Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), Professor Kate O'Riordan, wrote to all taught students earlier today. Below you can read her full message:

Hello,  

As the autumn term gathers pace, there are lots of ways to get involved, connect, and make the most of your time at Sussex. This week’s update is full of opportunities to learn new skills, celebrate our community, and share your feedback to help shape the University experience. It also contains a reminder about the ways we can all ensure we are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment, including, Everyday Consent training, and our Report + Support tool.  

Your feedback is valuable for your experience, your fellow students and the wider world, and there are many ways you can share this with the University and the outside world. One current opportunity is the Whatuni Student Choice Awards. This takes just a few minutes to complete, and you could win £100. 

Some highlights in this week’s update: information about applying for returning student on-campus housing; chances to explore entrepreneurship through Ideas Lab; improve your writing with support from the Royal Literary Fund, take part in events celebrating Black History Month and details of Halloween events on campus.  

Please read on for this week’s news, including:    

• Your opinion could win you £100 – vote for us in the What Uni Student Choice Awards 
• Everyday Consent: creating a safe and respectful Sussex community 
• Skip the house hunt – applications to live on campus next year open soon  
• Explore your entrepreneurial aspirations with Ideas Lab!   
• Brush up on your writing skills with the Royal Literary Fund  
• Making campus more accessible: new outdoor Library lift approved  
• Get academic support from a skills workshop 
• Black History Month – photography exhibition in the library  
• Priscilla the horse gallops onto campus and you can get involved  
• Halloween events on campus 

Your opinion could win you £100 – vote for us in the What Uni Student Choice Awards

The What Uni Student Choice Awards are the only university awards voted for by you, real students sharing their experiences. It only takes a few minutes to complete the survey, and every week from now until February 2026, you will be entered into a draw to win £100 in Amazon vouchers just for giving your opinion. In addition, we will be on campus on Wednesday 29 October, handing out spooky cupcakes in exchange for your thoughts! Share your review now.  

Everyday Consent: creating a safe and respectful Sussex community 

At Sussex, we want everyone to feel safe, included, and respected. To ensure this, all students are asked to complete the short online module Everyday Consent: Relationships, Boundaries and Action. This course is not a test, it is a supportive resource designed to help you think about consent and respect in everyday life. It explores how to navigate expectations and pressures in sex, dating, and relationships, and how to build confidence in setting and respecting boundaries. It also covers how to recognise harassment and how to safely step in if someone might need help.    

If you ever have concerns, want to talk, or need support for yourself or someone else, you can reach out through Report + Support a confidential space to share what has happened and access specialist advice and guidance. Together, we can ensure Sussex remains a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and supported. 

Skip the house hunt – applications to live on campus next year open soon  

Lots of students are beginning to think about where they will live next year, and the good news is university returners’ accommodation applications open on Thursday 6 November. One of the advantages of University housing is no deposit is needed. You will also save money on travel, with bills, as contents insurance, utilities, and Wi-Fi are all included, so there is no need to set anything up yourself. You can also apply to live with your friends, just as you would in private sector housing. 

Most students who apply are offered a place, but make sure to read the terms and conditions. Get ready to apply from 6 November. 

Explore your entrepreneurial aspirations with Ideas Lab!

Thinking about starting a side-hustle or freelancing? Curious about entrepreneurial skills?   

If the answer is yes, you should attend the Ideas Lab workshops to discover your core values, strengths and aspirations. No idea or business knowledge required – these entry-level workshops are open to all. The first Ideas Lab workshop takes place on Tuesday 28 October. 

Browse and book your place onto each of the workshops via CareerHub.   

Brush up on your writing skills with the Royal Literary Fund 

Open to all, get free one-to-one writing advice from two professional authors based in the Library. Rebecca Stott and Katy Massey, our new Royal Literary Fund (RLF) fellows, offer personal tutorials during term time for anyone who wishes to improve their writing. Book your session with the RLF. 

Making campus more accessible: new outdoor Library lift approved

Making our 1960s campus more accessible for our community can require some creative thinking, and a long-held ambition has been to make our Grade II* Listed Library accessible in a way that is more welcoming and direct than the current route. 

To achieve this, a new outdoor platform lift is soon set to be built, following planning consent being granted at the end of September. The lift will provide a new, step-free link from the lower level of Library Square’s lawns to the Library’s accessible entrance for the first time in the University’s history, making a real difference for staff, students, and visitors with mobility needs. Discover more.  

Get academic support from a skills workshop 

Need help with essays? Join our Essay Writing workshops on 29 and 30 October, available both on campus and online. These sessions cover how to plan, structure, and develop your arguments clearly and effectively, with tips to boost your confidence and academic style. Whether you are new to university writing or want to sharpen your skills, it is a great chance to get expert guidance. Book now via the Skills Hub. 

Black History Month – photography exhibition in the library  

Head to Sussex Library this October to experience Black at Sussex: Alumni Portraits, a compelling new exhibition celebrating the legacy of Black Sussex alumni. Featuring evocative portraits by renowned photographers Eddie Otchere and Charlie Phillips, the series offers an intimate glimpse into the lives and contributions of students who have profoundly shaped the university community.  

Priscilla the horse gallops onto campus and you can get involved 

Celebrate Priscilla, Queen of the South, on Saturday 8 November from 11:30am to 3:30pm at the Jubilee building, an inspiring event honouring heritage, creativity and community.

Forged in steel by artist-blacksmith Jake Bowers, Priscilla is a life-size Gypsy cob horse created for the National Trust’s Changing Chalk project. She toured over 1,000 miles across Britain, inviting people to forge parts of her mane, tail and feet, and now returns to Sussex as a symbol of connection and pride. The event features live forging demos, drop-in activities like ribbon tying in Romani colours, and a short film screening in Jubilee Room G31. You can even book a slot to try blacksmithing yourself at Jake’s travelling forge. Find our more.  

Attending this event also gives you points towards your Spirit of Sussex Award. 

Halloween events on campus

With the end of the month approaching, there are Halloween events you might like to attend, including two days of spooky activities in the Student Centre, a talk at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (ACCA) on the History of Witchcraft and Feminism, a quiz night and Atmosfear Fright Night events with the Res Life team.   

With best wishes,

Kate

Professor Kate O'Riordan

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)


 
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