From left to right Dr Alison Evans (Overseas Development Institute), Right Hon Clare Short, Sarah Montague (Chair), Professor Sir Harry Kroto.

The fourth in the Sussex Conversations series took place at the Royal Institution on 8 March as Sarah Montague of BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme chaired a debate on global politics, economics and the environment.

On the panel were chemist Professor Sir Harry Kroto, the former Secretary of State for International Development, the Rt Hon Clare Short, and Dr Alison Evans of the Overseas Development Institute.

The respondents from the University of Sussex were economist Professor Alan Winters, migration expert Professor Richard Black and Martin Todd, Professor of Climate Change.

The debate looked at how the global economy is changing and developing and what the implications will be for international development. It considered the roles of technological solutions and social adaption in dealing with climate change. Changes in global migration patterns and the implications for human rights were also addressed.

The discussion attracted a large audience of alumni, friends and members of the public, as well as staff within the University and Sussex students, for whom special coach travel was provided.

Questions and debate from the audience were lively, covering issues about globalisation, opportunities created by technology and how new governance models could be created.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Farthing, said: “This was an exceptional debate - addressing major world issues and bringing Sussex expertise and experienced external perspectives together.

“The skill of Sarah Montague as chair in drawing out the very best from our high-profile external guests and our internal commentators was outstanding."

The Conversation was broadcast live on the University web pages, with students from Informatics operating backstage with cameras and sound equipment to record and enable the broadcast under the supervision of Dr Phil Watten and external director Allie Wharf.

Debate took place on Twitter as well, with questions fed in from Twitter users to the panel in real time using the hashtag - #sussexconvo - that operates for all Sussex Conversations.

The events are organised and managed by the Development and Alumni Relations Office as part of the celebration of the University’s 50^th anniversary. Two more Conversations remain in the six-strong series, each of which is based on one of the Sussex research themes.

A video of the Conversation will shortly be uploaded onto the Sussex website. Recordings of the previous Sussex Conversations so far and details of the next two are available at the Fifty years web pages.