An external body has been appointed by Council and by Senate to undertake a review of the effectiveness of governance at the University of Sussex.

To ensure appropriate independence, the review will be undertaken by management consultancy Halpin Partnership, who are experienced in the area of higher education governance and were appointed following a public tender process.

The review will consider how effective the governance of Sussex is by focusing on key areas such as:

• decision making and accountability
• how we engage students and staff in the governance of the University
• the respective roles of Council, Senate and the relationships between them
• the culture of governance and its alignment with the University’s values
• ensuring the University can be agile, resilient and ready for the future

Halpin are keen to hear from all parts of the University; you can email comments to sussexreview@halpinpartnership.com at any time during the review consultation period, from 5 March until 28 May.

The review process will also include one-to-one interviews; virtual discussion group sessions for members of Senate, staff and students; observations of committee meetings; a benchmarking exercise, and a review of key documents.

All staff members are invited to attend one of the two sessions below:

• Tuesday 4 May from 2-3pm
• Thursday 6 May from 10-11am

If you would like to attend one of these sessions, please contact Halpin directly via sussexreview@halpinpartnership.com to register your interest and preferred date.

Dame Denise Holt, Chair of Council – the University’s governing body – said: “Council and our senior leadership team recognise the importance of ensuring that we have effective, inclusive and transparent governance at Sussex.

“This full and robust review demonstrates our commitment to continued improvement. It will enable us to benchmark against best practice in the higher education sector.”

A steering group has been established to oversee the review, chaired by the Vice-Chair of Council, Adrienne Fresko.

Council, Senate and the USSU are represented within the steering group. A great deal of thought has gone into the make-up of the group, which will comprise:

• Three independent members of Council (David Benson, Stephen Caddick and Aleema Shivji)
• Two elected Senators on Council (Professor Sara Crangle and Professor Steve McGuire)
• A USSU representative on Council and Senate member (Connor Moylett)
• Research Pro Vice-Chancellor and Senate member (Professor Keith Jones)
• An elected Senate representative (Dr Paul Gilbert)

Halpin will report to Council and Senate on the review findings, making specific recommendations for improvement as appropriate.