Development Studies
- Law, Politics and Sociology
- English
- History, Art History and Philosophy
- Media, Film and Music
The changes did not affect the
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS).
Previous organisation
The University was founded with the unusual structure of "Schools of Study" (ubiquitously abbreviated to "schools") rather than traditional university departments within arts and science faculties. The Schools were intended to promote high-quality teaching and research.
In the early 1990s, the University promoted the system by claiming, "Clusters of faculty [come] together within schools to pursue new areas of intellectual enquiry. The schools also foster broader intellectual links.
Physics with Management Studies, Science and Engineering with European Studies, Economics with Mathematics all reach beyond conventional Arts/Science divisions." By this time, the original schools had been developed somewhat and were:
- African and Asian Studies (abbreviated to AFRAS)
- Biological Sciences (BIOLS)
- Chemistry and Molecular Sciences (MOLS)
- Cognitive and Computing Sciences (COGS)
- Cultural and Community Studies (CCS)
- Engineering and Applied Sciences (ENGG)
- English and American Studies (ENGAM or EAM)
- European Studies (EURO)
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MAPS)
- Social Sciences (SOC)
In 2001, as the university was celebrating its 40th anniversary, the then Vice Chancellor Alasdair Smith proposed
major changes to the curriculum across the 'Arts schools', and structural changes were agreed by the senate which would create two Arts schools and a 'Sussex Institute' in place of the five schools then in place. Corresponding changes would be made in Sciences.
The changes were finally implemented in September 2003. After discussion in senate and the schools, the university adopted for the first time in its history the concept of a department. All subjects were located firmly in one school, and undergraduates were offered straightforward degree subjects rather than the distinctive Sussex differentiation based on the context provided by school courses.
The new schools were:
- Humanities (HUMS)
- Life Sciences (LIFESCI)
- Science and Technology (SCITECH)
- Social Sciences and Cultural Studies (SOCCUL)
- Sussex Institute (SI)
Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors
The current and fifth
ChancellorA Chancellor is the head of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as President or Rector.In most Commonwealth nations, the Chancellor is usually a titular non-resident head, often with a Pro-Chancellor as practical Chairman of the governing body ; the actual chief executive of a...
of the university is
Sanjeev BhaskarSanjeev Bhaskar, OBE is an Asian-British comedian and actor, best known for his work in the BBC Two comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and as host of The Kumars at No. 42...
, who succeeded
Lord AttenboroughRichard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, CBE is an English actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur. Attenborough has won two Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes...
in 2009.
- Viscount Monckton of Brenchley
Walter Turner Monckton, 1st Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, GCVO, KCMG, MC, PC was a British politician.-Early years:Born in Plaxtol, Kent, Monckton was educated at Harrow School and Balliol College, Oxford...
(1961–65)
- Lord Shawcross (1965–85)
- The Duke of Richmond and Gordon
Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 10th Duke of Richmond, 10th Duke of Lennox and 5th Duke of Gordon is a British Peer. He was styled Lord Settrington until 1935 and Earl of March and Kinrara between 1935 and 1989, and is currently styled His Grace The Duke of Richmond, Lennox and Gordon.The son of...
(1985–98)
- Lord Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, CBE is an English actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur. Attenborough has won two Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes...
(1998–2008)
- Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE
Sanjeev Bhaskar, OBE is an Asian-British comedian and actor, best known for his work in the BBC Two comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and as host of The Kumars at No. 42...
(2009-Present)
The university has had seven Vice-Chancellors:
- John Fulton, later The Lord Fulton
John Scott Fulton, Baron Fulton was a British university administrator and public servant. In education, he served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales and of the University of Sussex, and was chair of the Universities Central Council on Admissions between 1961 and 1964...
(1961–67)
- Professor Asa Briggs (1967–76)
- Sir Denys Wilkinson
Sir Denys Haigh Wilkinson FRS is a British nuclear physicist. He was educated at Loughborough Grammar School and Jesus College, Cambridge. He holds the higher degree of ScD, an HonFilDr degree and an HonLLD degree....
(1976–87)
- Sir Leslie Fielding (1987–92)
- Professor Gordon Conway
Sir Gordon Conway KCMG FRS FRGS is an agricultural ecologist and current President of the Royal Geographical Society. He often speaks about biotechnology and global food security.-Early life:...
(1992–98)
- Professor Alasdair Smith
Alasdair Smith is a professor of economics and former Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sussex and former Chair of the 1994 Group. He is a noted international economist whose studies have been used by the European Union.Smith was born on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland and is married to Sherry...
(1998–2007)
- Professor Michael Farthing
Professor Michael Farthing is a British academic administrator, physician and medical researcher. He is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sussex, having succeeded Professor Alasdair Smith in September 2007. Prior to his appointment as Vice Chancellor at Sussex, his academic career was in...
(2007-Present)
Housing
The early campus included five "Park Houses" (Essex, Kent, Lancaster, Norwich, and York, named after other 1960s universities) and Park Village. The "houses", of which all but Kent House were based on a courtyard design, featured several long corridors with kitchens and bathrooms at the end and a social space on the ground floor, very much in the manner of a traditional hall of residence. (Essex House was reallocated in the late 1990s as postgraduate teaching space.) Park Village, by contrast, consists of individual houses with four bedrooms per floor, a kitchen on both the bottom and the top floor, and bathroom facilities on the middle floor. The houses are arranged in "streets" with a social centre building including porters' office, pigeon-holes for post, and a bar, towards the campus end of the area. Essex House also featured a self-contained flat (external but attached by a walkway) which was given over to the
NightlineNightline is the name given to various confidential overnight listening services run by students for students at universities around the world. Individual Nightlines are autonomous organisations, but many choose to affiliate to National Nightline, which is an umbrella organisation founded to...
confidential listening and advice service in 1992. Kent House includes the Kulukundis House wing, developed with easy access for residents with special needs. Accommodation on campus was expanded in the 1970s with the construction of the unusual split-level flats of
East SlopeEast Slope is one of several accommodation blocks at the University of Sussex.East Slope was constructed in the early 1970s. It is located on the side of a hill near the back of the eastern side of the campus. A series of stone steps connect paths which run horizontally along the slope.East Slope...
. This development also has a social building with a porters' office and bar.
In the 1990s, as student numbers rose, further developments were constructed in the corner of campus between East Slope and Park Village. Brighthelm and Lewes Court were constructed in public-private partnership funding arrangements with the
Bradford & Northern and
Kelsey Housing Associations. During construction and their first year of use they were named after these associations; students were involved in suggesting the permanent names Brighthelm and Lewes Court. The name "Brighthelm" owes its
etymologyEtymology is the study of the history of words and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages, and texts about the languages, to gather knowledge about how words were used at earlier stages, and...
to part of the former name of Brighton, Brighthelmstone, whilst Lewes Court is named after the nearby
county townA county town is the 'capital' of a county in Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of
LewesLewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and gives its name to the Local government district in which it lies. The settlement has a long history as a bridging point and as a market town, and is today an important communications hub, and tourist-orientated town.-History:The site that is...
, to some extent in keeping with Sussex and Falmer Houses elsewhere on campus.
In total there are seven areas of student accommodation on campus. The two newest accommodation areas were completed recently: one next to
Falmer train stationFalmer Railway Station is operated by Southern and lies on the East Coastway Line.The station serves the village of Falmer as well as the University of Sussex campus and the University of Brighton Falmer Campus. It is also intended to serve Falmer Stadium, the new home of Brighton & Hove Albion...
, named Stanmer Court, and the other next to East Slope, opposite Bramber House, known as Swanborough.
In October 2009 it was announced that new accommodation is to be built on the field north of Lewes Court. The new residences will contain 744 study-bedrooms, 12 family flats and 21 studio flats. Building work is due to begin in January 2010, with completion in time for the academic year 2011-12.
Sport
The University competes in the following sports:
Team sports:
BasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
(men and women),
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, cricket had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being...
(men and women),
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
(men, 1st, 2nd and 3rd; women),
(field) hockeyField hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team's goal. Its official name is simply hockey, and this is the common name for it in many countries...
(men and women, 1st and 2nd),
netballNetball is a sport in which two teams of seven players try to score points against each other by placing a ball through a raised goal. The sport is popular in Commonwealth countries and is predominantly played by women. Netball shares many similarities with basketball, having been derived from...
(women, 1st and 2nd),
rugby unionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
(men and women, 1st and 2nd),
ultimate frisbeeUltimate is a limited-contact team sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby...
and
volleyball Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules...
(men and women).
Racquet sports:
BadmintonBadminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
(men and women) and
squashSquash is a racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball.Squash is recognized by the IOC and remains in contention for incorporation in a future Olympic program....
(men and women).
Individual sports:
ArcheryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, fencing and
trampoliningTrampolining is a competitive Olympic sport in which gymnasts perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline. These can include simple jumps in the pike, tuck or straddle position to more complex combinations of forward or backward somersaults and twists....
Outdoor pursuits:
SailingSailing is the art of controlling a boat with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to change the direction and speed of a boat...
, mountain bike,
mountaineeringMountaineering is the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, backpacking and climbing mountains. In Europe it is also referred to as alpinism, while in the Americas the term refers to a particular style of mountain climbing, that involves a mixture of ice climbing, rock climbing, mixed...
,
skiingSkiing is a group of sports using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
&
snowboardingSnowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is either partially or fully covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set into a mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, surfing and skiing...
, sub aqua,
surfingSurfing is most commonly known, the term is used for a surface water sport in which the person surfing moves along the face of a breaking ocean wave . However, surfing is not restricted to saltwater, but can sometimes take place on rivers, using a standing wave...
and
windsurfingWindsurfing is a surface water sport using a windsurf board usually two to four meters long and powered by the effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a mast, wishbone boom and sail...
.
Martial arts:
Integrated Martial Arts (a
mixed martial artsMixed martial arts is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques, from a mixture of martial arts traditions and non-traditions, to be used in competitions. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground...
club),
kickboxingrefers to the sport of combining the grace and style of boxing with kicking. Kickboxing is a standing sport and does not allow continuation of the fight once a combatant has reached the ground....
,
Shaolin Kung FuShaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery. Of the tens of thousands of kung fu wushu styles, several hundred might have some relationship to Shaolin; however, aside from a few very well known systems, such as Xiao Hong Quan,...
,
aikidois a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
and sport aikido.
Campus media
- The Badger is the Union’s weekly newspaper and is written and designed entirely by Sussex students. It aims to represent the views and interests of students and communicate the work of the Union, as well as informing members about local, national and international issues that affect them as students. It has interviewed such celebrities as Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Willis and Sir Michael Caine.
- The Pulse, Sussex's termly magazine, complements the Badger by providing in-depth feature articles, interviews with local and national stars, and analysis of the latest happenings in Brighton. The elegant and experimental design gives the magazine an edgy feel, and makes it the perfect publication for those interested in design and visual arts to work for.
- University Radio Falmer was one of the first student radio stations in the country. It broadcasts locally on 1431AM and to the world via the Internet urfonline. The station has a packed daytime schedule and during the evening offers a diverse range of genre programming, all from Sussex students from 10am to 2 am daily. URF also runs a news service which is independent of the control of the Student Union and is bound by legal regulations to remain neutral and unbiased. It won a bronze award in the best scripted programming category in the 2008 UK Student Radio Awards.
International students
Of the 10,500 students at Sussex, around a quarter are international.
Sussex has academic staff from over 50 countries and students from over 120 countries.
The University includes people from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds and will respect the needs and requirements of people who adhere to a range of cultural and religious beliefs. There are several places for worship on campus.
Sussex was voted "Best Place to Be" in the autumn 2006 International Student Barometer of 40 leading UK Universities.
Courses & services for international students
- English Language courses for speakers of other languages - provided by The Language Institute.
- English in the Vacation. Intensive practice of spoken and written English.
- International student advice and support from the International and Study Abroad Office.
- On-campus International Foundation Year offers routes directly to Sussex degrees.
- The International Summer School runs for four and eight weeks starting in July, providing intensive courses. It is predominantly attended by foreign students. Each session runs for four weeks, with students attending one class per session. A variety of courses are offered, including the arts, sciences, business, culture, and humanities.
- The ISS trips office also provides excursions to prominent cities, theatres, and activities throughout Europe.
- Students may also spend a year abroad at Sussex as part of their degree.
More information
Notable faculty
In the sciences Sussex counts among its faculty two Nobel Prize winners, Sir
John CornforthSir John Warcup 'Kappa' Cornforth, AC, CBE, FRS , is an Australian scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1975 for his work on the stereochemistry of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.He has been profoundly deaf since his teens....
and Professor
Harry KrotoSir Harold Walter Kroto, FRS is an English chemist and one of the three recipients to share the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry....
. Sir Harry, the first Briton to win the chemistry prize in over ten years, received the prize in 1996 for the discovery of a new class of carbon compounds known as the
fullereneA fullerene is any molecule composed entirely of carbon, in the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube. Spherical fullerenes are also called buckyballs, and cylindrical ones are called carbon nanotubes or buckytubes...
s. The University has 15 Fellows of the Royal Society - the highest number per science student of any British university other than Cambridge. In the arts, there are six members of faculty - an unusually high proportion - who have the distinction of being Fellows of the British Academy. Faculty publish around 3,000 papers, journal articles and books each year, as well as being involved in consultative work across the world. Sussex has counted two
Nobel PrizeThe Nobel Prize is a Sweden-based international monetary prize. The award was established by the 1895 will and estate of Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel. It was first awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace in 1901...
winners, 13 Fellows of the
Royal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, or even the Royal, is a learned society for science that was founded in 1660 and is considered by most to be the oldest such society still in existence...
, six fellows of the
British AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences. It was established by Royal Charter in 1902, and is a fellowship of more than 800 scholars...
and a winner of the prestigious
Crafoord PrizeThe Crafoord Prize is an annual science prize established in 1980 by Holger Crafoord, a Swedish industrialist, and his wife Anna-Greta Crafoord...
in its faculty.
Research
Sussex is a leading research university, as reflected in the 2008 national Research Assessment Exercise. Over 90% of research at Sussex was rated world leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised.
The American Studies department was ranked first in the UK, with Politics second and Art History third. Fifteen other subjects rank in the UK top 20.
In respect of teaching quality, 13 of the 15 subjects assessed under the current teaching quality assessment scheme have scored 21 or more points (out of 24), with Philosophy and Sociology achieving the maximum score.
In 2006,
Thomson ScientificThomson Scientific was one of the five operating divisions of The Thomson Corporation until 2008. Following the merger of Thomson with Reuters to form Thomson Reuters in 2008, it became the Scientific business unit of the new company. In 2009, the Scientific business came together with the...
ranked the University second in the United Kingdom in terms of research, based on the impact levels per paper, shortly behind the
University of OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
. The fields noted for the University were
PhysicsPhysics is a natural science; it is the study of matter and its motion through spacetime and all that derives from these, such as energy and force...
and
Space ScienceSpace science is an all-encompassing term that describes all of the various science fields that are concerned with the study of the Universe, generally also meaning "excluding the Earth" and "outside of the Earth's atmosphere". Originally, all of these fields were considered part of astronomy...
.
Educational partners
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Brighton and Sussex Medical School is one of a number of new medical schools formed in the UK following the Labour Governments 1997 election victory. Like other UK medical schools it is based on the principles and standards of 'Tomorrow's Doctor', an initiative by the General Medical Council...
(BSMS) is a partnership between the University of BrightonThe University of Brighton is a multi-site university based in the city of Brighton & Hove founded in 1859. The university occupies three sites in Brighton — at Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, and Falmer, near the village of Falmer — and several smaller sites in Eastbourne...
and the University of Sussex. It is one of the new medical schools in the UK. BSMS benefits from the universities' distinctive traditions and shared strengths in biomedical sciences, healthcare and professional education. The school, which is the first medical school in the South EastSouth East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. Its boundaries include Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
outside London, gained its license in 2002 and opened in 2003. It admits 136 students per year with all of them being based for the first two years on the split campus at Falmer. Some life-science degrees in the University of Sussex involving a medical aspect include classes taught in the BSMS.
- The Institute of Development Studies
The Institute of Development Studies based at the University of Sussex is a global organisation for research, teaching and communications on international development....
is one of the world's leading organisations for research, teaching and communications on international development. IDS was founded in 1966 as an independent research institute based at the University of Sussex. IDS has close links with the University, but is financially and constitutionally independent. It exists as a Charitable Company limited by guarantee, and registered in England.
- CENTRIM
CENTRIM — the Centre for Research in Innovation Management — is an internationally-recognised centre of excellence in the field of innovation management.This dedicated research centre celebrates more than twenty years' experience in the field....
is the Centre for Research in Innovation Management. It is a research-based school at the University of BrightonThe University of Brighton is a multi-site university based in the city of Brighton & Hove founded in 1859. The university occupies three sites in Brighton — at Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, and Falmer, near the village of Falmer — and several smaller sites in Eastbourne...
, established in 1990. It is located in the Freeman Centre building on the University of Sussex campus.
- The Sussex Innovation Centre (SInC) is one of the premier business incubators in the UK. Opened in 1996, it provides support for the creation and growth of technology and knowledge based companies in the South East. The Centre provides excellent facilities and is a thriving business environment for over 40 high growth companies working within the IT, Biotech, Media and Engineering sectors.
- The Study Group works in partnership with the University to provide the Sussex University International Study Centre (ISC). The ISC offers an intensive course of academic subjects, study skills and English language training for students who wish to study a degree at the university but who do not yet possess the necessary qualifications to start a degree. The ISC course provides students with enough English language and academic skills to start at Sussex the following year.
- The British Institute of Modern Music has BA courses
Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences or both....
in Modern Musicianship validated by the University of Sussex, both at its centres in Brighton and, as of 2009, in Bristol. Alumni of BIMM include indie band The KooksThe Kooks are an English indie pop band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2004. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred and Max Rafferty the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 with the departure of Rafferty...
.
External links