Broadcast: News items

Academic Update: April 2024

Posted on behalf of: Internal Communications

Last updated: Thursday, 18 April 2024

Academic Update highlights the key priorities for academic colleagues and recent news and updates which you and your teams may find useful.

If there is information you would like included in future Academic Updates, please submit your request to the Internal Comms mailbox.

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Education and Students

Survey of taught postgraduate students now open
Eligible postgraduate students have been invited to take part in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) which opened on Monday 15 April. The survey, which runs until Thursday 13 June, asks postgraduate students taking a taught course about their learning and teaching experience and is an important chance for us to gather feedback about our postgraduates’ experiences.

Please encourage postgraduate students to complete the 10-minute survey. You can view a Box folder of shared resources (accessible with your usual Sussex login details) to support survey promotion.

The National Student Survey closes on 30 April
Thank you to everyone who has been helping to promote the National Student Survey (NSS). The NSS is a high-priority campaign and the support of all staff is crucial for as many students as possible to engage in it.

The NSS will close on 30 April and we need your support for a final push - please do remind any final year undergraduate students of the closing date. Here you can find a briefing document and folder of shared resources, including a slide with the survey link and QR code. Please contact internalcomms@sussex.ac.uk if you have any issues accessing these, and remember that NSS promotion should be separate from any promotion of other surveys or feedback mechanisms.

As a thank you for taking part, students can get a free 'Class of 2024' t-shirt when they show proof of completion at their School office. They can also be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win one of 10 graduation packages worth £150, and for every response the University will donate £1 to charities chosen by students.

Supporting students through our Access and Participation Plan
Our Access and Participation Plan (APP) is a key part of the work that happens across our community at Sussex to address gaps in outcomes for underrepresented and under-resourced students.

The APP sets targets for improving access to Higher Education, student success whilst at Sussex (continuation, completion and attainment), and progression into highly skilled jobs or further study after graduation. Our current APP 2020-2025, which is approved by the Office for Students and published externally, is currently meeting or exceeding a majority of its targets.

We are currently developing a new plan and as we put this in place, your active involvement will be crucial in embedding existing and new APP initiatives throughout the University and making a lasting impact for our students. Read an update about our APP progress.

Any examples of good practice in your School that support underrepresented and under-resourced students currently, or expressions of interest in hearing more about future plans are welcomed. Please contact APP Programme Manager, Jo McKinney-Green: j.mckinney-green@sussex.ac.uk

Module Evaluation Questionnaires (MEQs) Spring 2024
End of module evaluation for Spring 2024 will open on 22 April (Week 10) and run until 10 May.

This will follow the same process as Autumn semester MEQs. Links for the survey will be provided to Schools and sent to all teaching staff via email later this week. The Business School has a separate process and should follow School communications. Students will also be encouraged to complete MEQs through central communications. We ask all tutors to give students time within a teaching session in week 10 or 11 to complete the survey, and to promote it to students (including through Canvas).

Results from both Autumn and Spring MEQs will be provided together as soon as possible after the Spring survey closes. A Module Evaluation working group is currently reviewing the MEQ process for 2024/25.

Research and Enterprise 

The Research Culture and Research Impact Awards 2024 – please share or enter yourself
The deadline to apply to the 2024 Research Culture and Research Impact Awards is on Monday 29 April at 5pm. The awards aim to celebrate those leading and contributing to research, impact and knowledge exchange, and those making good practice a reality by tackling shared challenges, developing new, innovative approaches and working to bring about change. We encourage entries from academics at all levels and across all disciplines, with specific categories for Early Career Researchers (as well as postgraduates and Professional Services staff).

Research Funding Opportunity Team sites – now open
The Research Development Team is happy to announce the set-up of two new MS Teams groups alongside our current funding calendar which will showcase all new research funding opportunities from some of our main funders. The first is focused on Research Opportunities from some of our UK funders including the Research Councils. The second group, which follows our successful Horizon Europe Information Day, is focused on European Funding Opportunities. The groups have been set up to support our Research Community in finding funding calls and provide an opportunity for researchers to connect, including finding partners or asking for advice on calls.

Research showcases
In addition, the group will share details on future funder showcase events with the first showcase on the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) on Thursday 9 May from 11am-12.30pm. There will be future showcases on Economic and Social Research Council, Royal Society, Innovate UK and Science and Technology Facilities Council in the next few months with a follow-up to the EU showcase to highlight the new work programme with details on the EU Teams group.

Worktribe to go live on 1 May
The Worktribe project team are preparing for the initial rollout to Research & Enterprise Services (RES) and School, Finance and Technical Services approvers on 1 May. Worktribe will support the pre-award grant application costing, proposal development, internal approvals and submission processes, as well as providing a platform for managing the negotiation and agreement of research contracts.

Training sessions for RES teams and demonstrations and briefing sessions for approvers commenced in March and continue into April. Worktribe will be available to RES and approvers only for the month of May and early June; the current grant application proformas will continue to be used during this time to notify new bids. The rollout to academic and Professional Services research support staff will start in early June, with briefings and system demos, training modules and drop-in sessions. On completion of training, academic staff will be able to access Worktribe and use the system for their research funding proposals.

Further information on the rollout of Worktribe will be provided in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can find more information about the project on the Staff Hub.

Increasing Diversity in Research Participation: Research Engagement Network project
The Research Engagement Network (REN) project is an NHS England funded project to work closely with local communities led by the Health Research Partnership team and NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board. We have now trained 15 community researchers who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning and other identities (LGBTQ+) and/or from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, in health and care research methodologies and will be actively looking for opportunities for them to be involved in research projects to ensure more diverse community voices are included in research proposals and health services. Check out our latest updates on the project and reach out if you would like more information to Virginia Govoni: V.govoni@bsms.ac.uk

Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP) annual funding call: apply before Wednesday 5 June
The latest annual research funding opportunity, which will provide support for developing large platform bids, 'Scaling up Sustainability Research', welcomes submissions until Wednesday 5 June. SSRP is inviting current SSRP Fellows, and other researchers, including Early Career Researchers from across the University to apply.

Global and Civic Engagement

Brighton Festival
The University of Sussex are once again Higher Education partner for Brighton Festival, the largest annual curated multi-arts festival in England, taking place from 4 to 26 May. As part of the programme, our Festival of Ideas, led by the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, will return with a dynamic and engaging programme of talks, events and activities.

We’re delighted to give Sussex staff the chance to win a pair of tickets for in-demand events from across the programme. All you need to do is add your email address and rank the events in order of preference before 5pm on Wednesday 25 April.

Seed funds available
Global Engagement have several seed funds available that provide funding to boost partnership engagement. The Mahidol Sussex Seed Fund was launched in November, this new joint seed fund supports our strategic partnership between Sussex and Mahidol University in Thailand, through investment in international collaborative research and projects that address global challenges and contribute to international development at both universities. Funding was awarded to three year-long projects in the areas of drug discovery and agriculture. Applications for round two will open later in the year.

The European Partnership Development Fellowship Scheme is also available to support individuals whose collaborations have the potential to deliver active, high quality, mutually beneficial links with European partners. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with funding available to support visits between Sussex and six European partners. Contact Louise Duthie in the Global Partnerships team for more information: L.A.Duthie@sussex.ac.uk

About you

Stress Awareness Month – webinars and support available
April is Stress Awareness Month and this year’s campaign focuses on the small changes and activities that can help reduce stress in our daily routines. Find out about the events and resources available for staff, including a webinar exploring wellbeing on 18 April. Further information and guidance are available on the Staff Wellbeing Hub, and our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is available to support you if you’re suffering from anxiety or stress. Your immediate family members can access support through our EAP as well.

About Sussex

Please take five minutes to share your views on Research IT

The Research IT Committee is a relatively new group that reports to the University Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee. It brings together researchers from different disciplines, methodologies, and career stages from across Sussex. The Committee works closely with colleagues in IT Services to promote the strategic development of the IT infrastructure and supporting services that researchers require. Please take five minutes to answer this survey and help the Committee better understand your needs and priorities – they'd really value your feedback on the current provision. For more information about the work of the committee please contact Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research, Seb Oliver.

Student debt
The University is beginning the final cycle of the year to collect outstanding tuition fees and accommodation debt from students. The approach seeks to balance the need to maximise recovery of income with consideration for the wellbeing of our students and supporting them to continue with their academic studies. View the briefing information sent out recently for staff dealing with enquiries which explains what will be happening, and how staff can help students. The briefing is designed to help staff understand how we are supporting students through the process.

Projects progress: Transforming Sussex newsletter
Each month, the Transforming Sussex newsletter reports on the progress and achievements of our Capital Programme which consists of over 50 projects that are transforming our University for the better. This month’s issue includes information about the closure of the campus dental service and completion of RAAC replacement at Bramber House. There is also an update on the work to procure a new provider for campus facilities management services from next summer, following Mitie’s decision not to be part of this process. There is also a photo gallery covering the ground breaking ceremony for the West Slope development and our drop-in sessions for staff and students to help design the new Health and Wellbeing Centre.

A reminder

New salary thresholds for Skilled Workers visa
The UK government recently published updates to the Immigration Rules, including changes to the salary thresholds for the Skilled Worker visa route which came into effect on 4 April 2024. The University is an active sponsor of staff under this visa route, and these changes are relevant for both new and existing sponsored staff, and any recruiting managers who are hiring international applicants.

The general salary threshold has increased to £38,700 for new sponsorships (starting from 4 April 2024), or £29,000 for existing sponsorships (starting on or before 3 April 2024). Visit the HR webpages for further information about these changes, including answers to frequently asked questions.

VC Open Forum on 2 May focusing on Sussex 2035 strategy
Sasha will be talking about the Sussex 2035 strategy and sharing a first draft during the next Open Forum on 2 May from 2.30pm-4pm. This is a hybrid event and you can register to join in person at the Attenborough Centre or watch via livestream.