As Associate Director of Public Affairs at the University of Sussex, I’m often asked why public events and open conversations matter so much to our University community. Following Lord Peter Hain’s discussion with our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, on 28 January, the answer feels clear: universities exist to ask difficult questions, to challenge policy – and to do so in public.

Lord Hain’s central question, explored through his new book Liberation and Corruption, asks why liberation and independence movements so often falter once their leaders come into power. It is a question that reaches far beyond history or theory. It speaks to the realities of governance, power and accountability, and to the fragile nature of progress itself.

What made this conversation particularly compelling was Lord Hain’s unique perspective. As a Sussex alumnus, lifelong anti-apartheid activist and former Cabinet minister, he has experienced both protest and power first-hand. His reflections reminded us that political change is rarely straightforward, and that good intentions must constantly be tested against real-world systems and pressures.

This is exactly why events like this are so important to Sussex. They bring together lived experience, academic insight and public debate, helping our students, staff and the wider community to grapple with the complexities of the world around us. They encourage us not just to absorb information, but to question assumptions and reflect critically on how change happens – and how it can be sustained.

The event provided a great opportunity for staff, students, alumni and members of the public to question Peter on the themes in his book. and encourage him to offer solutions to challenging corruption. He demonstrated how corruption, in many instances around the world, has a huge impact on human rights. Peter answered many questions from the audience, including experts at the Sussex Centre for the Study of Corruption, offering a deeper insight into the impact of corruption on the world and its cost to society.

It is fitting that this event was hosted by the Sussex School for Progressive Futures, the University’s new flagship hub for interdisciplinary education, research and civic engagement. The School’s focus on human flourishing, environmental sustainability, and digital and data futures sits at the heart of our strategy Sussex 2035: Creating Progressive Futures - flourishing, sustainability and progress for the whole world.

By hosting conversations like this, Sussex is reaffirming its role as a civic university – one that opens its doors, challenges ideas, and plays an active part in shaping a more just and progressive future.

You can catch up with Sasha’s conversation with Lord Peter Hain on YouTube and Vimeo.

Lenny Rolles
Associate Director of Public Affairs