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[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

[The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. I'm delighted as Chancellor to welcome you formally to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and your families and friends that join you here today. To all of you, I say, bonjour. buongiorno, guten tag, hola, dobrý den, privyet, marhaba, salamun alaykum, jambo, shalom, namaskara, ni hao, konnichiwa, oi, hey, hi, howdy, and hello. Aside from showing you my phenomenal skills at Google Translate, it indicates how proud we are that students from all over the world choose to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas beyond more conventional lines, embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures and belief systems, and then combining these with the best of our own thoughts. Realising that invention and innovation has no colour, gender or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects, and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, live together, celebrate together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give me the greatest hope and total belief that we are always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be Chancellor, these ceremonies have always been for me a celebration of the efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity that has brought you here today. The wedding reception, where you can let loose a little and have a little dance, as opposed to the sombre registry office do. And wow am I aware of the efforts and sacrifices you've made, In addition to the pandemic and current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children, being carers, experiencing loss and sickness, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans or family help, battling not just self-doubt, but sometimes even the doubts of others. But here you are, you persevered. It is that very perseverance and focus overcoming all of those challenges that we are celebrating here today. And that really is worth celebrating, isn't it? Although, as you once were, Freshers, Freshers' Week is a great time for the university, welcoming all the new students, and although those first few weeks of watching you all wondering about, wondering where your next class is, or looking confused as you stand motionless in the corridor, wondering where you are, are indeed highly entertaining, it is these ceremonies that are the highlight of our year. For many of you today will mark the end of your academic adventures, the odyssey that began with those first faltering steps at nursery or kindergarten, and culminates here, just a short walk across this very stage. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours. and you will take the mere 20 or so steps, terrified that you're going to lose your hat and waterboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea after all, and whether your flies are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and end up in the lap of someone in the front row. But what an array of laps we've arranged for you this morning. Look at that. It's like Harry Potter meets Fifty Shades of Grey. I am beholden to tell you, remind you, if you've been up here before, that you haven't got your degrees yet, your graduands, and you getting your degree may just depend on how much love you show me when you come up here. No love for the Chancellor, no degree. I kid you, of course. Feel free to express your joy when you come up here, as long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality. Handshakes, hugs, high fives, fist bumps, dabs, dancing, press-ups, just a smile. I've gone along with all of them. Please don't do press-ups. At my age, I know I can get down there. I'm not sure I can get back up again. Hey, look, it's your day. You can ignore me if you want. That's absolutely fine. No selfies on the stage, I'm afraid. I'm very, very shy. Families and friends, it's your day, too, and how grateful that we are that you've made, in some cases, the enormous effort to be here to share in this moment. And as it's your day, it's a glorious opportunity for you all to really embarrass your epic hero as he, she, or they cross the stage. So when the time comes, do have your cameras ready, and I challenge you, family and friends, to really make some noise. I call upon the Vice-Chancellor to address the congregation.

[Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the university, parents, supporters, friends, but most importantly, class of 2023, our amazing students, here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex. Welcome. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil. I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. And my thanks, first of all, to our Chancellor, Sanjeev, for a fabulous opening speech. During your time here at Sussex, you and your fellow students have faced a number of unprecedented challenges. First, many of you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. Then, as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced several periods of strike action. I deeply regret this, and I offer my heartfelt apologies for this disruption. But right here, right now, we're gathered together, class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones to celebrate all that was good about your time at university. This period of your life at Sussex, I know for sure, meant working hard, learning a huge amount, and experiencing an enormous amount of personal growth and change. And I hope having a considerable amount of fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree course. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family or guardians or carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community of donors, whose generosity has supported scholarships that have enabled so many students to fulfil their potential. So I'd like to ask those of you who are going to be walking across the stage in a few moments to stand up. Do you mind standing up all of you in your robes? Thank you. And I would ask you to offer a round of applause, maybe turning to face your family and friends behind you, to offer some thanks for all the support they've given you over the years.

[Graduands stand and applaud.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Thank you, be seated. Now, whether you already have a job to go to, or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or are busy trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation. a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively, to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connection between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines, and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex, by the people who've taught you, focuses on the urgent concerns of our time. From climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies, and much more. We're really proud that according to the latest independent review of university research, 93% of our research was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it makes a difference in the world. It is right now making the world a better place. And for the past seven years, we've topped the QS world rankings of universities for development studies, a distinction of which we're very proud because it gets to the heart of Sussex's unique and profound commitment to research, teaching and equitable partnerships that seek to advance global equity and social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education 2023 Impact Rankings for delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum to encouraging nature on campus to flourish, has also helped us climb 23 places this year in the QS World Universities Ranking League Table, and we now feature in the top 15% of universities in the world. As a university that's deeply committed to addressing the profound environmental threats facing our planet, it's incredibly encouraging to be so clearly acknowledged for our efforts on sustainability. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff and especially our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and our natural environment. This mission and all that we do aligns with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness. We also see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students who so readily engage in creative innovations that benefit sustainability and develop projects to reduce the university's carbon footprint. Now, I know that many of you here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. And I want to acknowledge that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental and physical health challenges, and times when things didn't seem to be going well for you. I hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. For sure, we don't always get it right or do enough, but I hope that you felt that people were doing their best. And I hope that you found your studies intellectually challenging, rigorous, and rewarding. Because that, after all, is what university is about. Opening up, training, expanding minds. You're now going to take many different paths as you join the ranks of our more than 200,000 alumni around the world. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers, and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment industry, chief executives of national and multinational organizations, and those with less publicly high profile but no less significant lives and careers. people whose actions and relationships remake and renew the complex interdependent social fabric in small positive ways every day. Across the globe, in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So, celebrate who you are today at the end of your studies at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible and celebrate your friends and family who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I call upon the Head of the School of Life Sciences, Professor Sarah Guthrie.

[Head of the School of Life Sciences, Professor Sarah Guthrie, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As she reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.]

Head of the School of Life Sciences, Professor Sarah Guthrie:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Katherine Cooley. Leora Cools. Iyakem Ejigayehu. Sandra Elfons Wahib. Isobel Finn. Jonathan Harvey. Noa Iglesias-Adamson. Katie Jackson. Tammi Liu. Benjamin Lunn. Lisanne Valane Pereira. Anu Robin. Dylan Scourfield. Ana Wilson. Mahmuda Yeasmin. For Biochemistry with an Industrial Placement Year, Hector Bailey. For Biology, Elizabeth Billington. Samuel Bracken. Cara Brind. Sian Burtenshaw-Jones. Hannah Charlton. Holly Edwards-Sloan Sofia Giaconi. Stephen Gray. Joel Hutchings. Georgia Kemp. Anastasia Kypreos. Antalya Mustafa. Meharun Nessa. Jaidon O'Connor. Nicholas Parnham. Ella Pearce. Alana Raihan. Kamran Rajasansi. Leonardo Sommer Silva. Klara Tavecchio. Jeroen Thomas. Fennell Tongue. Joao Varela Ramos. For Biology with a Professional Placement Year, Chloe Flynn. For Biology with a Study Abroad Year, Grace Etherington. For Biomedical Science, Saba Ali Said Al Subhi. Defne Alar. Svetlana Alphonso. Michael Asare-Darkwah. Tobi Awolalu. Kareena Bains. Olivia Barrios. Thomas Berrington. Katherlynn Boonwanishawat. Gabrielle Boutin. Sina Burkhardt. Daniela Carter-Lopez. Amy Cheung. Wynnelia Chunda-Esien. Alessia Colato. Ria Dennis. Isobel Diedrichs. Oliver Downes. Farida Elkhamisy. Joe Everett. Mifrah Faisal. Elizabeth Figueira Da Costa. Phoebe Frewer. Henrique Goncalves. Oraiozili Goula. Cassandra Graham. Alice Griffiths. Immad Ul Haq. Davina Harris. Rosie Haste. Pelin Hastemir. Ariana Haydari. Emmy Juo Hua Huang. Uzma Hussain. Maria Kamari. Precious Katashila. Asira Kurjirattikan. Lucy Lim. Abeje Logan. Harrison Longley. Amos Lopez Dudarev. Eugenia López Álvarez. Mia Maclaren. Ali Mansaray. Jonathan Mcfaull. Francesco Melia. Kejt Memcaj. Ira Metas. Ramona Naradhat Na Chiengmai. Grace Obi. Victoria Ogbue. Charley-Mae Owen. Thomas Panzar. Rishi Patel. I lost my place now. Okay. Courteney Kayleen Pienaar. Nanthanut Piya-Aksornsak. Faith Powell. Merle Iris Procter. Mary Racz. Ioannis Raftis. Nazifa Rahman. Anita Ranjit. Sophie Read. Kiara Rummery-Milne. Usha Salwa. Kristy Scholler. Raisa Shahid. Rayed Sharif. Isabelle Shohani. Emmanouil Siganos. Eduard Simon. Christina Skourogianni. Jordan Stocker-Palmer. Katharine Stutz. Heidi Suliman. Pippa Sumpter. Deena Taha. Burit Tanpichart. Hannah Taylor. Sirine Tir. Shainah Geisha Torpio. Sylia Tzermia. Alice Wang. Joshua Whitlock. Rui You. For Chemistry, Harold Allart. Alexander Beachy Edward Chadwick. Rowan Crowley. Matthew Dutton. Jonah Hillman. Leon Madgin. Henry Martin. Ryan Murrough. Harriet O'Keefe. Oliver Reason. Josephine Sanders. Andrei Spataru. Georgina Tester. For Ecology Conservation and Environment, Kofi Bernson. Charlie Clutterbuck. Brooke Hobson. Anna Lykke. Leokadja Mansfield. Katharine North. Timothy Ogilvie. Annabelle Stidwell. For Genetics, Salwa Alemadi. Morgan Thompson. For Medical Neuroscience, Mohamed Abaas. Dana Aljarrah. Kristel Del Carmen Braceras. Nicole Edwards. Jiyan Ercan. Bianka Feher. Alice Gordon. Zareena Haque. Meg Hardy. Priscilla Harkavy. Georgia Harris-Moss. Kyle John-Campbell. Maria Margot Kafka. Saffron-Mya Kambo. Rose Kenny. Maya Kihara. Catherina Kyriacou. Maia-Eve Medina. Arslina Morcos. Aicha Ouazine. Eva Roberts. Annabel Rowney-Smith. Lucy Stafford. Manoharrini Thamilarasan. Rory Thompson. Emma Tubb. Sude Umac. Mishel Zaichenko. For Medical Neuroscience with a Professional Placement Year. Aidan Palmer. For Neuroscience, Nathalie Anyagwa. Nye Bolt. Erika Dan-Jumbo. Dulcie Davies. Alicia D'Alisha De Ath Eccles. Alexandra Donnelly. Bilal El-Bayouk. Ailsa Eshelby. Gabrielle Fielder. Karina Gburzynska. Lucy Green. Ellen Haley. David Halili. Ashlyn Rose Heidenreich. Jack Holder. Scott Kinghorn. Dylan Kitson. Tove Kojen. Dylan Lamptey. Maria Lemos Perinetti. Abdigani Moalim. Micaela Nell. Lauren O'Sullivan. Margaret Page. Tanvi Patel. Francesca Perkins. Anna Reeves. Marta Sinisi. Marios Stamatakis. Alfie Vine. Joshua Winter. Zulqarnain Zaasir. Alexandra Grace Zaloumis. For Neuroscience with a Professional Placement Year. Nikolaos Zervogiannis. For Zoology, Kerem Akcil. Isobel Bridges. Sterlyn Cash-Abbey. Nieve Catley. Joshua Collins. Lucy Cork. Daniella De Sousa. Matthew Dix. Alex Griffiths. Patrick Hall. Isabella Hurrell. Emily Hussey. Georgios Kalogiannis. Jessi Kitchen. Dinah Kortland. Ruby Lilley. Alfie Loftus. Evangelia Matthaiou. Alexandra Mcconnochie. Elena Miguel Gray. Matilda Neil. Joanne Owens. Sophie Richterova. Marielle Rowley. Teddy Russell. Eleanor Smith. Luke Stevens. Nathaniel Yon. For Zoology with a Professional Placement Year, Seshi Humphrey-Ackumey. For Zoology with a study abroad year, Robbie Geoff Hoar. For the degree of Master of Chemistry... in Chemistry. Dana Bell. Rachel Brown. Jago Deane. Elizabeth Dodson. Nelson Mark Ward. Also awarded the Murrell Prize for Best Theoretical Chemistry Performance at Masters Level, Peter Russell. James Whitfield. For Chemistry with an Industrial Placement Year, also awarded the prize for the highest overall performance in the Master of Chemistry degree of 2022-23, and the RSC Download Prize for the best MChem presentation in Organic or Inorganic Chemistry, funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Melissa Dyson. Nirajan Kc. For the degree of Master of Science in Biochemistry, Bethany Harri-Lirette. For Biology, Seren Rogers. For Biomedical Science, Abigail Edwards. Helen Minns. Sevastian Popov. Katrin-Maria Zhivkova. For Ecology, Conservation and Environment, Ben Reason. For Genetics, Alexander Harding. Alice Rotunno. For Medical Neuroscience, Maryam Al Dhaheri. Sarah Gornall. For Neuroscience, Nina Cork. Rebecca Gorham. Rose Lappin. Lucia San Martin. Aimee Wilson. For Neuroscience with Cognitive Science, Mariel Ana Montes Mendoza. Dominic West. For Zoology, Rohan Baynton. Alice Lecomte. Rachel Wick. For the degree of Master of Science in Cancer Cell Biology, Man Hei Lee. Komal Mohite. For the degree of Master of Philosophy, for the thesis Mechanochemical Synthesis of Diamide-Based Electron Acceptors for Organic Voltaics Application, Hugo Emerit. It's your moment of glory, so you have to look at the audience. For the thesis, synthesis and evaluation of a polyurethane nanoparticle composite that exhibits antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, Wing Tung Lam. Chancellor I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for the thesis exploiting great wall inhibition to target cancer specific changes in the G2M switch system, Abdulrahman Alatawi. For the thesis, development and characterisation of vaccine antigens and viral pseudotypes for zoonotic and emerging viruses, Bethany Auld. For the thesis, Timing is Everything, Investigating Multiscale Temporal Trends in the Presence of Marine Predators and the Implications for Top-Down Control, George Balchin. For the thesis, Laser Induced Particle Synthesis and Spectroscopy, a Microsynthetic Study of Caesium Lead Bromide Perovskite. Lorna Brigham. For the thesis, Structural Analysis of the Chromodomain Helicase DNA Binding CHD Remodelers, Tatiana Fernande Bruxelles. For the thesis, Investigating the Contributions of Impaired Cytoplasmic Dynein-1, TDP43, and Microglia-Derived MicroRNA to the Pathology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Eleni Christoforidou. For the thesis, Structural and Functional Studies of Human WRN and BLM Helicases, Charlotte Fisher. For the thesis, the role of stathmins 1-2 in oculomotor system acts on guidance, Ragnar Ragnheidur Gudjonsdottir. For the thesis sexually antagonistic loci features and evidence, Jon Harper. For the thesis, Information Encoding at the First Synapse in Vision, Tessa Herzog. For the thesis, Laboratory Investigations of Astrochemically Relevant Ices, Emily Ingman. For the thesis, Investigating Early-Stage Protein Misfolding of Abeta and Tau in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Kurtis Mengham. For the thesis, characterisation of a Drosophila Model to Investigate the Contributions of Tau and ApoE in Neurodegenerative Disease, Lucy Minkley. For the thesis, Synthesis of Heterocyclic Scaffolds Using Reagentless Techniques, Sergi Ortoll. For the thesis, the impact of micro RNA regulation on adult Drosophila locomotion. Aishwarya Padmanabhan. For the thesis, Synthesis and Supramolecular Chemistry of Pi-electron-pore Materials, Lydia Panther. For the thesis, Identification of Kinases Implicated in Temozolomide Resistance in Glioblastoma, Viviana Vella. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the School of Life Sciences.

[Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), David Ruebain stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony.]

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), David Ruebain:

Chancellor, I will now present to you those who were unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Drama, Theatre and Performance in the School of Media Arts and Humanities, Alfred Harper. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science, Zeen Abdullah. Sabiha Khan. For Chemistry, Louay Elfero. For Medical Neuroscience, Mahfuza Ansari Norin. Rachel Meriyan. For Neuroscience, Jack Yon. For the degree of Master of Science in Zoology, Jasmine Dubery. Chancellor, I am delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex graduation ceremony.

[Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands centrally on stage.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Uh if... uh... may I ask request that everybody who crossed the stage uh today could you… would you mind just standing up for a second? And uh colleagues if you wouldn't mind standing as well? Uh it just leaves me to say before I say other stuff uh that uh well congratulations and class of 2023, you did it!

[Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Well, so that happened. Congratulations, everyone. It really was delightful to meet you. You all smelled lovely, apart from one or two. Actually, that's not true. It was way more than one or two. I'm kidding. And well done, family and friends. Some of you were truly embarrassing. Respect. So as your time here at Sussex draws to a close we hope that you will keep us in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and each other as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest and of course you would be a fabulous resource for current and future students of Sussex so it would be great if some of some of you would consider becoming mentors on the mentoring scheme. Whether your next step is gainful employment, the search for it, further academic study, or simply some time off, I wish you the very, very best. At the closing of these ceremonies, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But here's some thoughts that I've been having recently, which you can ponder, ignore, or hopefully improve. So as your Sussex chapter ends, the future begins, and it's imperative that you get to write that story, that you have some say in it, because if you don't, someone else will. I believe that the ultimate way of controlling your narrative is to consistently and improvingly be unconditionally you. I often hear, and you must have heard as well, people who say things like, Well, if they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them. I'll listen to them if they listen to me. If they show me respect, absolutely, I'll show them respect. All of these are conditional. What it says to me is that you'll act based on how someone else acts. So who's really controlling the narrative there? Be nice, listen, respect, simply because that's who you are. The traditional phrase, treat others as you wish to be treated, says what it does on the tin, it's exactly that. Otherwise, the phrase would have been, treat others after you've waited to see how they're treating you and make sure there wasn't a misunderstanding or that you hadn't misheard and made sure it was you they were talking to and not some other random person, and then do the same as them. Which isn't as catchy. I am... Thanks. I believe that emotional intelligence is the essential component of wisdom. incorporating empathy, compassion, and kindness. And those attributes, better than any others, are gonna see you through the good times and the challenging ones. I would add a sense of humour, not just because it's fun, which is great, but because irony can give you instant perspective. When we get overwhelmed by something, whether it's tragic or scary or anxious or beautiful, emotional or whatever, Even momentarily, we can lose perspective. And if we then have to make a decision, that decision is coming from the same head that is overwhelmed. The quickest way to get perspective is to talk to someone, get another viewpoint, or get a sense of humour about it. That thing that is tragic and awful and horrible If you can see anything about it that is silly or ridiculous or even funny, it's not less scary or tragic, but it's not one thing anymore. It's now two things, and that's perspective. I think I'm hardwired about finding a solution. I don't care at all. if I come up with it or someone else does, as long as we find it. And also, I think I am about finding common ground. Disagreeing after agreeing feels very, very different to agreeing after we've disagreed. A couple of thoughts I've had about that thing called the future. I think we're brought up, society-wise, to fear the unknown future. It's why we plan. What's your plan? Have you got a plan? You haven't got a plan? You've got to have a plan. And planning is great, obviously, because it allows you to see and build small steps towards an ultimate goal. But planning is linear. Right? It has to be. One rung of the ladder follows the next. That's linear. But life is anything but linear. Life kind of bounces you around from here to there, full of curveballs and the unexpected, weird coincidences, the WTFs, World Tennis Federation, for the older people. And I was recently thinking about the phrase, better the devil you know. has been said to me quite a few times. Breaking that down, it means that I'll accept this horrible thing now because in the future, which hasn't happened yet, there may be an even more horrible thing. And so what happens when you get to that future and there isn't a more horrible thing? You're now stuck with the thing that you knew was horrible ages ago. So what would happen instead of seeing that future, that fearful future that hasn't happened yet, filled with unimagined worse things, you saw it as a world of possibilities. Sure, some could be worse, but essentially, some could be better. And you're suddenly making a decision that's not based on fear, you're making it based on hope. And then when life throws you the curveball, It's not unexpected and you can adjust to it quicker. I've got two lived experiences of this that I'll share with you very briefly. You may be aware that Sussex was my first choice when I applied many years ago. I didn't get in. Apparently my grades weren't good enough, whatever that means. So I waited 25 years till all those who had prevented me from getting in had either moved on, retired, been deported, were in prison, or just become plain dead. And I got back in as Chancellor. And so my point is, hey, hey, hey, hey. I know that was childish. My point is, take that linear planning. And also, I'd wanted to act and write since I was about five years old. And I know this because when I was five, there was an uncle who came to the house and said to me, well, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up? And I said, actor. And my dad said, it's pronounced a doctor. And it's true. It's true. So I didn't go to drama school, I didn't even do GCSE drama, but the dream was still there, pushed behind a sea of fear and seeming impossibilities. And at the age of 30, I found myself in litigation, having sued the last company I worked for for breach of contract. And so for two years, I couldn't get any kind of job at all because that was rattling through the legal process. I and everyone I knew could not have foreseen that just two years after that, I'd be on television in a successful show and have been lucky enough to sustain a career in something I absolutely love. Take that again, linear planning. And through that, I've discovered One essential thing actually that's really helped me, and it'd be great, I would so wish it that you get to that point as well, which is I cannot fail. That word no longer applies to me. I give myself two choices. With every experience, I either enjoy it or learn, or both, the best option, enjoy and learn, which means I'm ready to adapt my plan, whether it's the steps or whether it's the goal. It's just no room for failure. It's negativity in your own head, in your kind of inner monologue. It's really worth spending time to get rid of that. And we've all got so obsessed with winning and losing that we've overlooked improving as being the most valuable marker, and that's nuts. I honestly believe that who we are is always, always what we do next. Our next decision is who we are. What just happened may have been down to you, it may have been down to circumstances out of your control, but your response to that is who you are. Process it, learn from it, and move on from it. I leave you with some proper wise words from some proper wise people. Mahatma Gandhi said "freedom is not worth having if it doesn't include the freedom to make mistakes." So don't ever be afraid of making mistakes. Obviously, don't make the same mistake time and time again. That's the definition of an idiot. Make new mistakes. That's fine. He also said, "be the change that you want to see in the world." So if you believe in equality, you have to start expressing it yourself. unconditionally first. If you feel you have a voice worth listening to, and I absolutely believe that every one of you does, then you have to listen first. Maya Angelou, the great American poet, said, "people may forget what you said. People may forget what you did. People will never forget the way you made them feel." And I think that's absolutely true. There was a fable I really like about a Native American who was chatting to his grandson about a debate that goes on inside people. And he said, the battle between two wolves is inside all of us. One wolf is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego. The other wolf is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The grandson thought for a minute and then asked, which wolf wins? And the grandfather said, the one you feed. And finally, the ancient Sanskrit proverb "Too many cooks still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding." It's ancient and it's true. I think at the end of the day, what we all really need from each other is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes and to evolve. And that really means being kind towards ourselves too. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one simple thread that you added to love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways every day. And I really look forward to reading them. I officially declare this ceremony closed. Congratulations to all our new graduates. Please could graduates and guests now make their way out of the auditorium to join family, friends and tutors for a drinks reception.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing]

(A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.

The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. I'm delighted as Chancellor to formally welcome you to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and your families and friends who join you here today. To all of you, I say, bonjour, buongiorno, guten tag, hola, dobrý den, privyet, marhaba, salamun alaykum, jambo, shalom, namaskara, ni hao, konnichiwa, oi, hey, hi, howdy, and hello. Aside from showing you my phenomenal skills at Google Translate, it indicates how proud we are that students from all over the world choose to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas beyond more conventional lines, embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems, and then combining those with the best of our own thoughts, realising that invention and innovation has no colour, gender, or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, live together, celebrate together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give me the greatest hope and the greatest belief that we are always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be Chancellor, I know I don't look old enough, these ceremonies have always been a celebration for me of the efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity that has brought you here today. The wedding reception where you can let loose a little, share the joy, and have a little dance as opposed to the solemn registry do. And wow, am I aware of the efforts and sacrifices you've made. In addition to the pandemic and current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle your balance with studies-- balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children, being carers, experiencing loss and sickness, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help, battling not just self-doubt, but oftentimes the doubts of others. But here you are. You persevered. And it is that very perseverance and focus, overcoming all of those challenges that we are celebrating here today. And that really is worth celebrating, isn't it? Although, like you were once Freshers, Freshers Week is a great time for the university, welcoming all the new students, and although those first few weeks of watching you all wandering about, wondering where your next class is, or looking confused as you stand motionless in a corridor, not sure where you are, is all very, very, very entertaining. It is these ceremonies that are the highlight of our year. For many of you, this will mark the end of your academic adventures, the odyssey that began all those years ago with those first faltering steps at nursery school or kindergarten, and culminates here after just a short walk across this very stage. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours. And you will take the mere 20 or so steps across this stage, terrified that you're going to lose your hat or mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea, wondering whether your flyers are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone on the front row. But what an array of laps we've arranged for you if you choose to do that. Look at that. It's like Downton Abbey meets Fifty Shades of Grey. Your travel across this stage will be made much, much easier, depending on how much love you show me when you come up here. I'm kidding, of course. Feel free to express your joy at this moment when you come up here, in whatever way you want, as long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality. Only this morning we've had handshakes, hugs, dabs, fist bumps, press-ups. I implore you, please don't do press-ups, because I try to match everything you do. At my age, if I get down there, I'm not sure I can get back up again. You can ignore me if you want. It's your day. It's your day. I'll go with it. And no selfies on the stage, I'm afraid. I'm very, very, very shy. Families and friends, as I said, it's glorious to have you here, and thank you so much for the kind of efforts that you've made to come down here as well to be part of this great day. It is your day, too, and a glorious opportunity for you to embarrass your epic hero as he, she, or they cross this very stage. So when the time comes, please do have your cameras ready, and I challenge you, family and friends, to make some noise. I call upon the Vice-Chancellor to address the congregation.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the university, parents, supporters, friends, but most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students, here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex, the warmest of welcomes. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil. I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. And first of all, I'd just like to thank Sanjeev, our Chancellor, for a fabulous opening speech. And I have to say, it's not true that he can't do press-ups. He did at least 10 this morning on the stage. It was really impressive, and he got up again. But before we proceed with the ceremony, I just want to acknowledge that for some of you, many of you here, this isn't quite the occasion you were anticipating. Some of you are still waiting for your final marks and degree classification. During your time here at Sussex, you and your fellow students have faced a number of unprecedented challenges. First, you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. Then, just as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced several periods of strike action. And now, many of you are facing delays in receiving your degree results. This is because academics in a number of schools, members of the university and college union, are currently engaged in a marking and assessment boycott. This form of industrial action is taking place across the UK at more than 140 higher education institutions and is part of a wider campaign to secure improved working conditions and pay. These issues are negotiated nationally between the employers' body and UCU. As the Vice-Chancellor of Sussex, I've been doing all that I can to influence the national situation, as I believe that resolution has to be found through dialogue and compromise. In this spirit, I worked with the Sussex branch of UCU to issue a joint statement about the current situation. In this, we pointed out that the underlying problem is the long-term underfunding of higher education, which means there's a serious mismatch between the real need of staff for wage rises in a high-inflation environment and the ability of universities to pay enough to meet union demands. In our Sussex joint statement, we urged the employers' body and the union to return to the negotiating table to find a way through the situation so that students can get their work marked. And I'm pleased to say that negotiation has started again. Whilst I'm all too aware that many universities are facing serious financial difficulties and all universities are grappling with frozen tuition fees and rising costs, I do believe that there's more that we can do to address staff concerns about how they're rewarded for their dedication and hard work. And at Sussex, we're engaged in a major programme of work to improve terms and conditions for our staff. So far this year, we've delivered improved maternity and adoption leave, we've established a carers fund, we've secured accreditation as a real living wage employer, and we've made two additional cost-of-living payments to staff, as well as introducing subsidised meals for students and staff. But none of this has impacted on the national dispute. And sadly, right now, and for too long, you, our students, have been at the sharp end of this dispute over which you have no control. I deeply regret this. It shouldn't be thus, and I offer you my heartfelt apologies and my promise that I'm doing all that I can to influence the national situation so that those of you who don't yet have your marks get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we're gathered together, Class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones to celebrate all that was good about your time at Sussex. This period of your life, which I know for sure meant that you worked hard, learned a huge amount, experienced an enormous amount of personal growth and change, and I hope had a considerable amount of fun. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree course. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family, your guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and, of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community and donors, whose generosity has supported scholarships that have enabled so many students to fulfil their potential. So may I ask those of you who will shortly be walking across the stage, all those of you sitting in gowns down there, to stand up and give a round of applause to everyone who's supported you. You might want to turn and face your friends and family and offer them a round of applause for their support. So, please be seated again. Now, whether you already have a job or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or are busy trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think creatively and critically, to work across boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees connections between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and making the world a better place. You'll be tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines, and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex, by the people who've taught you, focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies, and much more. We're really proud that, according to the latest National Independent Research Review, 93% of our research was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it makes a difference in the world. It is, right now, making the world a better place. And for the past seven years, we've topped the QS World Rankings of universities for development studies, a distinction of which we're really proud because it gets to the heart of Sussex's unique and profound commitment to research, teaching, and equitable partnerships that seek to advance global equity and social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in 2023 for delivering on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum, to encouraging nature to flourish on campus, has helped us this year to climb 22 places in the QS World University Rankings 2024, and we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff, and our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and our natural environment. And this mission, and all that we do, aligns with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity, and kindness. We see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students too, who are readily engaging in creative innovations that benefit sustainability, and developing projects to reduce the university's carbon footprint. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Velenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families in acknowledgement of their achievement, as a living legacy and a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted around the water courses in the local area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. This is a brilliant student idea, facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and to contribute to the common good. So families and friends, if you fancy taking part, please do Google "trees for graduates" or I think there's a stall downstairs. I know that many of you here today have had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys bringing you to today. And I want to acknowledge that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental or physical health challenges, times when things really didn't seem to be going well for you. I hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. For sure, we don't always get it right or do enough, but I hope that you felt that people were trying their best. I also hope that everyone found their studies intellectually challenging, rigorous and rewarding. That, after all, is what university is about, opening up, training and expanding minds. You will all take different paths now as you join our ranks of more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organisations and those with less publicly high profile but less significant lives and careers, people whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex interdependent social fabric in small positive ways every day. Across the globe, in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So, celebrate who you are today at the end of your time at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible. And celebrate your family and friends who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I call upon Professor Jo Moran-Ellis, Head of the School of Law, Politics and Society. Sorry, Sociology.

(Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As she reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.)

Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis:

Thank you, Vice-Chancellor. Let's get myself sorted. OK. For the degree of Bachelor of Laws in Law, Muhammad Abdul Bari Ahmad Basuni. Sameer Alam. Also awarded the Clinical Legal Education Award and one of the recipients of the prize for special contribution to the life of the Law School, Danny Aldred. Hassan Alibhai. Alisha. Andrews. Maria Andriyovych. Eleanor Anglim. Ahalya Arulchelvan. Malik Aslam. Alex Aziz. Shaden Bagci. Naina Bahl. Scott-James Bamfo. Gloria Bello. Halima Begum. Andrew Bell. Beatrice Bentley. Scott Birch. Grace Browne. Mia Bulic. Phoebe Butler. Aisha Butt. Daniel Cameron. Mia-Lilly Carr. Chloe Chapman. Mahir Chaudhry. Emily Chivers. Tessa Christensen. Madeline Clark. Mariama Cordovil Espada Bah. Isabela Crivellaro... Oh, I'm sorry. Let me take another run. Isabela Crivellaro. Thomas Croft. Jasper Cunningham. Cheyenne Dennis. Emily Docwra. Alexandra Dolenc. Teodora Drangazhova. Rayane Drouazi. Katy Duffy. Valentina Esposito Rodriguez. Rheion Fenton-West. Charlie Galea-Kimber. Elizabeth Garcia. Sarah Gardner. Ophelia Geary. Kendall... Sorry. Kendall Gibson. Christian Gidley. Omid Golahmadi. Elicia Gravett. Fiona Griffin. Maria Guimaraes Cavalcanti. Chloe Harper. Lucy... Sorry. Lucy Harvey Hogan. Eloise Heather. Lucy Henderson. Jospeh Herman. Kitty Holdaway. Grace Holding. Also one of the recipients of the prize for special contribution to the life of the law school, Fraser Howell. Bethany Hyde. Also one of the recipients of the prize for special contribution to life of the law school, Ayodele Idowu-Bello. Eleni Ioakeim. Awarded the prize for the best student in company law, Shefkat Izzet. Saaim Sikander Janjua. Yasmin Jeffery. Emilie Jeoffroy. Simran Jha. Kristen Johnson. Aikaterini Kastellanou. Cem Kaya. Hamza Khawaja. Aly Kholod. Shi Lawson. Joan Laycock. Stella Lewis-Barclay. Yasmine Lhihi. Rachel Luxford. Sami Malik. Mackenzie Matheson. Sanjida Rahman Matin. Li-Mei Christina Mayer. Samanda Mazreku. Sophie McCarthy. Robert McClymont. Charles Mcfadden. Mhilen Karyll Mejia. Kathryn Amy Mitchell. Iakovina Mitousi. Jessica Monteiro. Also one of the recipients of the prize for special contribution to the life of the Law School, Aric Mototsune. Sahej Kaur Multani. Joyner Musoga. Lynn Mwakutireni. Patricia Mwense. Also one of the recipients of the prize for special contribution to life of the Law School, Isabel Chi Yan Ng]. Samuel Niepold. Nikhita Nijjar. Darcy O'Brien. Kamsyochukwu Okorie. Jonathan Pam. Alexandros Papadopoulos. Also one of the recipients of the prize for special contribution to life of the Law School, Stephanie Shirley Papetti. Hannah Paige Park. Priyesha Patel. Payal Paul. Sahiba Paul Walia. Emelie Pegelow. Nicholas Pendrill. Matteo Polloni. Hannah Potiphar. Fardin Protul. Tyler Philip Puype. Amina Rahman. Samya Rahman. Jada Rainford. Eliana Olivia Ramitt. Arvin Rana. Safia Raselma. Lauren Ring. Stephanie Rolley. Luca Sabuzi. Ali Samin. Jasmine Seccombe. Mona Shavrnoch. Imogen Smith. Siwar Souissi. Simon Spencer. Preston Stewart. Owen Sugden. Oviya Sugunakumar. Claudy Sumbula. Evelina Tarabuta. Nikolas Theophylactou. Trinity Thrower. Arjan Uppal. Corin Vethanayagam. Lucy Vickers. Robin Webb. Christian Wells. Jasmin Whitford. Annalise Wilcox. Oliver Williamson. Ragavi Yogarasa. Jack Willis. Diorel Zaimaj. Mona Zenaty Arebi. Joseph Gordon Zuckerman. For Law Graduate Entry, Ashna Anand. Also, one of the recipients of the prize for special contributions to the life of the Law School, Bethany Collins. Christopher Raymond Cox. Angelo Andaya. Joseph Gans. Jordene Veronica Haye. Kavi Linda-Louise Kukha-Bryson. Kuvi, please. Ready, places. Kavi Linda-Louise Kukha-Bryson. Alisha Mutneja. Wang Poon. Abira Rajenthiran. Tara Jessica Rayner. Aysha Varkey. Anderson James Warren. Tyler James Woods. I don't have any more names. Excuse me a minute.

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Can we make some up?

Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis:

Chancellor, this concludes the first half of the presentations from the School of Law, Politics and Sociology.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I call upon Professor David Rubain, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Culture, Equality and Inclusion, to present Baroness Valerie Amos.

(Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), David Ruebain approaches the lectern alongside Baroness Valerie Amos to introduce her.)

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), David Ruebain:

Chancellor, I am delighted and honoured to welcome Valerie Anne Amos, Baroness Amos. Baroness Amos has been one of the UK's most distinguished leaders in government, the public sector and higher education, and an inspirational supporter of equality across the spectrum. I believe that I first met Valerie during my time leading Equality Challenge Unit, ECU, which was then the UK higher education sector's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Research Agency. Valerie was Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS, the University of London. There, she continued to champion work to address inequality, following numerous roles in this field, including in local government, as Deputy Chair of the Runnymede Trust and as Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Valerie's support for the work of ECU was tremendously important. Valerie's warmth and humility disguised what has been an extraordinary, successful and influential career in which she has notched many notable firsts. These include being the first black, Asian or minority ethnic woman to serve as a Cabinet Minister, the first person of colour to be the Leader of the House of Lords and the first person of colour to lead a UK university at SOAS. The firsts continue. In her current role as Master of University College Oxford, she's the first woman to hold the post and the first black person to head a college at the University of Oxford. There's more. In 2022, she was the first black person appointed Lady Companion of Order, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. Guyanan-born Valerie came to the UK with her family in 1963 at the age of nine. The daughters of schoolteachers, she has said that education was always considered important in her family. She attended grammar school in South East London, where she became the school's first black Deputy Head Girl, thus setting the stage of what was to come. Through her many positions of High Office, which also includes serving as British High Commissioner to Australia and as Head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, she has shown what is possible despite structures of patriarchy and institutional racism endemic to much of politics and wider British society. But of course, she is not the norm. Not surprisingly, it has been her mission to help dismantle these structures and open the field for others. In addition to the roles mentioned, she was co-founder and director of the consultancy firm Amos Fraser Bernard, advising Nelson Mandela's South African government on public service reform, human rights and employment equity. As a member of the House of Lords, she served as the government spokeswoman for social security, international development, women's issues and foreign and Commonwealth affairs. In 2009, she set up a charity, the Amos Bursary, in memory of her parents to help children of African and Caribbean descent have the opportunity to excel in education and beyond. Her charity work attests to her prioritisation of community engagement and support, as well as improvements in public policy towards greater equality. I am delighted that our university is honouring a leader whose life and work manifests values and commitments aspired to and shared by Sussex. Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, Baroness Amos.

(Shaking hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Baroness Valerie Amos. is conferred an honorary degree. She then shakes hands with Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil and approaches the lectern to make her honorary speech.)

Baroness Valerie Amos:

I have a couple of formal words. By the authority of the Senate of the University, it gives me the greatest pleasure to confer upon you the degree Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa. Many congratulations. Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, graduating students, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, a huge thank you to Professor Ruebain for that citation. Thank you very much indeed. I'm sure that my family don't believe a word of it. It's a real pleasure to be awarded this honorary degree. I have long admired the University of Sussex, its students and its alumni. In fact, I have a lot of friends who studied here. A university known for its academic excellence, for thinking outside the box, and for robust and critical engagement on the issues and challenges facing our world. You're outward looking, which is absolutely critical at this time when our world is changing at incredible pace. The Vice-Chancellor mentioned some of the changes that we're seeing, the impact of environmental degradation and climate change. Continuing inequality, both in our own country and in other countries across the world. The shifting political power dynamics that we are seeing, which are having such a major impact, particularly in terms of conflict. And which have exposed the shortcomings of the global architecture that we have, like the United Nations and the World Bank. Ongoing conflict within and between nations. And of course, recently we know about Ukraine and Russia, but there is so much going on in places like Sudan and other parts of the world. Incredible migration flows, and with that, huge numbers of asylum seekers seeking refuge. And in the last three years, of course, the COVID pandemic, which has had such a devastating impact. Add to that technological advances that we've seen, which are changing how we live, how we communicate, and it can all feel incredibly overwhelming. And for all of you, and I'm talking to the graduating students here, it's been a particularly challenging time, given the disruption to your education. I have spent my life campaigning for social justice, for equality, for a better world. I'm interested in how we can reform institutions to make change happen. How those on the inside can link with those on the outside to challenge conventional orthodoxy, to make things happen. And looking back, of course I can see that change has happened. The Britain that we have today, the world that we have today, is very different to when I came here in the 1960s. There have been huge strides, but it also feels at times as if we've taken a lot of steps back. But it feels as if this has been incremental rather than transformational. I think about my work at the United Nations, when it was my job to work with governments, with UN organisations, with international NGOs, with national organisations, to try to coordinate the response to humanitarian crises around the world. And it was a pretty brutal time, and that brutality has continued. I watched as war unfolded in Syria, for example. I saw famine, I saw drought, I saw major natural disasters having an impact on the world. And I was frustrated and angry, because people who had very little, often nothing, were the ones affected by this, and governments often played politics with their lives. I had to work hard with my team to have an impact, to negotiate, to try to find ways through the difficulty. And I look to all of you, and the reason that I do that is because the foundation that you now have, your ability to think, to be analytical, to use data and evidence, to communicate, to listen, I hope, to debate, to disagree, your curiosity, your knowledge, the learning that you have acquired, I really hope that you are going to take that away and use it for good. Martin Luther King once said, "No man or woman has learned to live until she or he can rise above the narrow confines of his or her individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." In order to live creatively and meaningfully, our self-concern must be wedded to other concerns. And that's what I think that our education system, or I hope that our education system has meant to all of you and has taught all of you. Working in education, I've seen the passion shown by young people in tackling issues, be it climate, diversity, equality, inclusion. Some of you are single-minded and focused. You're impatient. You're radical. You challenge, you raise your voice, you demand change. I say to you, don't give up because it's hard. It's your future that you're fighting for. One where there is greater understanding, respect and acceptance of difference. I used to talk about the importance of building bridges across cultures, across communities, across religions. But in talking to our young people, I now feel really strongly that you don't need to do that because actually many of you already embrace those differences. You take them for granted. It's your starting point, not your end point. It's not your destination. Of course, I know that there are ongoing debates about identity and so on, but this is as a result of greater consciousness. And that's why I'm so optimistic about your future, despite the challenges. You want a transformed world. You have the skills and tools to make it happen. And let me also end with a thank you, echoing the words of your Vice-Chancellor. To family, to friends who have made your journey possible. Graduation is a celebration of your achievement, but it's also about recognising those who have supported you along the way. They have seen you through ups and downs. They've encouraged you along the way. Without the support of my family, friends and many people that I did not even know, I would not be standing before you today. I wish you all well for your next phase. I want to finish with a quote from Maya Angelou. She said, "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." Good luck.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I call upon the head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis.

(Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As she reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.)

Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelors in Law with a Professional Placement Year, Maria Janota. Alexander Raghunath. For Law with a Study Year Abroad, Bianca Baksa-Stuller. Lapaz Copus. Rusne Salkauskaite. For Law with American Studies, Rachael Bondzie. Alison Byfield. Ellen Davoudi-Meredith. Amy Gunn. Gabrielle Heyns. Jasmine-Rose Omolade Chizara Johnson. Kanjanik Kasirak. Jade Kildea. Vivienne Lowe. Miya Mehta Macdonald. Yes, I thought I'd... Miya Mehta Macdonald. Esme Mukherjee. Lauren Smith. Ewan Wilson. For Law with Business and Management, O'On Ala'Eddin Issa Al Rashdan. Hannah Bayliss-Stranks. Melissa Calakovic. Lamisha Chowdhury. Daniel David. Tara Dewey. Rachid El Hadaoui. Zin Hamado. Adel Hassan. Amanda Horzyk. Charlotte James. Holly Jenkins. Ciara Mcclafferty. Mia Mckean. Mia McKean. Maya Mohamed. Tamzin Nash. Jonathan Okon. Tamara Pablo Valentin. Ella Price. Mohammad Saasaani. Maram Samhouri. Jannat Tariq. Oliver Watts. Charles Uy. Farouk Weshahi. Shannon Whelan. Elisar Zayyat. For Law with Criminology, Isabelle Basson. Serena Bolikango. Charlotte Boyall. Nathan Browne. Alice Campion. Sam Filer. Mariana Finha De Morais. Daisy Gould. Zahra Jaffar. Also one of the recipients of the prize for a special contribution to life of the law school, Hannah Martini. Jumanah Miah. Sophie Molloy. Sylvia Nangendo. Lauren Nutley. Kristianna Peel. Jamie Priddey. Simran Rupal. Nicole Scanlan. Sasha Stuart. Anjum Syeda Akthar. Roxana-Maria Tomescu. Melissa Warburton-Hume. Maximillian Welsh. Dawn Whitear. For Law with Criminology with a Professional Placement Year, Nikaya Alexander-Morrell. For Law with Criminology with a Study Year Abroad, Rosie Harfield. Also the recipient of the Waits Family Scholarship, Harriet Williamson. For Law with French with a Study Year Abroad, Hannah Smith. For Law with Mandarin Chinese, Jada Phillips. For Law with International Relations, Aiya Abdalla. Amoin Chelsea Likane Ake. Taline Alami. Alizee Compson. Ana Gabriela Gonzalez Martinez. Maria Gonzalez Posse. Hanni Jamal. Marta Mirakaj. Adisovanatabua Navoti. Pilar Puertolas. Grace Quigley. Jordan Raiwe. Sarah Von Der Haar. For Law with International Relations with a Study Year Abroad, Tia Magrath. For Law with Japanese, Judie Halimah. For Law with Media, Leah-Jade Brammer. Kiisi Lee. Jessica Reeves. For Law with Politics, David Birch. Charlotte Lait. Amelia Nadskakolska. Sorry. ... Porya Kaspar Pourandi. But also... ... Stay there. One of the recipients of the prize for special contribution to life of the law school. Humayan Tufail. Isabel Wilson. For Law with Spanish, Mia Jackson. Haben Josephine Louis. Maria Queiroz Machado Dos Santos. For the Master of Laws in Corruption, Law and Governance, delivered in Qatar, John Byakatonda. Mutasim Gadour. For Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, Titi Narkwong. Malik Husnain Zamar. For Information Technology and Information Intellectual Property Law, Olanrewaju Oluwaseyi Akinola. Reham Ghazai Alharbi. Shaykhah Munif Alqahtani. Abdullah Ibrahim Altayyar. Elif Merve Demir. Mary Kelechi Onah. For International Commercial Law, Hashim Abdulrahman Akhtar. Nashwah Emad Almashharawi. Zaid Almasri. Tracy Davies-Wilson. Nunkeshwar Ramdawor. For International Financial Law, Hanan Almansour. Sawsan Ali Almousa. For International Law, Ferass Bourasli. For Law... For Law, Hanouf Saad Alharthi. Shahad Dakhilallah Althobaiti. Raquel Carneiro Fernandes. Omer Osman Kocer. Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, for the thesis, 'The Carriage of Goods by Sea Contract Under Omani Maritime Laws, a Critical Analysis of the Carriers' Obligations and Liabilities', Ali Al Hashmi. For the thesis, 'The Use of Law in Feminist Activism, a Governmentality Analysis of the Legal', Thomas Ebbs. Chancellor, I call upon Professor Amir Paz-Fuchs, Head of the School of Law, to remember and award posthumously a degree to Musaba Buto.

(Head of the School of Law, Amir Paz-Fuchs, stands and approaches the lectern to award a posthumous degree.)

Head of the School of Law, Amir Paz-Fuchs:

Chancellor, it is a sombre duty that I have today. I'd like to share a few words as expressed during the ceremony that we held a few days after Musaba's passing. I'm sorry not to have known Musaba, but over the weeks since his death, in meeting and corresponding with others who did have that opportunity and were utterly shocked by his passing, I feel that I have a sense of him. He strikes me as someone who had a presence, who cared about his friends, his teachers, and about the world around him, his love of cricket, of politics, and the occasional cigarette. His passing has left a gap, probably one that cannot be filled, for his friends and family, and the life that could have been touched all of us in the Sussex Law School community and more broadly. Many of us experience loss, and when we encounter it again, those feelings and the pain involved are revisited. This is where we can and should support each other. Death, they say, is part of life. But a death well before it is due is unduly painful and sad. It leads to questions that revolve around what could have been and what we could have done differently. This does not mean that we can truly live each day as if it was our last, or the last for those who care about. But it is an important reminder to treasure our friendships, spend less time on anger, hate, or fleeting distractions, more time and effort on the things that matter, care, love, and each other. Thank you.

(Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis stands and approaches the lectern.)

Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis:

Thank you, Amir. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the School of Law, Politics and Sociology to our amazing law students.

(Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), Professor Kelly Coate, stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduands names of the ceremony.)

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), Professor Kelly Coate:

Chancellor, I will now present to you those who were unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Laws in Law, Aikaterini Kastellanou. Law graduate entry, Christabel Ofosuhene. Law with International Relations, Vidyaah Sunthararajan. Chancellor, I'm delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex graduation ceremony.

(Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Just before I close out with a few words, standing over there, the last thing I'm going to do from the centre of the stage here, if I may, everybody who crossed the stage this afternoon, this ceremony, would you mind just standing for a second? And colleagues, if you wouldn't mind standing as well. This is the moment to say congratulations, Class of 2023. You did it!

(After sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Well, congratulations, everyone. And thank you to Honoris Causa as well, Baroness. Thank you for, you know, not just your words, but actually the example that you've given through your life. I mean, you've gone through so many glass ceilings. It's amazing there isn't a mark on your face, and you continue to do so. And it's so important, I think, for those of us to see those kind of journeys, be inspired, and to believe that we can, you know, follow in those trails and have no fear of those glass ceilings ourselves. So thank you for your kind words. I just... also, I just wanted to say something about the posthumous degree as well. I've lost friends before their time. And I think, you know, if you're friends, family, there's a lot of conflicted feelings that go around that kind of loss, particularly around regret and guilt. And that's kind of natural. I would say this, and I don't know if this is probably... whether it's the right time to say it or not. I'm just saying it because I feel it. But I think the people who leave us leave us gifts. And sometimes it's very difficult to see what those gifts are at the beginning, but they are there. And even if that gift is you thinking, "Well, I would behave differently," that is a gift. So please look in those things. It takes time, but look for the gifts and not for, you know, the sorrows and the regrets. So just wanted to say that. Anyway... Well done, family and friends. Some of you were truly embarrassing. Respect. Fantastic. So, students, as your time here at Sussex draws to a close, we hope that you will keep us in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and to each other as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest. And, of course, you would be a fantastic resource for current and future students at Sussex. So I hope that some of you might consider becoming mentors on the mentoring scheme. Whether your next step is gainful employment, the search for it, further academic study or time out, I wish you all the very, very best. At the closing of these ceremonies, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But here's some thoughts that I've been having, in no particular order, and you can ponder, ignore or hopefully improve upon. As your Sussex chapter ends, the future begins, and it's imperative that you get to write your story, that you have some say in it, because if you don't, someone else will anyway. And I believe that one of the best ways to control your own narrative is to consistently, improvingly and to unconditionally be you. I often hear people - and you must have heard this as well - say things like, "Well, if they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them. "If they listen to me, I'll listen to them. "If they show me respect, of course I will show them respect." Well, all of these things are conditional. What it says to me is that you'll act based on how someone else acts. And so who's really controlling the narrative here, then? Be nice. Listen. Respect. Because, simply, that's just who you are. That traditional phrase, "Treat others as you wish to be treated," it's fairly simple, but it does what it says on the tit. You know, otherwise the phrase would have been, "Treat others after you've waited to see how they're treating you "and making sure there wasn't a misunderstanding "or that you hadn't misheard and made sure it was you they were talking to "and not some other random person, and then do the same as them." Which, let's face it, isn't as catchy. I believe that emotional intelligence is the essential component of wisdom, incorporating empathy, compassion, and kindness. And those attributes, more than any others, are going to see you through the good times and the challenging ones. I would add a sense of humour, not just because it's fun, which is no less important, but because irony can give you instant perspective. When we get overwhelmed by something, whether it's tragic or scary or anxious or beautiful, emotional or whatever, even momentarily, we can lose perspective. And if we have to then make a decision, we're trying to make a decision from the same head that's overwhelmed, which is quite difficult. The quickest way to get perspective is to talk to someone. Get another viewpoint. Get another viewpoint if you need to. Or get a sense of humour, failing that. Because if you can see that silly... You can see the silliness or the ridiculousness in that thing that is overwhelmingly tragic or making you anxious or fearful, then it doesn't make the thing less tragic or less scary, but it makes it more than one thing. It now makes it two things, and that is perspective. I think I'm hardwired about finding solutions. I really don't care if I come up with it or someone else does, as long as we find it. And also about finding common ground. For me, disagreeing after agreeing feels very different to agreeing after disagreeing first. A couple of thoughts about the future. I think we're brought up by society to kind of fear the unknown future, the unknowns in the future. We kind of fear them. It's why a lot of people plan. What's your plan? Have you got a plan? You haven't got a plan? Got to have a plan. Where's your plan? Planning, of course, is great. It's good. It allows you to see and build the small steps towards an ultimate goal. But planning is linear, right? It has to be. Like one step of a ladder, one rung of a ladder, follows another. That's planning. You see the steps. But life is anything but linear. It's full of the unexpected, curveballs, the weird coincidences, the WTFs, World Tennis Federation, in case you're wondering. And I was recently thinking about the phrase, "Better the devil you know." And breaking that down, it meant, "Well, I'm going to accept this terrible thing right now." Because in the future, which hasn't happened yet, there might be an even more terrible thing. And then you get to that future, and what happens if that more terrible thing doesn't transpire? You're now stuck with the thing that you knew was terrible, and you're stuck with that now. So instead of seeing a future, an unwritten future, which is full of the unimagined worst things, what if you saw it as a world of possibilities? Some could be worse, sure, but crucially, you'd have to consider that some things could be better. And at that point, you're suddenly making decisions not based on fear, but based on hope. And then when life throws you the inevitable curveball, it's not unexpected, and you can adjust to it quicker. I've got two lived experiences of this that I'd like to briefly share with you. You may or may not be aware that Sussex was my first choice when I was applying to university many years ago. I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough, so I took my business elsewhere. And I waited 25 years till all those people who had prevented me from getting in had either moved on, retired, been deported, were in prison, or just become plain dead. And I got back in as Chancellor. So hey, hey, hey! Take that, linear planning! Could not have predicted it. Wasn't one of the rungs on the ladder. Also, I'd wanted to act and write since I was the age of five, and I know this, because when I was five years old, an uncle came to the house and said to me, "So, what do you want to be when you grow up, young man?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." It's true. It's true. I didn't go to drama school. I didn't even do GCSE drama. But a dream was still there, sitting behind a sea of fear and impossibilities. And then, at the age of 30, I found myself in litigation. I wish one of you had been with me at that time. You'd have been useful. Having sued the last company I worked for for breach of contract. And I couldn't get any kind of job for two years while the whole thing rattled through the legal process. I and everyone else I knew could not have foreseen that within two years of that, that I'd be on television in a successful show, and it would be the start of an incredibly fortunate, sustained career in something that I absolutely love. And again, I have to say, take that, linear planning! A really crucial thing I learned from that about myself, and I really hope that you can find it quickly too, is that I've discovered that I cannot fail. Whoa! The word no longer applies to me. It doesn't. I can't fail. Other people might think I have. I don't. Because I give myself two choices. With every experience, I either enjoy it or learn it. That's it. Or both. Third one. Even better. It means, because I'm getting rid of that kind of negative inner monologue that it's so easy to carry around with you, that I feel that I'm more ready to adapt and change my plan. Whether it's the steps or whether it's the goal. No room for failure. We've all got so obsessed with winning and losing that we've overlooked improving as being the most valuable marker, which is nuts. I believe, you know, who we are is always what we do next. Always. In every moment. What just happened may be down to you or may be down to things out of your control. But your response to it, that's who you are. So, you know, never define yourself by a bad day or a bad week or a bad month or even a bad year. I had a bad decade once. Came out of it. I'll leave you with some proper wise words from proper wise people. Mahatma Gandhi said freedom is not worth having if it doesn't include the freedom to make mistakes. So don't be afraid of making mistakes. Just make sure that every mistake you make is a new one and keep making the same one. That's the definition of an idiot. Mahatma Gandhi also said be the change you want to see in the world. So if you genuinely believe in equality, you have to start expressing yourself first. It's not conditional. If you feel you have a voice worth listening to, and I absolutely believe that all of you do, you have to listen first. To echo what the Baroness was saying earlier on, Martin Luther King said injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And that's worth keeping in mind. And also one of my favourite quotes is from Maya Angelou as well, who is amazing, who I met once. She was incredible. And she said people may forget what you said. People may forget what you did. But you will never forget the way you made them feel. And I think that's very true. I'll leave you with a fable that I read about, which I really loved, actually. It was a fable about a Native American who was chatting to his grandson about a debate that goes inside all of us. He said the battle between two wolves is going on inside each one of us. One wolf is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego. The other wolf is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The grandson thought for a minute and then asked, "Well, which wolf wins?" And the grandfather replied, "The one that you feed." Keep that in mind. And finally, the ancient and learned Sanskrit proverb, "Too many cooks still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding." It's true. I think at the end of the day, what we really need from each other is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes and evolve. And that means fundamentally being kind towards ourselves, too. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one simple, common thread that you added to the love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways every day. And I really look forward to reading them. I officially declare this graduation closed.

[Music playing]

(Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

 [‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing]

(A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.

The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. I'm delighted as Chancellor to welcome you formally to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and your family and friends that join you here today. To you all, I say, bonjour, buongiorno, guten tag, hola, dobrý den, privyet, marhaba, salamun alaykum, jambo, shalom, namaskara, ni hao, konnichiwa, oi, hey, hi, howdy, and hello. Almost. You stopped yourself. Well done. Aside from showing you my phenomenal skills at Google Translate, it indicates how proud we are that students from all over the world choose to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas beyond more conventional lines, embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems, and then combining these with the best of our own thoughts, realising that invention and innovation has no colour, gender, or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, live together, celebrate together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give me the greatest hope and total belief that we are always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be Chancellor-- now, I know I don't look that old-- these ceremonies have always been a celebration for me of the efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity that has brought you here today. The wedding reception where you can let loose a little, share the joy, have a little dance, as opposed to the solemn registry do. And boy, am I aware of the efforts and sacrifices that you've made. In addition to the pandemic and current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle to balance your studies with home life in some cases whilst raising children, being carers, experiencing loss and sickness, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help, battling not just self-doubt, but sometimes even the doubts of others. But here you are. You persevered. And to me, it is that very perseverance and focus, overcoming all of those challenges that we are celebrating. And that really is worth celebrating, isn't it? Although, you know, you were once freshers, and Freshers' Week is a great time for the university, welcoming all the new students. And although those first few weeks of watching you all wondering about, wondering where your next class is, or looking confused as you stand motionless in a corridor, not being sure where you are, are indeed highly entertaining, it is these ceremonies that are the highlight of our year. For many of you, this will mark the end of your academic adventures, the odyssey that began with those first faltering steps at nursery or kindergarten, and culminates here, after just a short walk across this very stage. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours, and you will take the mere 20 or so steps, terrified that you're going to lose your hat mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea, wondering whether your flies are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and end up in the lap of someone in the front row. But, hey, what an array of laps we've arranged for you if you choose to go in that direction. Look at that. Guardians of the Galaxy meets Fifty Shades of Grey. Families and friends, it's so glorious, and thank you for making what I know in some cases a huge effort to come down here and be part of this glorious moment. It's really hugely appreciated. And I know these ceremonies live long in the memories for students, staff, and for the families. To the students, feel free when you come up here to express your joy at this moment. We've had handshakes and hugs and high-fives and fist bumps and dabs and dancing and press-ups - that's just today, by the way - or you can ignore me, that's fine as well. It's your day. I'll go along with all of it. Please don't do press-ups. I said this this morning and someone did press-ups, and I had to do some, and I've done them for today. I don't know if... if I have to do them again, I don't know if I can get up again. So... but do express your joy when you come up here. No selfies on the stage, I'm afraid. I'm very, very shy. And family and friends, as I said, it's your day too, and a glorious opportunity for you to really embarrass your epic hero as he, she, or they cross the stage up here. So when the time comes, please do have your cameras ready and be ready to make some serious noise. I call upon the Vice-Chancellor to address the congregation.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the university, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students, here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex. I extend to you all the warmest of welcomes. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil, and I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. My thanks at the very beginning to our Chancellor, Sanjeev, for a fabulous opening speech, and he really did do about 15 press-ups this morning. It was quite impressive. But before we proceed, I want to acknowledge that for some of you here, this isn't quite the occasion you're anticipating. Some of you are still waiting for your final marks and degree classification. During your time here at Sussex, you and your fellow students have faced a number of unprecedented challenges. First, many of you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. Then, as things were settling down afterwards, students on some courses experienced several periods of strike action. And now, many of you are facing delays in receiving your degree results. This is because academics in a number of schools, members of the University and College Union, UCU, are currently engaged in a marking and assessment boycott. This form of industrial action is taking place across the UK at more than 140 higher education institutions, and is part of a wider campaign to secure improved working conditions and higher pay. These issues are negotiated nationally between the employers' body and UCU. As the Vice-Chancellor of Sussex, I've been doing all that I can to influence the national situation, as I believe that resolution has to be found through dialogue and compromise. In this spirit, I worked with the Sussex branch of UCU to issue a joint statement about the current situation. In this, we pointed out that it's the underlying problem of the long-term underfunding of higher education that's at stake here, which means there is a serious mismatch between the real need for wage rises for staff in a high-inflation environment and the ability of universities to pay enough to meet union demands. In our Sussex joint statement, we urged the employers' body and the union to return to the negotiating table to find a way through the situation so that students can have their work marked. The good news is that the negotiations have restarted. Whilst I'm all too aware that many universities are facing serious financial difficulties, and all universities are grappling with frozen tuition fees and rising costs, I do believe that there's more we can do to address staff concerns about how they're rewarded for their dedication and hard work. And at Sussex, we're engaged in a major programme of work to improve the terms and conditions of our staff. So far this year, we've delivered improved maternity and adoption leave, we've established a carers fund, we've secured accreditation as a real living wage employer, we made two additional cost of living payments to staff, and we've introduced subsidised meals for students and staff. But none of this has impacted on the national dispute. And sadly, right now, and for far too long, you, our students, have been at the sharp end of this dispute, over which you have no control. I deeply regret this. It shouldn't be thus, and I offer you my heartfelt apologies, and my promise that I'm doing all I can to try to influence the national situation so that those of you who don't yet have your marks get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we're gathered together, Class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones, to celebrate all that was good about your university days. This period of your life at Sussex, when I know for sure you worked hard, learned a huge amount, experienced enormous amounts of personal growth and change, and I hope had some fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree course. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family, or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community and donors, whose generosity has supported scholarships that have enabled so many students to fulfil their potential. So can I ask those of you sitting in front of me who are going to be walking across the stage soon, in your gowns, can I ask you to all stand and express your thanks to everyone who's supported you. If you'd stand up, and I suggest you turn around and face your family and friends behind you and to the side, and give them a round of applause. Thank you. Now, whether you already have a job lined up, or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning time to take time out to explore the world, or are busy just trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation. A university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively, to work across boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connection between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines, and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex, by the people who've taught you, focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies, and much more. We're really proud that, according to the latest independent review of university research, 93% of Sussex research was found to deliver very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it's making a difference in the world. Right now, it's making the world a better place. And for the past seven years, we've topped the QS World Rankings of universities for development studies, a distinction of which we're very proud because it gets to the heart of Sussex's unique and profound commitment to research, teaching, and equitable partnerships that seek to advance global equity and social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education 2023 Impact Rankings for delivering on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum to encouraging nature to flourish on campus, has also helped us climb 22 places this year in the prestigious QS World University Rankings, and we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. As a university that's deeply committed to addressing the profound environmental threats facing our planet, it's really encouraging to be acknowledged so clearly for this. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff, and our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and our natural environment. We also see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students who so readily engage in creative innovations that benefit sustainability and develop projects to reduce the university's carbon footprint. An example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families or friends in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy and a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted around the watercourses of the local area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. It's a brilliant idea, facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and contribute to the common good. So families and friends, please do consider taking part in the Trees for Graduates initiative. There's a stand out there somewhere and you can find it using Google. I know that many of you here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. And I want to acknowledge that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental and physical health challenges, times when things didn't seem to be going well. I hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. For sure, we don't always get it right or do enough, but I hope that you felt that people were trying their best. I also hope that everyone found their studies intellectually challenging, rigorous and rewarding, because that after all is what university is about, opening up, training, expanding minds. You're now all going to take different paths as you join the ranks of more than 200,000 Sussex alumni worldwide. Our alumni include Nobel laureates and world leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers, creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organisations, and those with less publicly high profile but no less significant lives and careers. People whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex interdependent social fabric in small positive ways every day. Across the globe in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So, celebrate who you are today at the end of your time at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible. And celebrate your friends and family who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I call upon the head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis.

(Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As she reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.)

Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, Yousif Alsamarrai. Alicia Babbs. Sophie Black. Rosie Botham. Heddi Broekhoven Morgan. Mikaela Brookings. Kaci Bundo. Joanne Bunyan. Kiera-Mai Capon. Kiranjit Chana. Ali Cifci. Bessie Delea. Molly Dransfield. Aidyn Harrison. Ruby Harrison. Gemma Higgins. Ethan Highwood. Joshua Jocolt Pelly. Eleanor Johnson. Anisha Kamboj. Eve Knights. Shannon Malepa. Natalie Neville. Luca Scofield Yarme. Jemima Spickernell. Elise Stuart. Bianca Tarcatu. Georgina Watkins. Stephanie Yeandle. Jasmine Young. For Criminology with a Professional Placement Year, Francesca Carter. For Criminology with a Study Abroad Year, Shadia Aubed Zoubi. For Criminology and Sociology, Grace Baker. Kathryn Banda. Nathan Bishop. Laura Box. Eve Buchanan. Alexandra Culleton. Isaac Du Val. Megan Hardy. Millie Kingston-Sumby. Thank you, Dr Alexa Neale and Dr Carli Rowell. Charlotte Mcnally. Kieran Moloney. Dolores Newcombe. Honey Overs Pearson. Rebecca Pinfield-Wells. Matt Price. Barbara Sebok. Loren Spain. Megan Tracey-Roberts-Macrae. Elena Tucker. Lucy Weaver. For Criminology and Sociology with a Study Abroad Year, Yanxin Cai. For History and Politics, Niamh Butler. Willoughby Byles. Ana Da Silva. Ciara Dunnicliffe. Matthew Jenkins. Jad Jimpson. Thibodhi Sujarirat. Francesca Wood. Olivia Zabkiewicz. For History and Politics with a Study Abroad Year, Martha Haynes. For History and Sociology, Lauren Foot. For Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Miranda Cervantes. For Politics, Caragh Bone. Jessica Burton. Rhydian Crabb. Richard Davis. Theo Dyer. Etienne Ferenc. Harry Flavell. Callum Ford. Lara Hemmons. Jake Kent-Brown. William Krish. Kazadi Tshishishi Mpinga. Natalie Oxlade. Matthew Pritchard. Bradley Stuart-James. Holly Waughman. Jacob Whitear. Oliver Wotherspoon. Debra Woudman. Tele Adeyinka. Sorry. Tele and the rest to follow for Politics and International Relations, Deborah Ajayi. Dana Almahmood. Mohamed Alsharhan. Fatima Althawadi. Jemima Blain. Rory Bradley. Hudson Butler. Isaac Chalmers. Luca Charalambous. James Critchley. Megan Delaney. Amelia Diomedes. Valerie Fahmy. Lewis Hingston. Raisa Hussain. Ella Jackson. George Lewis. Anna Marcou. Matthew Marett. Koshiro Oishi. Stevie Palmer. Hannah Ramek. Sophia Roberts. Matthew Rocks. Deja-Paige Sutherland-Maraj. Isabelle Walker. Lewis Wetton. Keely White. For Politics and International Relations with a Study Abroad Year, Maya Clark. Robyn Elrick. Ellen Ferguson. For Politics and Philosophy, Oscar Burton. India Casey. Hannan Edde. Selvi Genc. Georgia Millett. Phoebe Mukherjee. Culann Smyth. Morgan Wallace. For Politics and Sociology, Lucy Barker. Felix Crutchley. Jacob Dickins. Tyler Lorraine Howard. Thorstein Mjelstad. Alva Synnott. For Sociology, Elise Anning. Katrina Barker. Juliet Bullen. Alice Burton. Isabel Collinson. Ellie Dunnicliffe. Hannah Eder. Hannah Francis. Eva Godber. Grace Goddard. Viona Goldooz. William Hinsley. Rose Jenner. Rose Le Lohe-Attwell. Zachary Mercer. Jerome Morais. Kayla Phillips. Roxana Popa. Holly Roberts. Jasper Roberts. Lana Sellars. Lily Slanickova. Sophie Stapley. Mia Tatley. Josephine Timmins. Ruby Walsh. Paris La-Shay Williams-Thomas. Lily Wooldridge. For Sociology with a Professional Placement Year, Estella Plug-Cave. For Sociology and International Development, Sky Barwood. Sophie... Sorry, I thought... I got lost then. Right. Want to get your name right. Sophie Hasenson. Lynelle Kisuule. Eliz Mavi. Sophie Meads. Shani Tipper. For Sociology with Cultural Studies, Niamh Chart. Zara Davison. Yasmin Liew. For Sociology with French, Kate Gibbens. For Sociology with Media Studies, Maisie Birch. Molly Mckeown. Daisy Otter. Ella Rogers. For Sociology with Spanish, Sophie Wilson. For the Degree of Master of Arts in Corruption and Governance, Juma Ali Mohammed Hamood Al Yazeedi. Ruben Garcia. Michelle Kawa. Andrew Rogan. Isabel Rios Castellon. Sorina Stallard. Simeon Wilson. For Criminology and Criminal Justice, Aysegul Percin. For Gender Studies, Alice Barradale. Ana Sofia Carranza Risco. Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for the thesis, "Power Dynamics Facilitating Corruption Risks "in the Post-Award Phase of Public Procurement, "a study of the Mexican federal government." Irasema Guzman Orozco. For the thesis, "Inflammatory Responses, UTI and AMR", Eleanor Kashouris. For the thesis, "The Decade of Realignment, Explaining Political Change in Britain, "2010 to 2021", James Prentice. For the thesis, "Illuminating the Past to Make the Future Safer, "Exploring the Potential and Peril of Domestic Homicide Reviews "as a Mechanism for Change", James Rowlands. For the thesis, "Anti-Corruption Narratives in Contemporary China, 2012 to 2019", Yang Wu. Chancellor, this concludes the presentation of our fabulous students from Sociology, Criminology and Politics in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I call upon Professor David Ruebain, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Culture, Equality and Inclusion, to present Paul Barber.

(Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), David Ruebain approaches the lectern alongside Paul Barber, OBE to introduce him.)

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), David Ruebain:

Chancellor, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Paul Barber, OBE. Paul has described himself as a failed footballer. He said that he wasn't talented enough to make it as a player or a coach, so took what he describes as the third best option, running a football club. How lucky for the sport that he did, and especially for Brighton and Hove Albion, where he is Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman. Just a few weeks ago, after a tremendous season in the Premier League, the Albion qualified to play in a European competition, the Europa League, for the first time in the club's 122-year history. This is a remarkable achievement for a club outside the Big Six, and a testament to the work delivered both on and off the pitch, including their detailed focus on data, analytics and untapped potential, sourcing players from all over the world. Now, I happen to be an Arsenal fan. A gooner. And whilst I was thrilled that we beat Brighton on New Year's Eve, I admired them when they soundly thrashed us in the return match in May. Paul has spent more than 25 years working in football administration at all levels of the game, and is recognised as being one of English football's most experienced executives, having previously worked for the Football Association, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, and Vancouver Whitecats Football Club in Major League Soccer. He was appointed Chief Executive of Brighton and Hove Albion in 2012, and became Deputy Chairman in 2018. Under his leadership, the club was promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 2017. The continued success of the club has brought Paul the highest accolades, including an OBE in the New Year's Honours list, and being named Premier League Chief Executive Officer of the Year at the Football Business Awards 2023 in May. But it's not just about winning matches. Paul has supported football from grassroots to the highest level, prioritising women's football, the youth academy system, and disabled players. And in other matters close to my heart, the club achieved gold in the Football Business Awards this year for its equality, diversity, and inclusion work. Among the new initiatives introduced this season and showcased as part of the club's submission for the award was an LGBTQ+ Ally Pledge Scheme for fans, the education of staff and participants in inclusive, non-binary language, an active LGBTQ+ internal network of staff and allies, promotion of jobs in the LGBTQ+ community through City Angels and LGBTQjobs.co.uk, and gender identity and LGBTQ+ awareness training for staff. The club continues to be a major sponsor of Pride and has strengthened its links with the city's Ledward Centre and the Rainbow Hub. Throughout his career, Paul has brought sound business sense, ambition, and a keenness to see opportunities for the team and for men and women players. He plays fair. He sees the value in taking on those who can excel, nurturing real talent in many areas of the sport, not just on the field. He has said that football is no different from any other business in that having people united behind a common goal and clear objectives will give you a much greater chance of success. This vision to consistently be a top 10 Premier League club and a top four Women's Super League club is plastered all over the training ground. He has said, "We know where we've come from and we will never forget how hard it was to get into the Premier League, but we still have grand ambitions and we need every single person at Brighton to be pushing for them." His passion for the game is evident, but it is keenness to innovate and to push for equality and opportunities for all that place him in a league of his own. Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of the University Honoris Causa, Paul Barber OBE.

(Shaking hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Paul Barber, OBE is conferred an honorary degree.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I'll say a couple of formal words. I'll just turn this way. By the authority of the Senate of the University, it gives me enormous pleasure to confer upon you the degree Doctor of the University Honoris Causa. Congratulations, Paul. Well done.

(He then shakes hands with Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, and approaches the lectern to make his honorary speech.)

Paul Barber, OBE:

Thank you very much, Chancellor. I'm very proud indeed to receive an honorary degree to mark my career in professional football. This isn't quite the Amex, but it's not far behind. It's not too bad at all. And I'd like to thank you, Chancellor, and the University of Sussex for conferring such an honour upon me. And thank you also for inviting me to speak at today's graduation ceremony. I'd like to start by congratulating my fellow graduates. And I wish each of you great success in the future. And I know, having been in the parent seats myself, how proud the parents are today. So congratulations to all of you. And don't worry. I know what you're all thinking. We've all slogged away for years to get our degrees, and then this old guy just rocks up and is given one. Sorry about that. Anyway, an early school report of mine suggested that if Paul doesn't make it as a professional footballer, I'm not really sure what kind of future he has. Encouraging words, eh? Well, after more than 25 years working professional football, I have, vicariously at least, had the privilege of living at least part of my life like a footballer. Nevertheless, it's often struck me how close to the truth the words of that teacher might actually have been, had I not got my head and my life together. First, some home truths. I simply wasn't good enough to be a professional footballer. And at the time I most needed it, I also lacked the required work ethic. Sadly, the same could be said of my academic outlook. "If Paul was as focused in the classroom as he is on football, anything's possible," a different teacher said. But he just doesn't work hard enough. Later in my life, I saw the irony of these earlier failures. Raised in a working-class home, my parents divorced when I was 13. I later realised just how hard my mum had worked to hold down multiple jobs to ensure her three children, me included, didn't go hungry and didn't want for very much at all. Fast forward 20 years, and as a father myself, I saw again, not as soon as I should have, just how hard my own wife had worked as an ever-present support for our three children, enabling me to pursue the career of my dreams. Both women were, and still are, selfless, humble, supportive, loyal, and above all, incredibly hard-working. But like so many women in similar situations, they are entirely unsung. Until now, that is. So to my mum and to my wife, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really wouldn't... I really wouldn't have had the fantastic career I've had or to be standing here today without your hard work, your love and your support, so thank you again. So why is this all important to what I have to say here today? Well, the question I'm most asked by young people, very often in an academic setting, is what does it take to build a successful career? And it's probably the question a lot of you sitting there today are asking yourselves, or at least you will be very soon. My first response is always, "I'll let you know when I've successfully built mine." And to be frank, my career is still a work in progress. It's still full of ups and downs. And to be perfectly honest, impostor syndrome is never far away. A successful career starts for me with family and friends, a foundation, a support network, and with people who tell you what you need to hear as opposed to what you want to hear. Avoiding distractions to secure the best possible education will certainly help, but continuing to listen and learn is absolutely crucial if you're going to build that successful career. And of course, having a talent, a natural talent, in whatever field you're in matters. Of course it does. However, in my industry, I've seen far too many people waste their natural talent and fail to reach their potential. So as good as all these basic elements are, you do need more. Securing your first break from an organisation that believes in you and can see your potential is critical. Mentors and allies to inspire you and to push you to the next level are as important as people that also have your back. Those same people can also help to counter the moments of self-doubt. And yes, impostor syndrome can be a thing, even for the most successful people. Challenges, disappointments, setbacks help to build personality and resilience because success, certainly in my experience, doesn't come in a straight line. And we need perspective to properly recognise and enjoy our successes, hopefully with a large dose of humility. I've been very fortunate in my career, but I try very hard not to forget those who helped me along the way and to help those who are still trying to find their way. That's really important, however successful you are. And there are three final, very important ingredients to building a successful career. You need courage to take risks. You need luck to balance the risks you take and to accelerate your progress. But above all, as I learned very early on from my mum and recently from my wife, there's no substitute for hard work. However talented you are, whatever career you choose, whatever level you start at and whatever level you reach, in short, it's about being the very best you can be every step of the way. As you've heard a couple of times, I certainly didn't work hard enough to be the most talented footballer or the best student I could be. I haven't always worked hard enough at being the best son, husband or father I could be either. But, Mum, I'd like to think all three of these remain work in progress, so bear with me. So, given the recurring theme, I do want to close by reassuring you and perhaps myself too, that the honour I have received today has been earned, albeit in a different way to how you've earned yours. And I'm proud to say that I've used the foundation so generously provided to me by my family and friends. I've taken every opportunity to learn as much as I can along the way and I've maximised every break that I've had. I've been so inspired by so many great leaders and I've actually learnt a lot from some bad leaders too. And I've been supported by so many selfless colleagues. Along the way, I've had numerous setbacks, challenges and plenty of self-doubt, all of which I think, and I hope, have kept me humble. And I'm really proud that my three children have the strongest of work ethics and receive far better school reports because of it. So, to conclude, I'd like to quote the famous golfer Gary Player, who once said, "The harder I work, the luckier I seem to get." I'm really convinced there's something to that. You have all worked so hard to this point, so whatever you do, wherever you do it, don't stop now. Thank you very much. Have a great graduation.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I call upon the Head of the Department of Mathematics in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Professor Peter Giesl.

(Head of the School of Mathematics, Professor Peter Giesl, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.)

Head of the School of Mathematics, Professor Peter Giesl:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Hannah Blackmore. Kenny Chu. Anna Church. Henry Clist. Also, the recipient of the Dr. John Birch Music Scholarship, Frederic Collinge. Daisy Essex. Olivia Gardner-Stanbridge. Gracie Gilbert. Matilda Harris. Hayden Hewings. Senad Khalfa. William Lawrence. Susan Lungley. Laurence Murphy. Metha Muthukumar. Samuel Riseborough. Raquel Ruiz Martinez. Luke Saville. Rozzie Scarff. William Smith. Estere Sosäre. Eve Staple. Katherine Tang. Benjamin Warner. Aliceah Welsh. For Mathematics with Economics, Iain Bird. Joshua Kianfar. Ava King. For Mathematics with Finance, Asma Bdiri. Iman El-Audi. Ross Lucas. Katja Rossi. Cameron Scott-Darling. Derline Sebastian. Jessica Taffinder. Alexander Webber. For Physics, Cameron Dar. Luke Field. Maia Hughes Woods. Flynn Jeffery. Georgina O'Callaghan. Kelsey Raney. Jay Sonar. For Physics with Astrophysics, Andrew Bartlett. Minal Bhosale. Borja Pautasso. For Theoretical Physics, Patrick Baxter. Elliott Tudor. For the degree of Master of Mathematics in Mathematics, Dean Ayers. Sophia Nabeel. For Mathematics Research Placement and also awarded the Hirschfeld Prize, Sareena Pokkakkillath. For the degree of Master of Physics in Physics, Emerson Bannister. Hannah Schmidt. Mary Sturch. Thomas Wishart. For Physics with Astrophysics, Adrien Aufan Stoffels Hautefort. Lily Joyce. Grace Marten. For Theoretical Physics, Matthew Aylett. Rory Creagh. For the Postgraduate Diploma in Human and Social Data Science, Jenny Boateng. For the degree of Master of Science in Astronomy, Cheuk Yin Lui. Owen Thompson. For Data Science, Qusai Jaser Al-Buqaeen. Mohsin Ali. William Fussey. Nishith Gupta. Peeyush Jain. Tairatou Jallow. Uma Shashank Kulkarni. Sagar Premkumar Maheshwari. Seyed Mirghazanfari. Gulsom Mirzada. Mutsawashe Rutendo Mutatapasi. Alisha Shaik. Lokesh Subramanian. For Human and Social Data Science, Isaac Akintomiwa Akin-Onigbinde. For Physics with Education, George Fairweather. Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for the thesis, "Searches for Chargino and Neutralino Production in Multileptonic Final States Using Square Root S Equals 13 TeV Proton-Proton Collisions with the Atlas Detector", Marco Aparo. For the thesis, "First-Order Phase Transitions Beyond the Standard Model", Feanor Reuben Ares. For the thesis, "Solar Neutrinos at Dune", Aran Borkum. For the thesis, "Spatiotemporal Control of Terahertz Waves in Random Media via Nonlinear Ghost Imaging", Vittorio Cecconi. For the thesis, "Simulations of Structure Formation and Feedback at High Redshift", Luke Conaboy. For the thesis, "Development of Optically Pumped Magnetometer Arrays for Magnetic Imaging", Thomas Coussens. For the thesis, "Fixed Points of Fermionic Quantum Field Theories", Charlie Cresswell-Hogg. For the thesis, "Marin and Meran, Machine Learning in the TTZ2 Lepton Channel and Preparing Atlas Data for Education Worldwide", Meirin Evans. For the thesis, "Biomagnetic Imaging Using Highly Sensitive Quantum Magnetometers", Aikaterini Gialopsou. For the thesis, "Observational Prospects for Gravitational Waves from Cosmological First-Order Phase Transitions at LISA", Chloe Gowling. For the thesis, "Route to Deterministic Terahertz Wave Control in Scattering Media", Vivek Kumar. For the thesis, "Search for Supersymmetry in Final States Including Two Same-Sign Hadronically Decaying TOR Leptons, a Tale from Triggers to TORs", Daniela Köck. For the thesis, "A Two-Module Trapped-Ion Quantum Computer Prototype", Foni Le Brun-Ricalens. For the thesis, "Strain and Doping in Nanoscale Hybrids for Sensing Applications", Cheuk Long Frank Lee. For the thesis, "Chinese Financial Market, Stock Valuation from Data Analysis Perspective and Option Valuation Using Truncated Binomial Trees", Hao Li. For the thesis, "Special Functions and Analysis on Smooth Metric Measure Spaces", Steven Lockwood. For the thesis, "Multiple Field Inflation in Primordial Non-Gaussianity", Billy Kareem Marzouk. For the thesis, "The Power of Combining the Radio and Far Infrared to Study Galaxy Evolution", Ian Mccheyne. For the thesis, "Towards a Logical Qubit Demonstration with Trapped Ions in a Scalable Quantum Computing Architecture", Alexander Owens. For the thesis, "Galaxy Distributions Within and Around Observed and Simulated Groups", Stephen Riggs. For the thesis, "Advancing the Search for Fundamental Theories of Nature Within Particle Physics with Machine Learning", Michael Soughton. For the thesis, "Exploiting the XMM Science Archive for X-ray Galaxy Cluster Mass Calibration and Other Astrophysical Applications", David Turner. For the thesis, "Exploring Scaling Relations and Catalogue Completeness Using the XMM Cluster Survey", Edward Upsdell. For the thesis, "Measurement of Neutrino Oscillations Using Neutrino and Antineutrino Beams in the NOVA Experiment", Yibing Zhang. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

(Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), Professor Kelly Coate, stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduands names of the ceremony.)

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), Professor Kelly Coate:

Chancellor, I will now present to you those who were unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in the School of Psychology, Georgia Garran. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management Studies in the University of Sussex Business School, Ahmed Maryoud. For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, Charlotte Deegan. Saraya Jones. Pauline Wangari. For the degree of Master of Science in Data Science, Gaurav Kappor. Ashraf Khan. Maedeh Maghsoudi. Tushar. Chancellor, I am delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex graduation ceremony.

(Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I know that what you really want to do is to get out of here and have your pictures by the sea. And we're hurtling towards that point and I'm going to speak a little bit in a minute. But there's one last kind of semi-formal thing that I've got to do. So if you wouldn't mind, all the people who crossed the stage at this ceremony, if you wouldn't mind standing up. Thank you very much. And colleagues, if you wouldn't mind standing up as well. This sort of marks the end of the formal, semi-formal bit of the ceremony. So I just have to say to you guys, Class of 2023, congratulations. You did it!

(After sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Well, well, well. There was a whole load of firsts there, but there is also a last actually. And this is just a personal thing for me. This is Kelly Coates' last graduation ceremony. And Kelly has been here, certainly for as long as I have, and has always been incredibly warm and supportive and guiding to me. And she's going on to kind of further work. But thank you. Congratulations and good luck, Kelly. You won't nearly have as much fun as you have here. I can tell you that for sure. And congratulations, everyone, again, including Paul, as our honorary Dr. Barber. You can get people to call you Dr. Barber now. That's great, isn't it? Thank you for your words as well. And echoing, some of the things I'm going to say will echo a lot of the things that you've said as well. But that whole thing that really struck me was the hard work thing. Absolutely, there's no substitute for it. And I think there have been some generations that have grown up and their best plan is to just be lucky. I don't really know what that means. So, yeah, grifting, grafting, all that sort of stuff is absolutely right. And also, I think with, for me, any kind of level of success is not complete without humility, unless you appreciate what other people around you have done to help you get there. I think you're missing the bigger picture. But anyway, I'm going to rant on about some boring stuff in a bit. But let me, before I get to the boring stuff, family and friends, can I just say, well done. Some of you, and you know who you are, you are truly embarrassing. Respect. Congratulations. And students, as your time here at Sussex draws to a close, we hope that you will keep us in your thoughts and in your hearts and remain connected to us and each other as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest. And of course, you would be a fantastic resource for current and future students of Sussex. So I hope that some of you would consider becoming mentors in the mentoring schemes that we have here. Whether your next step is gainful employment, the search for it, further academic study or just some time out, I wish you all the very, very best. The closing of these ceremonies, the chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But, you know, here's some thoughts that I've had that you can ponder, ignore or even better, improve. It struck me that as your Sussex chapter ends, the future begins and it's imperative that you get to write your story, that you have some say in it. Because if you don't, someone else will write your story for you. I believe that the ultimate way or one of the really useful ways, at least to control your narrative, is to consistently and improvingly be unconditionally you. I often hear people and you must have heard this as well, people who will say, well, I mean, if they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them. I'll listen to them if they'll listen to me. If they show me respect, I will gladly show them respect. Now, all of these are conditional. What it says to me is that you'll act based on how someone else acts. So who's controlling the narrative here? Be nice. Listen. Respect. Simply because that's just who you are. Regardless of their responses. That traditional phrase, you know, treat others as you would wish to be treated, is exactly that. Does what it says on the tin. Otherwise, that phrase would be, treat others after you've waited to see how they're treating you and making sure there wasn't a misunderstanding or that you hadn't misheard and made sure it was you they were talking to and not some other random person and then do the same as them. And that's not as catchy. I believe that emotional intelligence is the essential component of wisdom. It incorporates empathy, compassion and kindness. And those attributes, better than any others, are going to see you through the good times and the challenging ones. I would add a sense of humour. Not just because it's fun, which is pretty important, but because irony can give you perspective. When we get overwhelmed by something, whether it's tragic or scary or anxious or beautiful or emotional or whatever, even momentarily, we can lose perspective. And if we then have to, in that moment, make a decision, we're trying to find a decision from the same head that's overwhelmed, which strikes me as pretty difficult. So the quickest way to get perspective is to talk to someone, is get another viewpoint. It's something that Paul alluded to as well, which is to have people around you that will tell you what you need to hear, I suppose what you want to hear. And for me, it has been a process of deduction to get people around me who will tell me the absolute honest truth, but in the kindest way. They're on your side, but they will tell you the truth because of that. But the other way, if you haven't got someone around you, is a sense of humour, because that thing that is frightening and anxious and tragic or beautiful or whatever it is, that overwhelming thing, if you can find a silly or ridiculous or funny aspect to it, it's not less tragic or less scary, but it's no longer one thing. It's now two things, and that gives you a little bit of perspective. I think I'm hardwired to find a solution. I really don't care if I come up with it or someone else does, as long as we find it. I've got no ego other than find the solution. And also, finding common ground. I don't know about you, but disagreeing after you've agreed on something feels very different to agreeing after you've disagreed about something. Just a couple of thoughts I had about the future. I think we're brought up to fear the unknown future. I think that's why a lot of people plan. What's your plan? Have you got a plan? You haven't got a plan? Where's your plan? What happens to the last plan? Did you write it down? What about the plan? Have you written it down? Planning, of course, is great. It is important, because it allows you to see and build small steps towards a goal. But planning is linear, right? It has to be. One rung of the ladder follows the next. This is something, again, I think Paul alluded to as well. Life is not linear. We have to somehow be at peace with both those things. Life is full of the unexpected and curveballs, weird coincidences. The WTFs. World Tennis Federation, in case you're wondering. But that is life. Planning is that. Life is that. I was thinking about the phrase "better the devil you know". Breaking that down, it means I'll accept this horrible thing now, because in the future, which hasn't happened yet, there may be an even more horrible thing. I know this is horrible now, but I'll take this horrible thing now. When you get to that future, the more horrible thing doesn't transpire, and you're stuck with the thing that you knew was horrible. What would happen if instead of seeing that future, the one full of unimagined, worse things, you saw that future as a world of possibilities? Some could be worse, but you have to acknowledge some may be better. To me, it just means that when you're making your decision, you're not making it based on fear. You're making it based on hope, which I think is always a healthier place to start. When life throws you the curveball, it's not unexpected anymore, and you can adjust to it quicker. I'll tell you very briefly two lived experiences and examples of this. You may or may not be aware that Sussex University was my first choice when I was applying to universities all those years ago. I didn't want to go anywhere else, and I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough, so I took my business elsewhere. I waited 25 years till all those who'd prevented me from getting in had either moved on, retired, been deported, were in prison, or became just plain dead, and I came back as Chancellor. So, hey, hey, hey! I know that was childish, but my point is, you know, take that linear planning. You didn't see that coming. Also, I wanted to act and write since I was five years old, and I know this because when I was five years old, an uncle came to the house and said to me as a five-year-old, "So what do you want to be when you grow up, huh?" And I said, "Actor," and my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." It's true. It's true. So I didn't go to drama school. I didn't even do GCSE drama, but the dream was still sitting there, behind, pushed behind a sea of fear and impossibilities. And at the age of 30, I found myself in litigation, having sued my last company for breach of contract, and I couldn't get any kind of job for about two years while the whole thing rattled through the legal process. I could not have foreseen, and neither could anyone else, that within two years of that finishing, that I would be on television in a very-- turned out to be a very successful show, and have managed to sustain a career since then in something I absolutely love. So I have to say again, take that, linear planning! You didn't see that coming! Those are both examples of kind of, you know, at the time, I might have been very kind of like despondent and decimated about things, but if someone had told me then, "Oh, you're going to zigzag to being chancellor here, or having a career that you'd really love," that would have made me feel a little better, but I just, you know, did not and could not foresee that. So just foresee the unknown as something positive once in a while. The other thing I've discovered, and I hope you embrace this, actually, this goes up a little bit to actually Paul, when you were talking about imposter syndrome. This ties in a little bit with that, actually, as well, is that I don't have imposter syndrome at all. Because I'm just learning. So how can I be an imposter if I'm learning? You know, you mentioned the thing about being a work in progress. I'm a work in progress. Sue me. It's kind of, I'm trying to get better than I was, you know, yesterday. That's it. So how can I be an imposter in that? You know, I'm not saying I'm anything that I'm not. I'm just a student. And connected with that was because these are all kind of, you know, inner monologue conversations we have in our heads, and I think positivity is really important with those. So the other thing I've discovered is I cannot fail. Why? I can't. Simply because that word no longer applies to me. I give myself two choices. I either enjoy or learn, or both. Three choices. I'll enjoy and learn it. Which means that I'm ready to adapt or change my plan, either the steps or the goals. I haven't failed. I would have learned something. No room for failure. We all get and have got so obsessed with winning and losing that we sometimes overlook improvement as being one of the most valuable markers. But who are you and who are we? Well, I believe it's fairly simple, actually. It's we. It's what it's always, always what we do next. Our next decision is who we are all the time. What just happened may have happened because of you or it may have happened for reasons out of your control. But your response to it, that's who you are. Process it. Learn from it. Move on from it. I leave you with some wise words, proper wise words from some proper wise people. Mahatma Gandhi said freedom is not worth having if it doesn't include the freedom to make mistakes. So please don't be afraid of making mistakes. It's how we learn. Obviously, make sure that each mistake you make is a new one. Don't keep making the same mistake. It's a definition of an idiot. Don't be an idiot. New mistakes every time. And Mahatma Gandhi also said, be the change you want to see in the world. So if you believe in equality, you have to start expressing it yourself first. It's not conditional. If you feel you have a voice worth listening to, and I absolutely believe every one of you does, then you have to listen first. Maya Angelou, the great American poet, said people may forget what you said. People may forget what you did. People will never forget the way you made them feel. And I think that's absolutely true. There's a really lovely fable. It's one of my favourites about a Native American who was chatting to his grandson about a debate that goes on inside people. He said, there is a battle between two wolves inside each one of us. One wolf is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. The other wolf is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. And the grandson thought for a minute and then asked, but which wolf wins? And the grandfather said, the one you feed. Keep that in mind. And finally, I end with the ancient and very true Sanskrit proverb, too many cooks still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding. It's true. Might have made it up. At the end of the day, I think what we all need from each other is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes and evolve. But all of that means being kind to yourself, too. Sometimes you have to be your own best friend. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one common thread that you added to the love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways every day. And I look forward to reading every single one of them. I officially declare the ceremony closed.

[Music playing]

(Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

[The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. Before I start, I just wanted to put in a little apology as signer, Marco, who is just the most lovely guy. He's been caught in traffic on the way here. So he's not here yet. If he gets here in time, then he'll kind of sneak on. I did offer to do it myself. I don't do sign language. It would have just been embarrassing, and I would have probably insulted someone. So nevertheless, we move on. I'm delighted as chancellor to welcome you formally to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, distinguished faculty members, and those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and your family and friends who join you here today. To all of you, I say, bonjour, bonjour, guten tag, hola, dobrý den, privyet, marhaba, salamun alaykum, jambo, shalom, namaskara, ni hao, konnichiwa, oi, hey, hi, howdy, and hello. Aside from showing you my phenomenal skills at Google Translate, it indicates just how proud we are that students from all over the world choose to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas beyond more conventional lines, embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems, and then combining these with the best of our own thoughts, realising that invention and innovation has no colour, gender, or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, celebrate together, live together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give me the greatest hope and the greatest belief that we are always, always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be chancellor, these ceremonies have always been a celebration for me of your efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity, all of which have brought you here today. The wedding reception, where you can let loose a little and share the joy and have a little dance, as opposed to the solemn registry due. And I am really, really aware of the efforts and sacrifices that you've made. In addition to the pandemic and the current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle to balance your studies with home life. In some cases, whilst raising children, being carers through loss and sickness, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, and family help, battling not just self-doubt, but sometimes even the doubts of others. But here you are. You persevered. And it is that very perseverance and focus, overcoming all of those challenges, that we are celebrating here today. And I really do think that's worth celebrating. So although-- you were freshers once, and Freshers Week is a great time for the university, welcoming all the new students. And although those first few weeks of watching you all wandering about, wondering where your next class is, or standing motionless in a corridor not knowing where you are, are undoubtedly entertaining, it is these ceremonies that are the highlight of our year. For many of you today will mark the end of your academic adventures, the odyssey that began with those first faltering steps at nursery school or kindergarten. And will culminate here, across this very stage as you walk across it. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours. And after that, you will take the mere 20 or so steps across this stage, terrified that you're going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering if the heels were such a good idea, worried that your flies are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone in the front row. But what an array of laps we've arranged for you this morning, if you choose to do that. Look at that. It's like Guardians of the Galaxy. Meets 50 Shades of Grey. Family and friends, it's a joy and an honour to have you here. And thank you. I know some of you have made great efforts to be here, to be present for this kind of wonderful moment. And these ceremonies live long in the memory of student staff and families, as I've been lucky enough to experience. So students, feel free to express your joy when you come up here in any way you want, as long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality. We've had-- already this week, we've had handshakes, hugs, and fist bumps, and dabs, and dancing, and press-ups. I mean, I've gone along with all of them. If you're tempted, please don't do press-ups. I mean, because I then have to do it. And I know I can get down. I'm not sure if I can get back up again now. But listen, you can ignore me if you want. It's your day. So enjoy it. No selfies on stage, I'm afraid. I'm just very, very shy. And family and friends, as I said, this is your day too. And a glorious opportunity for you to really embarrass your epic hero as he, she, or they cross this stage. So when the time comes, please have your cameras ready and be prepared to make a lot of noise. I call upon the Vice Chancellor to address the congregation.

[Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the university, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students here to celebrate your time at Sussex. Welcome. Good morning. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil. I'm the Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. And I'd like to start by thanking our Chancellor, Sanjeev, for a wonderful opening speech. And a little aside, he did actually do 15 press-ups yesterday morning. And he got up. He jumped up. So he's a lot fitter than he would give you to believe. He didn't, though, follow the zoology student who came on as an orangutan. And so he doesn't copy everything you do. But it was wonderful, that life sciences ceremony. It's gone down in history. If you haven't seen it, it's on Instagram. Do have a look. But before we proceed, I just want to acknowledge that for a few of you here, this isn't quite the occasion you're anticipating. Because there are a small number of you who are still awaiting your final marks and degree classification. It's only a really small number in the business school. I'm really pleased about that. And that is down to the incredible hard work of all the academics and the professional services staff in the business school. But you and your fellow students have been through a hard time. You faced a number of unprecedented challenges. For those of you who arrived as undergraduates during the pandemic, you went through the pandemic with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. As things were settling down, some of you experienced some disruption from strike action. And then, for some of you, delays in your marks. I deeply regret this. It really shouldn't be thus. And I offer you my heartfelt apologies. And my promise that I'm doing all that I can to move along, as one voice, the national negotiations that are taking place. And they have resumed now, the national negotiations between the employers' body and the union. So that those of you who don't have your marks, get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we're gathered together, class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones to celebrate all that was good about your time at Sussex. This period of your life in which I know for sure you worked hard, learned a huge amount, experienced an enormous amount of personal change and growth. And I hope had some fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family, or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university, as well as some of you from scholarships generously donated by alumni and other donors. So I'm going to ask all of you who are going to walk across the stage in a few minutes, all of you sitting in front of me in your gowns, to stand up and to offer your thanks, a round of applause maybe, to everyone who supported you on this journey. And you might want to turn and look towards your friends and family who are gathered behind you, and say thank you to them. So please stand.

[Graduands stand and applaud.]

Thank you. Now, whether you already have a job lined up, or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or are busy trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world. It's helped you to learn to think critically and creatively, to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connections between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex, by the people who've taught you, focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, ranging from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy, intensifying inequalities, the ethics and politics of new technologies, and much more. We're really proud that according to the latest independent review of university research, 93% of research at Sussex was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it makes a difference in the world. Right now, it's making the world a better place. You might be even more proud as graduates of the University of Sussex Business School to know that the business school has been ranked first in the country, first across the whole of the UK, for research income this year. And this is yet again, so for six years running, this has been the case. So your business school is right at the top in research terms. For the past seven years, the university has also topped the QS World University rankings for development studies. This is something of which we're also very proud, because it gets to the heart of our unique commitment at Sussex to seeking to advance global equality and social justice through our research, teaching, and the partnerships we engage in. And we're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Impact rankings for 2023 for delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Now, this commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum to encouraging nature to flourish on campus, has also helped us rise 22 places this year in the 2024 QS World University Rankings League table. And we're now in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Environmental sustainability is central to our mission and purpose. And right across the university, academics, professional services staff, and our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and our natural environment. And this mission, and all that we do, aligns with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity, and kindness. We also see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be given trees, or the promise of a tree, by their families in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy, and as a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees will be planted around the watercourses of the Brighton and Hove area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. This is a brilliant idea, facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet, and the human desire to connect with nature and contribute to the common good. So families and friends, if you're interested, there's a stall in the centre here today, and you can also use good old Google and find it. Please do think about planting a tree in honour of your student. Now I know that many of you here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. And I want to acknowledge that for some of you, your time as students has involved some difficult periods, periods of mental or physical health challenge, and times when things didn't seem to be going well. I hope that you found kindness, care, and support amongst the Sussex community. For sure, we don't always get it right or do enough, but I hope that you felt that people were trying their best. And I hope that everyone found their studies intellectually rewarding, challenging, and rigorous, because that's after all what university is about. It's about opening up, training, expanding minds. You're now going to take different paths, each one of you, off on your journey as you join the ranks of more than 200,000 Sussex alumni worldwide. Our alumni include Nobel laureates, world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers, and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organisations, and those with less publicly high profile, but no less significant lives and careers. People whose actions and relationships are remaking and renewing our complex social fabric in small, positive ways every day. Across the globe, in more than 160 countries, and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So today, celebrate who you are at the end of your time at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible. And celebrate your friends and family who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon the head of the Department for Strategy and Marketing in the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Michael Beverland.

[Head of the Department for Strategy and Marketing in the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Michael Beverland, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.]

Head of the Department for Strategy and Marketing in the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Michael Beverland:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Management Studies, Jonathan Adams. Samy Aghil. Hassan Ahmad. Younes Al Subaei. Haytham Younis Habib Al-Zadjali. Reem Alarayedh. Farah Albuhairi. Lilly Ali. Abdullah Amin. Ahmed Anabtawi. Michael Asaolu. Youssef Awad. Pedro Ayala Garcia. Shayaan Ayaz. Jackson Ayers. Harrison Ball. Jaskaran Balrow. Lamiha Bari Miah. Grace Bawara. Dimitrios Bellos. Genevieve Bennett. William Bourne. Jessica Boyle. Gian Brar. Dylan Bryant. Molly Bryant. Joseph Burford. James Capitelli. Ruggero Catalano Rossi Danielli. Eli Cerniauskas. Mohamed Chouaibi. Tsz Chui. Matthew Clouter. Venetia Cornwallis. Bruno Correa Barbosa. Kadma Correia Borges Dos Santos Vaz. Arya Dashtabady. Bardya Dashtabady. Mac Davis. Guia De Spirt. Konstantinos Demiris. Sophie Desira. Thomas Duc. Tom Edwards. Mohammed Elbayouk. Sarah Elder. Ahmed Elfarnawani. Ali Hatem Kamal Abdelhafez Elgamal. Ali Elhadaoui. Nour Eltawila. Andrew Eracleous. Ata Denis Erozer. Oliver Evans. Analise Evenson. Juka Flint. Nikolas Floridis. Charlotte Foley. Bradley Freeman. Josh Iram Gabriola. Nikshith Ganesh. Almudena Garcia Mula. Diego García Somoza. Amir Gerami. Manish Golani. Georgia Grous. Emily Guttfield. Youssef Haggag. Mohammed Hamad Allah. Fraser Hamilton. Jaysie Hanson. Eve Hassell. Kenz Hilton. William Hinde. Lucy Hoffer. Layla Holness. Zachariah Honnor. Keyi Huang. Jazmine Hughes. Andrew Hughes. Andy Huynh. Saeed Ikhdayer. Emily James. Bobbi Javaheri. Keanu Jeeves-Kinsella. Joshua Jeffrey. Kaiyuan Jiang. Niruba Kanaharajah. Joe Kelly. Emaad Khan. Abhijeet Khattar. Jonty Knight. Duke Kuipers. Lee Lambrianou. Sammi Sum Yue Lau. Gabriel Lavenu. Jonah Lea. Zexin Lei. Tiffany Levy. Oliver Lovell. Daniel Lyon. Ben Makil. Linden Man. Luca Maraviglia. Robbie Martyr. William Mavin. Madeleine Mayne. Martha Mellors. Anthony Mihaylov. Ahmed Mohamed. Muhannad Mohamedahmed. Ifaq Mohammed. Haider Mooraj. John Morrison. Mohammed Moussedak. Oliver Mullee. Julia Naylor. Thomas Naylor. Amelia Newton. Naima Njie. Kenechi Njoku. Selin Olcer. Eunice Oloyede. Catarina Pais Rodrigues. Hanbal Paracha. Annabel Parker. Sam Parsons. Jenil Patel. Andreas Polyviou. Ariana Porro Goicochea. Ahmad Hassan Qureshi. Naimur Rahman. Rameen Raja. Abdur Rehman. Kunsela Ren. James Rout. Amy Scanlan. Muhammad Sethi. Deandra Moshe Setiantoko. Iyla Shah Khan. Muhammad Shaikh. Helena Shamloo. Emily Sheckley. Chloe Simpson. Jennifer Sinclair. Alexandros Skronias. Lewis Slater. William Standen. Joseph Stubbs. Tagoe Akwetey Joel. Laila Tantawy. Benjamin Taylor. Yi Jee Tee. Robert Thornton. Alexander Tiplady. Eleanor Tolman. Joshua Tombs. Rikards Vinniks. Jeremiah Walsh. Sam Warshaw. Maxime Weber. Xuan Wei. Thomas West-Naughton. Arthur Whitley. Haydn Williams. Ross Willsher. Roselle Wong. Chun Hin Jasper Wong. Cameron Wyatt. Xinyi Yang. Haris Yaqoob. Anton Youssef. Alessio Zabai. Moiz Kamran Khan Dawood Zai. Emilia Zanzi. Tianhe Zhao. Qingao Zheng. Wenxuan Zheng. Hanning Zhou. Uzair Motiwala. For Business and Management Studies with a Professional Placement Year, Emily Albon. Maria Antoniou. Bailey Bachmann. Millie Brown. Emily Burn. Kaylan Cenolli. Kayla Charnock. Anthony Connolly. Thomas Coomber. Joshua Dawkins. Harry Diver. Harry Edmonds. Gabriela Guevara Sanchez. Daniel Harding. Luka Janjic. Shreyan Kaul. Thomas Keer. Joshan Lally. Mark Loggia. Paige Lucas. Zoe Mabey. Callum Macgregor. Youssef Hossameldin Abdelwahab Mohamed. Katie Morrison. Grace Nickless. Fintan O'Reilly. Amelia Petite. Daniel Phillips. Karan Prebhaker. Richard-Sheridan. Benjamin Ringrose-Voase. Rebecca Ross. Manasi Saravanan. Oliver Stone. Lena Struyven-Garcia. Marlen Tabakh. Murrough Walsh. Joshua Whittemore. Aaron Wickings. For Business and Management Studies with a Study Abroad Year, Margaux Cox. Anand Manish Rawal. For Marketing and Management, Ifedayo Benita Farore. For the degree of Master of Business Administration, Ruturaj Abnave. Camila Ema Maria Isabel Aljaro Zuniga. Nitish Dubey. Justin John. Alan Geoffrey Kinder. Harsh Mohit Kispotta. Morenikeji Alice Lanisa. Sepehr Miremadi. Syed Shaheryar Raza. Mariana Rea. For the degree of Master of Science in Global Supply Chain and Logistics Management, Jasmine Edassery Joye. Rokeb Hasan. Devi Kanakaraj. Joyce Taatieh Luanda. Gagan Raj. Shree Arvind Sampath Kumar. Abhinav Shrivastava. Namrata Manoj Thadani. For Human Resource Management, Sarmin Aktar. Malathi Ravichandran. For Management, Cuiting Li. Siqi Li. Yuxin Lin. Zishan Xu. For Occupational and Organisational Psychology, Tamanna. Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. For the thesis, Sustainable Entrepreneurial Orientation and Supply Chain Dynamic Capabilities for Social Value Creation, evidence from MSCs in the East London Fashion Cluster, Helen Beney. For the thesis, Anti-Manual for the Organisational Construction of Authenticity in Postcolonial Context, Bożena Zakrzewska. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the University of Sussex Business School.

[Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony.]

Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones

:Chancellor, I will now present to you those who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Education and Social Work, for the thesis, What are Higher Education Teachers' Values and Beliefs in Relation to Entrepreneurism and How Are These Enacted in Their Teaching Practice? Eight Case Studies in English Higher Education, Lisa Blatch. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Management Studies, Edward Cromwell. Zhen Pan. Chancellor, I am delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentation for this University of Sussex ceremony.

[Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands centrally on stage.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I just noticed Marco's here. Hey, Marco! How are you? Great, good to see you. Everybody who crossed the stage today, would you do me one last favour and just stand? Thank you. Colleagues, if you wouldn't mind standing as well, this is the semi-formal bit, just for me to say congratulations, and Class of 2023, as it says on the sign outside, you did it! Come on! All right! Please.

[Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Congratulations again, everyone. Well done, family and friends. Some of you were truly embarrassing. Respect. And I feel I've got to address the press-ups, right? I mean, it suddenly struck me as quite odd that anybody would come and ask someone who's almost three times their age to go and do press-ups. It's like a friend of your dad's coming round to you and going, "Oh, nice to meet you, press-ups!" Anyway, yeah, thanks for those. I don't have to work out now for the rest of the week. So, as your time at Sussex draws to a close, we hope that you will, of course, keep us in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and to each other as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest to you, and it would be great if some of you would consider becoming mentors as well for future students as well in the mentoring scheme. Whether your next step is gainful employment, the search for it, further academic study, or simply some time out, I wish you the very, very best. At the closing of these ceremonies, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But here's some thoughts I've had that you can ponder, ignore or hopefully improve. As the Sussex chapter in your life story ends, it's imperative that you get to write your future and have some say in your story, because if you don't, someone else will. And I believe a really fundamental way to control your narrative is to consistently and improvingly be unconditionally you. You are unique. I mean, I often hear people-- you must have heard this as well-- people who say things like, "Well, if they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them. "If they listen to me, I'll listen to them. "If they show me respect, I will absolutely show them respect." All of these are conditional. What it says to me is that you'll act based on how someone else acts. So then who's controlling the narrative there then? Be nice, listen, respect, simply because that's just who you are, irrespective of what they do. That traditional phrase, "Treat others as you wish to be treated," is kind of simple, but it's exactly that. Otherwise, that same phrase would be, "Treat others after you've waited to see how they're treating you "and making sure there wasn't a misunderstanding or that you hadn't misheard "and made sure it was you they were talking to and not some other random "and then do the same as them," which is not as catchy, is it? I believe that emotional intelligence is the essential component of wisdom, incorporating empathy, compassion, and kindness. And those attributes, better than any others, are going to see you through the good times and the challenging ones. I would add a sense of humour as well, not just because it's fun, but irony can give you perspective. When we get overwhelmed by something, whether it's kind of tragic or serious or anxious or even beautiful, when we're overwhelmed, we can momentarily lose perspective. And if we then have to make a decision in that moment, we're trying to make a decision from the same head that's overwhelmed, which strikes me as really very, very difficult sometimes. The quickest way to get perspective is to talk to someone. Just get another viewpoint. Get another two viewpoints. They're not about challenging you. They're about you kind of hearing something else that's not coming from your head. Or get a sense of humour. You know, if that thing that is scary and anxious and tragic, if you can look at it and find something about it that's silly or ridiculous or ironic or fun, it's no less tragic and no less serious, but it's not just one thing anymore. It's now two things, and that's perspective. A couple of thoughts about the future. I think we're brought up by society to fear the unknown future. It's one of the reasons why a lot of people plan. You know, what's your plan? Have you got a plan? You haven't got a plan? Make a plan. And planning is great and very important because it allows you to see and build small steps towards a goal. But planning is linear, right? I mean, it has to be. You know, one rung of the ladder follows the next. Life is anything but linear. Life kind of bounces you around, and it's the unexpected, and there's weird coincidences, and the WTFs, World Tennis Federation, for the old people. Because I was thinking about the phrase in that light, "Better the devil you know." And I suddenly broke that down, and I thought, "Okay, what that means is, better the devil you know, I'm going to accept this thing that I know is horrible right now because in the future there might be an even more horrible thing out there." And then what happens if you get to that future and the more horrible thing hasn't transpired? Then you're stuck with the thing that you knew was horrible from the beginning, and you're trapped by it. So what would happen instead of seeing that future, the one filled with unimagined worse things, that you saw that future as a world of possibilities? Yeah, there could be some things that are worse, but crucially you have to acknowledge that there will be some things that are better, and you just get a more positive slight on it. You're suddenly making a decision that's not based on fear. You're making it based on hope. And then when life does throw you the curveball, which it inevitably does, it's not unexpected, and you can adjust to it quicker. I've got two lived experiences of this, which is why I've got the view that I have. So you may be aware, or you may not be aware, that Sussex University was my first choice when I applied to universities many years ago. I didn't want to go anywhere else. And I didn't get in. Apparently my grades weren't good enough, so I took my business elsewhere. And I waited for 25 years till all of those who were responsible for me not getting in had either moved on, retired, been deported, were imprisoned, or just become plain dead, and I got back in as Chancellor. So hey, hey, hey! I know that was childish. But my point is, you know, take that linear planning... And the other thing that happened to me, which is huge, which was that I wanted to act and write since I was about five years old. And I know this because when I was five years old, some uncle came to our house and said to me, as a five-year-old, said, "Well, what do you want to be when you grow up, eh, young man?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." It's true. It's true. So I didn't go to drama school. I didn't even do GCSE drama. But the dream was still sitting there behind this sea of fear and impossibilities. And at the age of 30, I found myself in litigation, having sued the last company I worked for for a breach of contract. And that rumbled through the legal system for about two years before it was sorted, during which time I couldn't get any kind of job, and I was in debt and living with my parents and stuff and not feeling particularly good about myself. And I could not have foreseen that within two years of that, that I'd be on television in a successful show and have been fortunate enough to sustain a career since then in something that I absolutely love. And again, I have to say, "Take that, linear planning!" And crucially, through those experiences, I realised something that's really been helpful to me, and I urge you to find your way to it, which is that I discovered that I cannot fail. The word just no longer applies to me. I don't give myself that choice. I either enjoy or learn, or both. So, you know, that whole thing about negative inner monologue that we have about ourselves, about having failed or being a loser, you just need to get rid of that and turn it around somehow. But I feel that I am better ready to adapt to change my plan, change the steps or even the goal, if need be. We've all got so obsessed with winning and losing that we've overlooked improvement as being one of those key markers. I honestly believe... You know, who are we? Who are you? Working out who you are, I think, is life's journey, but there's a shortcut to a bit of it, which is I believe that we are always, always what we do next. Our next decision is who we are. What just happened to us might have been down to us, it might have been down to circumstances out of our control. We can learn from all of that. But our response to it is you. Process it, learn from it and move on from it. I'll leave you with a little story, which I really love, about a fable, it's a fable, about a Native American who was chatting to his grandson about a debate that goes on inside people. He said to his grandson, "Inside all of us, there is a battle going on between two wolves. "One wolf is evil. "It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, "self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. "The other wolf is good. "It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, "empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." And the grandson thought for a minute and then asked, "Which wolf wins?" And the grandfather replied, "The one you feed." So be mindful of feeding the good wolf. And I leave you finally with an ancient Sanskrit proverb, which I'll translate, which is, "Too many cooks still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding." It's ancient and it's still true. At the end of the day, what we really need from each other, I think, is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes and to evolve. And that also means being kind towards ourselves too. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one common thread, that you added to the love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways every day. And I really look forward to reading them. I officially declare the ceremony closed.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

[The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. I am delighted as Chancellor to welcome you formally to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and family and friends who join you here today. To all of you, I would like to say bonjour, buongiorno, guten tag, hola, dobrý den, privyet, marhaba, salamun alaykum, jambo, shalom, namaskara, ni hao, konnichiwa, oi, hey, hi, howdy, and hello. It's not worth it, really. I don't need your pity. Aside from showing you my phenomenal skills at Google Translate, it indicates just how proud we are that students from all over the world choose to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas beyond more conventional lines, embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems, and then combining it with the best of our own thoughts, realising that invention and innovation has no colour, gender, or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, live together, celebrate together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give me the greatest hope and total belief that we are always, always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be Chancellor, these ceremonies for me have always been a celebration of the efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity that has brought you here today. The wedding reception, if you like, where you can let loose a little, share the joy, have a little dance as opposed to the solemn registry do. And boy, am I aware of the efforts and sacrifices that you've made. In addition to the pandemic, various conflicts around the world, the current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children, being carers, suffering loss or sickness, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help, battling not just doubt, but sometimes even the doubts of others. But here you are. You persevered. And it is that very perseverance and focus, overcoming all of those challenges, that we are celebrating here today. And that really is worth celebrating, isn't it? These ceremonies are the highlight of the university year. For many of you today will mark the end of your academic adventures, the odyssey that began with those faltering steps all those years ago at nursery or kindergarten and culminates here after just a short walk across this very stage. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours. And you will take the mere 20 or so steps across this stage, terrified that you're going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering-- oh, there's some truth there. You're worried already, aren't you? Wondering whether the heels were such a good idea, wondering whether your flies are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and end up in the lap of someone in the front row. If you do choose to do that, what an array of laps we've arranged for you today. Look at that. It's like Harry Potter meets Fifty Shades of Grey. This is your day. And so feel free to express your joy when you come up here, as long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality, of course. This week so far, we've had handshakes, of course. We've had hugs. We've had high fives. We've had fist bumps, dabs, a little bit of dancing, and press-ups. Look, if you want to do press-ups, that's absolutely fine. It's your moment. If I get down there, I'm not sure I can get up again. So just keep that in mind. Listen, you can even ignore me if you want. It is your day. And no selfies on the stage, I'm afraid. I'm very, very shy. And family and friends, it's so lovely to see you, and thank you for the efforts, and in some cases, great efforts that you've made to come down here to be part of this glorious moment. It's your day, too, and a fantastic opportunity for you to really embarrass your epic hero as he, she, or they cross this stage. So when the time comes, please do have your cameras ready. And how much noise can you make? We'll find out. I'll call upon the Vice-Chancellor to address the congregation.

[Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the university, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students, here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex. Welcome. Good afternoon. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil. I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. And first of all, I'd like to thank Sanjeev for his wonderful opening speech. And I have to tell you, it is true, he has done at least two sets of press-ups so far since we started on Monday morning. And he did manage to get up both times. In fact, he jumped up. He's super fit. He's misleading you by telling you he can't do it. Before we proceed, I want to acknowledge that for some of you here, this isn't quite the occasion you were anticipating. A small number of you are still waiting for your final marks and degree classification. During your time here at Sussex, many of you have faced unprecedented challenges. First, you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal academic life. But as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced several periods of strike action, and now some are facing delays in receiving your marks. I deeply regret this. It shouldn't be thus, and I offer you my heartfelt apologies and my promise that I'm doing all that I can to try to influence the national negotiations, because this is a national dispute, so that those of you who don't yet have your marks get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we are gathered together, Class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones to celebrate all that was good about your university days. This period of your life at Sussex, in which I know for sure you worked hard, learnt a huge amount, experienced enormous amount of personal growth and change, and I hope had a considerable amount of fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family, guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community and donors, whose generosity has supported scholarships that have enabled many students to fulfil their potential. So I'd just like to ask those of you who are going to be walking across the stage in a minute, that's all of you sitting in front of me in your gowns, to stand in a moment and to offer your thanks to those who've supported you. So if you would stand up and maybe turn and face your family and friends who are sitting behind you and give them a round of applause.

[Graduands stand and applaud.]

 Thank you. Please seat. Now, whether you already have a job or a place on a postgraduate course or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or just trying to work out what to do next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation that has equipped you with a body of skills and knowledge that will equip you for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively, to work across boundaries of established knowledge and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connections between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. And across the disciplines and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex, by the people who've taught you, is focusing on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities to the ethics and politics of new technologies, and much more. We're really proud that, according to the latest National Independent Review of Research in the UK, 93% of our research was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it makes a difference in the world. Right now, it's making the world a better place. You might well be especially proud that the University of Sussex Business School has just been ranked for the sixth year running as first in the country for research income. It's the leading research entity, leading business school in the country for research income. And for the past seven years, the university as a whole has topped the QS World Rankings of universities for development studies. We're really proud of this, too. It's a distinction that gets to the heart of Sussex's unique and profound commitment to global equity and social justice and to doing research and education and having partnerships that really advance global equity and social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum to encouraging nature on campus to flourish, has also helped us rise 23 places this year in the overall QS World Rankings League table. And we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff and our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and our natural environment. This mission and all that we do aligns with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness. And we see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families or friends in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy and as a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted across watercourses in the local area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. It's a brilliant idea facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and contribute to the common good. So if you're interested, you can Google "trees for graduates" or there's a stall downstairs in the Brighton Centre. Now, I know that many of you here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. And I want to acknowledge that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental or physical health challenges, times when things didn't seem to be going right. I really hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. And I hope that everyone found their studies intellectually challenging, rigorous and rewarding. After all, that's what university is about, opening up, training and expanding minds. You're now going to all take different paths as you join the ranks of our 200,000 alumni worldwide. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organisations, and those with less publicly high profile, but no less important lives and careers. People whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex social fabric in small, positive ways every day. Across the globe in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So celebrate who you are today at the end of your time at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible and celebrate your friends and family who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon the head of Department for Strategy and Marketing at the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Michael Beverland.

[Head of the Department for Strategy and Marketing in the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Michael Beverland, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.]

Head of the Department for Strategy and Marketing in the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Michael Beverland:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Development, Francis Britten. For Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Henry Chamberlain. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management Studies, Anata Regmi. For International Business, Omar Azmy. Maram Al Busaidi.  Hamza Husam Aldean Mashoor Al Kattan. Ahmed Al-Bani. Filippo Ali. Harrison Astles-Rollins. Ibtihal Ayachi Amor. Thoyba Chowdhury.  Daniel Dos Santos Hodgson. Davide Eberli. Ani Sami Elanni. Sherif Hossameldin Refaat Elsadek. Yiwen Feng. William Finlay. Henry Foster. Yitong Gu. Zhaoyang Gu. Kevin Hall. Sabrina Harper. Olivia Haworth. Matthew Houlden. Thet Naing Htun.  Alan Hydeman. Lawrence Jesse. Anna Kalogeropoulou. Youssef Khaled Mohamed Said Khadr. Fouad Khodair. Fong Ting Lau. Chia-Hsun Lee. Hao Li. Zachary Lloyd.  Elina Ly. Zeyad Mahmoud. William Manchester. Luca Marchesi. Joe Mcbride. Jordan Mcdonnell. Abdessalam Mettioui.  Aung Paing Moe. Hana Murtaza. Fáelán Nash.  Sento Ohashi. Lily Pearmund. Nutnicha Puncha. Lucia Rodriguez Armas. Michel Sawaya. Joy Semugooma.  Muhammad Shahnawaz. Ayoub Shellig. Joseph Streek. Daniel Takla. Leigh Tan. Skai Taylor.  Lewis Vining. Yining Wang.  Also awarded the prize for the best student in BSc International Business, Samuel Willis. Di Wu. Yinan Yang. Yuxin Yang. Wenhao Yu.  Ka Yin Yuen. Adhurim Zagragja. For International Business with a Professional Placement Year, Felix Berks. Jacob Bowry. Femi Danso.  Roseanna Milburn. Charlotte Painter. Yik Shan Poon. Finn Urmston. For International Business with a Study Abroad Year, Hannah Webster. For Marketing and Management, Essa Alhashemi. Nada Anabtawi. Alex Apostolou. Saad Ashraf. Liberty Atherton. Marie-Elizabeth Austin. Mostafa Badawi. Alaa Abdullah Bamagin. Rhian Barber. Rebekka Belgrove. Alexander Berry. Ewan Bleakley. Charles Boyle. George Branch. Senna Campbell. Ho Chan. Leon Chau. Peiqi Chen. Ling Chu. Peggy Alice Clark. Zachary Conlon. Finlay Craig-Butler. Junxin Deng. Alexander Dewar. Victoria Di Napoli. Mohamed Elahwal. Mariam Eldeeb. Dina Elkarmi.  William Feben. Chloe Fox. Shae Ganpat.  Saud Ghafoor. Dominic Grant. Sarah Majidah Binti Haji Awang. Kenta Hamada. Bruno Henriquet. Jack Hewlett. Lauren Holmberg. Linglong Huang. Shotaro Ishii. Patrick Jackaman. Sakina Jamal. Anna Jonasson. Ethan Kentish. Greg Kerr. King Sum Lam. Nana-Amoah Lartey. Hugo Le Marquand. Gloria Lestari. Elfyn Leung. Callum Macmillan. Annika Maeder. Roseanne Martin. Also awarded the prize for Best Student in BSc Marketing and Management and Best Research Project in Strategy and Marketing is Estefania Martinez Rangel. Congratulations. Kyra Mathey. Nabil Miah. Song Miao. Urte Minkeviciute. Raisyah Mohdar. Nazly Nassef. Kseniya Nechyparenka. Nabila Paramitha. Robert Parker. Karishmma Patade. Nihal Rahman. Oliver Ripley. Panasan Ruayjirawat. Ziad Saleh. Mohamed Shafik. Connor Sharp. Daniella Sulyok. Aidan Swan-Mcsorley. Laura Szczegolska. Thomas Thompson. Lucia-Maria Towells.  Holly Travis. Ping-Chen Wang. Eve Warner. Jindong Wei. Oliver Willard. Stefanos Wiesel. Okay, for Marketing and Management with a Professional Placement Year, Katrina Barlay.  Carl Bashiri. Matthew Bratt. Joshua Brown. Lewis Chaplin. Emiliana De Werna Magalhaes.  Charlotte Fletcher. Ethan Jaiswal. Libby Jones. Darcy Kenna. Demet Kusman. Rory Lascelles. Isabel Mcdonald. Joel Peters. Theo Rubins. Ebony Saunders. Annabel Surridge. Raakin Thakkur. For Marketing and Management with a Study Abroad Year, Samik Shrestha. For Marketing and Management with Psychology, Salma Emad Jamal Alqudah. Laura Baker. Isobel Barrow. Mia Blazy. Laura Chatfield. Amelia Czop. William Digger. Jan Friebe. Afroditi Gerolymatou. Salma Hemeida.  Tierney Henderson. Emily Hughes. Leyla Humphreys.  Shazida Khatun. Zack Lester. Hannah Marden. Frederic Maschong. Simoine Maylor. Harrison Mccormack.  Madison Moore. Avalon Oates. Simon Parker. Mia Pedlow. Ishan Persaud. Also awarded the prize for Best Student in BSc Marketing and Management with Psychology, Viktoria Pfeiffer.  Leo Polak Deutsch. - Hands up, hands up, hands up.  Florence Richards. Jazmin Sebesi. Habiba Soliman. Hosn Soliman. Alexandra Steinhoff. Thenujan Suthakaran. For Marketing and Management with Psychology with a Professional Placement Year, Rawan Ahmed El Sheikh. You're welcome. Sabrina Gonzalez Luna Teague. Elizaveta Kalenova. Catalina Marie Lu. Hanna Persson. Tim Troetschel. Ana Vilar Esteban. Olivia Wilson. For Marketing and Management with Psychology with a Study Abroad Year, Nok Him Ng. For the Postgraduate Diploma in International Management, Chia-Lu Liao. For the Degree of Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Laurence Grant. Souad Kadi. John Poulsen.  For International Management, Michal Ghayad. Narupong Vachirasakpanich. Abhi Zenith. For International Marketing, Farah Alshraiedeh. Teresa Annicchiarico.  Hanna Bielecka. Hollie Evans. Norafiqin Hairoman.  Rida Iqbal. Roberta Nicora. Karla Ortega Borloz.  Joseph Paley. Martyn Skipper.  Iuliana Vinte. For Management and Finance, Ahmed Khalil Almughathawi.  For Marketing and Consumer Psychology, Alexandra Theresa Behringer. Vasitta Charoensith. Mrunal Ajit Karnik. Dhanashree Mane. Raisa Susan Mathew. Sunil Kumar Sunnam. Ann Thomas. Hsin-Ping Wang. Satomi Yoshizawa. For Marketing and Consumer Psychology, Wai Chun Chan. Sharifa Jamila Safiya George. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the University of Sussex Business School.

[Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.]

Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones:

Chancellor, I will now present to you those who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in International Business, Jennifer Da Silva. Yechen Dong. Chancellor, I am delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentation for the University of Sussex ceremony.

[Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands centrally on stage.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

OK, so one little semi-formal thing that I'd like to do now. So everybody who crossed this stage in this ceremony, if you wouldn't mind standing up for a second, thank you very much. And colleagues, if you wouldn't mind standing up. I'm going to pitch over the top. This is congratulations. And as the sign says outside, Class of 2023, you did it! Yes! Come on! Yes! Please.

[Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

So, Dad, what happened in Brighton today? I got picked up by a man. And? Normal for Brighton. Fantastic. Thanks very much. I haven't been picked up by a man this week so far, so that's great. And I've walked around the beach a lot. Anyway, I digress. Congratulations again, everyone. And well done, family and friends. Some of you were truly embarrassing. Respect. So, as your time here at Sussex draws to a close, we hope that you will keep us in your hearts and thoughts and be connected with us and to each other as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest. And, of course, you would make great mentors. So, I hope some of you would consider the mentoring scheme as well. Whether your next step is gainful employment, the search for it, further academic study or simply some time off, I wish you all the very, very best. At the closing of these ceremonies, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But I'll leave you with some thoughts and ponderings which you can consider, ignore or make better. It strikes me as your Sussex chapter ends, the future begins. And it's imperative that you get to write it, that you have some say in your story, because if you don't write it, someone else will write your story for you. And I believe that one of the essential ways of controlling your narrative is to consistently and improvingly and unconditionally be you, be who you are. You must have heard this, I hear this quite a bit, where people will say, you know, "Well, I'll be nice to them if they're nice to me. "I'll listen to them if they'll listen to me. "If they don't show me respect, I'm not going to show them respect." You hear that quite a bit, right? To me, these are all conditional. It says that you will act based on how someone else acts. So, in that situation, who's really controlling the narrative? Be nice, listen, respect, simply because that's just who you are, you know, regardless of what anyone else does. That traditional phrase, "Treat others as you wish to be treated." I mean, we all know it, and we kind of pass it by, but it's exactly that. Otherwise, that phrase would have been, "Treat others after you've waited to see how they're treating you "and making sure there wasn't a misunderstanding "or that you hadn't misheard and made sure it was you they were talking to, "and then do the same as them." Which is not as catchy. I believe that emotional intelligence is the essential component of wisdom. It incorporates empathy and compassion and kindness, and those attributes, better than any others, are going to see you through the good times and the challenging ones. I would add a sense of humour, not just because it's fun, which is great, but because irony can give you perspective. So if there's something that's overwhelming because it's frightening or tragic or beautiful or anxious, even momentarily, we lose perspective, because we're overwhelmed. And if we then have to make a decision in that moment, it may not be the decision we would normally make. And we're trying to come up with a decision with the same head that's overwhelmed. So the best way, easiest way to get perspective is to talk to someone. Just get another viewpoint, even just one, and it just helps you see it from a slightly different direction. Or get a sense of humour about it. That thing that was frighteningly overwhelming or scary or tragic or beautiful or emotional or whatever it is, if you can also find a way of seeing it being ridiculous or silly or a bit funny, then it's no less tragic, it's no less important than it was, but it's not one thing anymore. It's now two things, and that is perspective. I think I'm hardwired to find a solution. I really, honestly don't care whether I come up with it or someone else does, as long as we find it. And also, I'm about finding common ground first. Disagreeing after agreeing feels very different to agreeing after you've kind of vehemently disagreed. A couple of thoughts about the future. I think we're brought up, I think society, tells us to fear the unknown future. It's why a lot of people hold so much store in a plan. Have you got a plan? What's your plan? Got to have a plan. Now, planning is great. It's important because it allows you to see and build small steps to an eventual goal. But planning is linear, right? It has to be, right? One rung of the ladder follows the other. That's how we plan. Life is anything but linear. Life will bounce you all over the place. It's full of the unexpected. It's full of the curveballs, weird coincidences, WTFs, World Tennis Federation, for the old people. And that led me in turn to thinking about the phrase, "Better the devil you know," right? Which kind of means, you know, better accept this thing now, which we know is terrible, because there might be an even worse, more terrible thing in the future. And you break that down and you go, "Well, what happens if you get to that future "and that really awful, even more terrible thing doesn't happen?" You're stuck with the terrible thing that you knew was terrible beforehand. So instead of maybe looking at that future, one full of unimagined, worse things, what if you just saw it as a world of possibilities? Yeah, sure, some could be worse, but crucially, you have to acknowledge that some could be better. And then suddenly you're making a decision not based entirely on fear, but on hope, which I think is a much better way to launch from. And when life does throw you the curveball and the unexpected, you just adjust to it quicker. I've got two lived experiences of this that I'd love to share with you. You may or may not be aware that, many years ago, the University of Sussex was my first choice when I was applying to universities. Didn't want to go anywhere else. And I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough, so I took my business elsewhere. And I waited 25 years until all those who'd prevented me from getting in had either moved on, retired, been deported, were in prison, or had just become plain dead. And I got back in as Chancellor, so hey, hey, hey! I know that's childish. I know that is. And if my mum was here, I probably wouldn't do it. Don't tell her. But my point is, you know, take that linear planning. Couldn't have foreseen that. So, I wanted to act and write since I was five years old. And I know this, because when I was five years old, an uncle came to our house and said to me, as a five-year-old, he said, "So, what do you want to be when you grow up, young man?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." And it's true. It's true. So, I didn't go to drama school. I didn't even do GCSE drama. But the dream was still there, sitting behind this kind of ocean of fear and impossibilities. And then when I was 30, I went to business school as well. I worked in marketing. And when I was 30, I found myself in litigation, having sued my last company for breach of contract. And I couldn't get any kind of job for two years while it all rattled through the legal process. I was hugely in debt. I had to go back to living with my parents. It was, you know, it felt like a pretty low point for me. I couldn't really see a way out of it. And I could not have foreseen that within two years of that, that I'd be on television in a successful programme and have now, fortunately, sustained a career in something I absolutely love. And once again, I have to say, yeah, take that, linear planning! Thank you. And through that, I discovered something that I hope that you'll find and spend some time trying to embrace, actually. It sounds dramatic, but it's actually quite real. I've discovered that I cannot fail. Sorry, I just can't. The word no longer applies to me. Out of every experience I have, I give myself two choices, which is enjoy or learn. Or both - enjoy and learn, the best one. And that means that I feel kind of ready to adapt and change my plan. You know, whether it's the steps or even the goal, there's no room for failure. We all get so obsessed at the moment with winning and losing that we overlook the fact that improvement can sometimes be the most valuable marker. So be consistently you. But who are you? Who? Who are you? I mean, it's a complex question, but there is a simple shorthand to it, which is, I believe, who you are is always what you do next. Your next decision is who you are. You know, what just happened might have been due to you, it might have been due to circumstances out of your control, but you can learn from it. Your response is you. So process it, learn from it, and move on from it. I'll leave you with a proverb and a fable. And the fable - I really love this fable - it's about a Native American who is chatting to his grandson about a debate that goes on inside all people. He said, the grandfather said, "The battle inside all of us is between two wolves. "One wolf is evil. "It is anger, it's envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, "resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego. "The other wolf is good. "This wolf is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, "generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. "This is the battle." The grandson thought for a minute and then asked, "Which wolf wins?" And the grandfather said, "The one you feed." So be mindful to feed your good wolf. And finally, the ancient Sanskrit proverb, which I'll translate to English. "Too many cooks still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding." It's ancient, and yet it's true. At the end of the day, I think what we all really need from each other is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes, and evolve, and that means doing those things first, ourselves, and above all, being kind to ourselves. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one simple, common thread that you added to the love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways, every single day. And I'll look really forward to reading them. I officially declare this ceremony closed.  

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

[The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. I'm delighted, as Chancellor, to welcome you formally to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and your families and friends that join you here today. To all of you, I say bonjour, buongiorno, guten tag, hola, dobrý den, privyet, marhaba, salamun alaykum, jambo, shalom, namaskara, ni hao, konnichiwa, oi, hey, hi, howdy, and hello. Hi. No, please don't. That was like a pity clap. Believe me, I've had plenty of those. See, now I feel really bad. Now I feel I've been fishing for it. But thank you. That's very kind of you. Very nice of you to acknowledge my phenomenal skills at Google Translate. It also indicates how proud we are that students from all over the world choose to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas beyond more conventional lines, embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems, and then combining it with the best of our own thoughts, realizing that invention and innovation has no colour, gender, or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, celebrate together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give me the greatest hope and the greatest belief that we are always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be chancellor, these ceremonies for me have always been a celebration of the efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity that has brought you here today. The wedding reception, where you can let loose a little and have a little dance, as opposed to the solemn registry do. Boy, am I aware of the efforts and sacrifices that you've made. In addition to the pandemic, various conflicts around the world, and the current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle to balance your studies with home life. In some cases, whilst raising children, being carers through loss and sickness, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help. Battling not just self-doubt, but sometimes even the doubt of others. But here you are. You persevered. And it is that very perseverance and focus, overcoming all of those challenges, that we're celebrating here today. And I really do think that's worth celebrating. These ceremonies are the highlight of our year at the university. And for many of you today will mark the end of your academic adventures. The odyssey that began with those first faltering steps all those years ago at nursery school or kindergarten, and will culminate here after just a short walk across this stage. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours. And you will take the 20 or so mere steps across this stage, terrified that your hat or waterboard's going to fall off, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea, wondering whether your flies are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone in the front row. If you do choose to go in that direction, by the way, what an array of laps we've arranged for you this afternoon. Look at that. Super comfy. Gosh, it's like Love Island. The ones that didn't get in. These ceremonies, I know, from good experience live long in the memory of students, staff, and families. And so thank you, families. I know for some of you, the journey down here would have been some effort and at some cost. So I really appreciate you being here to share this moment with us all. And students, hey, it's your day, primarily. So feel free to express your joy when you come up here. We've had, so far this week, we've had handshakes, hugs, high fives, fist bumps, dabs, dancing, press ups. I mean, I've gone along with all of them. But please, if you're going to do press ups, just keep in mind my age. I mean, I can get down. That's not a problem. Getting up again may be a little bit of an issue. But hey, look, you can ignore me if you want. It is your day. Whatever gives you joy. And no selfies on stage, I'm afraid. I'm really very shy. Family and friends, as I said, it's your day, too. And a glorious opportunity to really embarrass your epic hero as he, she, or they cross this stage. So when the time comes, please do have your cameras ready and be ready to make a serious amount of noise. I call upon the Vice Chancellor to address the congregation.

[Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the university, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex. Welcome. Good afternoon. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil, and I'm the Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. I'd like to start by thanking our Chancellor, Sanjeev, for his fabulous opening speech and his encouragement to do some press-ups. He's done quite a few so far this week, and he got up every time. But before we proceed with the main business, I just want to start by acknowledging that for some of you here, this isn't quite the occasion you might have been anticipating. A small number of you are still waiting for your final marks and degree classifications. During your time here at Sussex, all of you who've been here for three years have faced unprecedented challenges. First, you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. Then as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced several periods of industrial action, and now there are some facing delays in getting their marks. I deeply regret this. It shouldn't be thus, and I offer my heartfelt apologies and my promise that I'm doing all that I can to try to influence the national negotiations, and this is a national dispute that we're currently involved in, so that those of you who don't have your marks can get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we're gathered together, Class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones, to celebrate all that was good about your time at Sussex. This period of your life in which I know for sure you worked hard, learnt a huge amount, and experienced an enormous amount of personal growth and change, and I hope had some fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree, but it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited from the support of family, or guardians, or carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. And some of you have received scholarships from generous donors and alumni that have helped you be here. So, can I ask all those of you who are going to be walking across the stage shortly, all of those of you sitting in front of me in your gowns, to stand and to offer some thanks, maybe a round of applause, perhaps turning and facing all your guests, to thank them for their support during your time as students at Sussex.

[Graduands stand and applaud.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil,

Thank you. Now, whether you already have a job, or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or just trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively, to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connections between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and make the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for their excellence in research and scholarship. The depth and breadth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines, and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex, by the people who've taught you, focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies, and much more. We're really proud that, according to the latest National Independent Review of University Research, 93% of our research at Sussex was found to deliver very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it's making a difference in the world. Right now, it's making the world a better place. You might be especially proud that you've studied in the University of Sussex Business School, which is ranked first in the country, yet again, for six years running, for research income. So, University of Sussex Business School researchers are leading the country in their research. And, across the university, for the past seven years, we've topped the QS World Rankings for Development Studies, which we're very proud of at Sussex, because it gets to the heart of our university's commitment to research, teaching, and equitable partnerships that are all about advancing global equity and social justice. We're also amongst the top 50 universities in the world in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in 2023 for delivering on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum to encouraging nature to flourish on campus, has also helped us to climb 22 places this year in the QS World Universities Rankings 2024. And we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff, and our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and to our natural environment. And this mission, and all that we do, align with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity, and kindness. And we see all these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families or friends in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy and as a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted around the watercourses of the area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. It's a brilliant idea facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and to contribute to the common good. So, families and friends, please consider taking part in the Trees for Graduates initiative. There's a stall downstairs. I know that many of you have arrived here today having already had quite extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. And I want to acknowledge that for some of your time as students, some of you will have been dealing with periods of real personal struggle, mental and physical health challenges and times when things just didn't seem to be going right. I hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. I also hope that everyone found your studies intellectually challenging, rigorous and rewarding. After all, that's what university is about, opening up, training and expanding minds. You will now all take individual different paths as you join the ranks of over 200,000 Sussex alumni worldwide. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organisations and those with less publicly high profile but no less significant lives and careers, people whose actions and relationships are remaking and renewing our complex interdependent social fabric in small positive ways every day. Across the globe in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience and I know you will do that too. So, celebrate who you are today at the end of your studies at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourselves that's made it possible and celebrate your friends and family who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon Head of Department of Economics in the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Sambit Bhattacharyya.

Head of Department of Economics in the University of Sussex Business School, Professor Sambit Bhattacharyya:

Chancellor, I now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Austin Akimokan. Cameron Barnes. Beaton Buchanan. Philip Chalcroft. Yuzheng Chen. Prince Chukwu. Charles Connett. Timothy Crossley. Oliver Drew. Ashley Frost. Rotma Gofwan. Emil Gordon. George Handyside. Sherzad Hemsaz. Edward Hodges. Stephen Hurley Tate. Hugh Jones. Tobias Jowett. Theo Lauterbach. Shair Rahim Miah. Wilf Miles. Miguel Meneses. Faye Newman. Also awarded the single honors prize for the highest grand mean amongst economic students, Liberty Perry. Alex Palford. Matthew Robinson. Amina Saeed. George Taplin. Also awarded the dissertation prize for the highest dissertation mark in economics, Sarah White. Ethan Volks. For economics with a professional placement here, Ben Jones. Longezo Kalanda. Akshay Kumar. Adriana Munoz Bato. Harry Steeles. Matthew Young. For economics with a study abroad year, Sio Arole. For economics and international development, Daniel Alexander. Holly Borden. Finley Campbell. Austin Getter. Agata Jaramiska. Yuna Oshima. Marcus Pretti. Rosa Robbins McKenzie. Katie Scouts. Ellie Shepland. Alan Sullivan. Zain Tariq. Wanyu Zhang. For economics and international development with a professional placement year, Shamira Joy Valentin. For economics and international relations, Aljuri Khaled Alassiri. Syed Bin Syed Yazid. Sophia Bonvini. Anusha Chaudhary. Zachary Estrada. Jorge Ilan. Ethan Lloyd Jones. Matilda McKenzie. Ananta Mangat. Kamilia Otmani. Joseph Proudman. For economics and international relations with a study abroad year, Carlota Nadal Sampres. For economics and politics, Nicola Chow. Benjamin Stranage Harrison. For economics and politics with a professional placement year, Jacob Channels. Luke Kimber. For economics and politics with a study abroad year, Paul Wright. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Management Studies, Oliver Ekar. Jonathan Kwakwa. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Economics, Sabrina Ahmed. Nathaniel Anand. Dilara Aysil. Ajay Bajracharya. Marcus Batchelor. Helise Bennett. Luca Biancardi. Adele Bishop. Daniel Brady. Carmen Burford. Nicole Chung. Aaron Collins. David Korinda. Bijan Esghi. William Evans. Georgia Faraday-Wales. Robert Fulalov. Zakaria Gulum. Jack Gowers. Thomas Gleeson. Thomas Hall. Ryan Harris. Max Henry. Alice Hopwood. Joseph Ibe. Kiana Isioro. Liam Jeffrey. Hannah Jordan Moore. Rian Kelly. Thomas Lawton. Christian Lavery. Ladislas Joris Isaac Leibel. Jake Lerman. Kylie Linares. Miguel Marquise Patricio. Orla McCulloch. Sean McKenzie. Bronwen Moore. Noela Olish. Matthew Peter. Rahul Rajakumar. Niamh Riordan. Isaac Rodda. Tom Rogers. Eden Rustin. Tia Saj. Edward Schulz. Hira Singh. Ella Smith. Flynn Smith. Dren Spanker. Julia Talbot. Vihanga Tantiri. Jack Wellard. Leo Wells. Jared Whitehorn. Henry Williamson. Yunus Zafar. For Economics with a Professional Placement here, Emily Burrell. Viviana Campomina. Sophie Dickinson-Bampton. Oliver Gallia. Nikki Jamilinic. Mika Morgan. Sab Kwaser. Ameer Raja. Cassandra Wright. For Economics with a Study Abroad here, Esen Savk. For Economics and Finance, Arthur Alcantara Fabrin. Luke Dornelli. Tamida Begum-Uddin. Samuel Frost. Jiaxin Guo. James Hamid. Ella Hopkins. Ahmad Saqibul Islam. Ashwin Kurian Zakaria. Gaurav Lakhwani. Chun-Ki Lam. Sade Lane. Saif Mashour. Nizam Mustafa Ali. Abby Noakes. Nathaniel Osei. Mohamed Khalil Oufi. Lorenzo Patron. Yunisha Rai. Sophia Rana. Santosh Rangit. Mir Shabu. Lucas Sharma. Zhengyi Shen. Joy Tagode. Sebastian Welsford. George Wilson. Ming Yang. Hussein Zaki. For Economics and Finance, with a professional placement here, Arib Khan. For Economics and Finance, with a study abroad year, Max David Teasdale. Alexandra Dimitrieva. Lucy Rumbold. For Economics and Management Studies, Ilan Ayelzid. Guillermo Carnicero. Thomas Dierden. Onayelapo Bendro. Myles Hanshell. Najim Ibn Hatten. Adam Johns. William Kerrigan. Andrei Kirov. Miguel Martinez Esteban. Eugene Maruziva. Masoud Mia. Stanley Minda. Nathan Prayag. Amy Picone. Dalit Safanov. Ka Yee Su. Anya Stead. Davina Vaggiani. Juliana Ward. Arthur Whitehead. Zan Harrison Zhang. For Economics and Management Studies, with a professional placement here, Charlie Barnett. Joseph Campbell Bell. Federico Riva. For Economics and Management Studies, with a study abroad here, Jonathan Matty. For the degree of Master of Science in Development Economics, Amina Abubakar. Ashley Shania Rizana Barakat. Pooja Lakshmi Devi Lal. Jemima Kageni Murity. For Energy Policy, Daniel Abdallah. William Bowers. Susan Gemmert. Alexander Marshall. For Energy and Climate Policy, James Harding. For International Business Economics, Jabir Al Sabah. For International Finance and Economics, Gishitha Reddy-Kuninti. For Project Management, Yousuf Alhaj Nasser. Oluwatobiloba Idowu. For Strategic Innovation Management, Chioma Vera Izianya. Lap Wah Kwong. Brian Roberto Molina Perez. For Sustainable Development, Abiola Adebiyi. Gemma Atanasia Skolman. Julieta Batilanga-Pages. Rachel Beadle. Eduardo Benfatti. Sashke. Philippa Bukka. Daniela Bramwell. Robin Bucker. Marlon Federico Calderon Navas. Marie-Aniel Beatriz Carva. Briony Cecil. Manos Chuma. Tiago Colunga. Hannah Connolly. Lucy Croxton. Toby Davis. Erin Day. Lauren Donnelly. Emily Dresser. Tessa Durham. Deborah Eastwood. Veronica Fernandez De Castro Robles. Fiona Folkes. Brian I Sing Fung. Maria Belen Gonzalez Fernandez. Viridiana Gonzalez Uribe. Stefan Graf. Emma Gresswell. Joseph Hakeem. Mohamed Hamish. Penelope Hamlin. Emily Heath. Hebe Hetherington. Nev Rose Jessop-Sanders. Cinderella Jimenez Yalung. Ryan Judge. Manine Kapadia. June Kaki. Lina Castano-Salamanca. Also awarded the Margaret Sharp Scholarship, Sarada Krishnamoorthy. Reginald William Lang. Yonica Lau. Keolableboghe Malela. Atanasios Mandis. Melissa Manguiat. Heather Mantle. Megan Maconchi. Varun Menon. Amber Middleton-Crew. John Mortimer. Simran Mudhar. Oh Hyuk Joon. Paola Palladino. Grenti Paramita. Jenyi Firi. Chandra Singh Pitoyo. Robb Reeve. Rebecca Rodney. Jana Ruish. William Samson. Jana Shakhasher. Olena Soldatova. Kasey Stoyle Mulholland. Babish Vinidhal Westerbrink. Chun Ho Wong. Crystal Yearwood. Tasya Zaman. Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. For the thesis... For the thesis, "The Dynamics of Global Public Research Funding "on Climate Change, Energy, Transport, and Industrial Decarbonization." Abdulrafi Abbas. For the thesis... "Farmer Constraints and Relational Contracts, "Evidence from Agricultural Value Chains in East Africa." Muhammad Ali Abdel Fattah Ali Abou Ziza. For the thesis... "Three Essays on Economic Growth, Convergence, and Financial Deepening." Nadir Alkhatiri. For the thesis... "Essays on Labour and Health Economics in Developing Countries." Fiola Condrioli. For the thesis... "Transcending the Interregnum, "Exploring How Financial Systems Relate to Sustainability Transition Processes." Chantal Naidoo. For the thesis... "Forging New Pathways of Sustainable Development "in Resource-Dependent Global South Regions, "a Discussion of Related and Unrelated Variety." Claudia Obando Rodriguez. For the thesis... "Determinants of Welfare and Inequality "at the Intra-Household and Community Level. "Three Essays in Development Economics." Micah Schmid. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the University of Sussex Business School.

[Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.]

Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones:

Chancellor, I will now present to you those who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Master of Science in Project Management, Aditi Shirish Dheerkar. Uday Guru Gubale. Chancellor, I am delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex ceremony.

[Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands centrally on stage.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Just a couple of semi-formal things that I have to do and I'd like to do. So, firstly, everybody who crossed the stage today, would you mind standing? And colleagues, if you wouldn't mind standing as well. And I just want to be able to say to you, with us standing and you standing, congratulations. And as the banner outside this building says, Class of 2023, you did it! You and you and you and you and you and you.

[Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.]

Thanks, everyone. Take a seat. Thank you. Well, congratulations, everyone, again. Well done, family and friends. Some of you were truly embarrassing. You know who you are. Respect. And students, as your time at Sussex draws to a close, we hope that you will keep us in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and each other as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest. And I hope some of you would consider becoming mentors as well on the mentoring scheme, because you'd be such a fantastic resource for current and future students. Whether your next step is gainful employment, the search for it, further academic study, or simply some time off, I, of course, wish you the very best. At the closing of these ceremonies, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But here are some thoughts that I've been pondering. And you're free to accept, ignore, or hopefully improve them. It suddenly struck me that as your Sussex chapter ends, the future begins. But it is imperative that you get to write your story as it develops, that you have some say in it. Because if you don't, someone else will. And I believe that one of the best ways of being able to control your narrative is to consistently, improvingly, and unconditionally to be you, to be who you are. Improve that every day, but let it be unconditional. I often hear people say things like-- and you must have heard this as well-- well, if they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them. I'll listen to them if they listen to me. If they don't show me respect, I'm not going to show them respect. And all of those things are conditional. What it says to me is that you'll act based on how someone else will act first. So who's controlling the narrative here? Not you. So be nice, and listen, and respect, simply because that's just who you are. It doesn't matter about them. They do whatever they do. You be you. It's got me thinking about that phrase that we all know very well, which is, "Treat others as you wish to be treated." It's a pretty simple phrase, and it's one that's very well known. But it's kind of true, I think. Otherwise, that phrase would have been, "Treat others after you've waited to see how they're treating you, and making sure there wasn't a misunderstanding or that you hadn't misheard, and made sure it was you they were talking to, not some other random, and then do the same as them," which isn't as catchy. And also, I believe that emotional intelligence is the essential component of wisdom. It incorporates empathy, compassion, and kindness. And those attributes, I believe, better than any others, are the ones that are going to see you through the good times, and especially the challenging ones. I would add a sense of humour, not just because it's fun, which is pretty cool, but because irony, especially, can give you perspective. When we get overwhelmed by something, whether it's frightening or it's tragic or anxious or even beautiful, emotional, when we're overwhelmed, I think we lose perspective, sometimes even momentarily. And if we then have to make a decision in that state, it may not be the best decision or the decision we would normally make, but we are overwhelmed. And furthermore, we're trying to find a solution and make a choice from the same head that is overwhelmed, which doesn't strike me as particularly healthy. The quickest way to get perspective is to talk to someone. Just get another viewpoint. It doesn't have to agree with you, but it's another viewpoint, and you are then seeing it through someone else's eyes, and that's perspective. Or...and get a sense of humour about it. That thing that is frightening and overwhelming because it's scary or tragic, if you are able to find something about that in the detail that is silly or ridiculous, a bit daft, it doesn't make it less tragic. It doesn't make it necessarily less frightening. What it does, it stops it from being one thing. It's now two things. It's now scary and ridiculous or tragic and silly, and that is perspective. You just get a little bit of distance from it to see it from another angle. I'm hardwired about finding a solution. I really genuinely don't care whether I come up with it or someone else does, as long as we find it. So I've got an ego about finding solutions, but not about me. And also finding common ground. I mean, I don't know if you experience this, but actually disagreeing after agreeing on something feels very different to agreeing after you've vehemently disagreed about something. A couple of thoughts about the future. I think we're brought up to fear the unknown, the unknown future. It's the reason why people get very stressed about plans. You know, what's your plan? Have you got a plan? You haven't got a plan? Got to have a plan. Write your plan down. And planning is great, obviously. It's really good because it allows you to see and build the small steps towards an ultimate goal. But planning is linear, right? I mean, it has to be. One step follows the other, like rungs of a ladder. It goes up like that. Life isn't. Life bounces you around all over the place. It's full of the unexpected and the weird coincidences and the WTFs. World Tennis Federation for the kids. And that brought me around to thinking recently about the phrase, which I'm sure you know, "Better the devil you know." Okay, I mean, I know that. It means kind of like, yeah, this thing is bad now, but at least you know it, and in the future, there might be something much worse. And so basically what you're saying is that, you know, this thing which is kind of like a bit rubbish, and I'll take that now because there may be an even more terrible, rubbish thing in the future. So what happens when you get to that future and there isn't a more rubbish, terrible thing? You're stuck with the thing that you knew wasn't great at the time out of that supposed fear. So what if, you know, instead of that future full of kind of, you know, unimagined, worse things, you would look at that same future as a world of possibilities. Things could be worse, absolutely, but you then have to acknowledge that things could be better. And suddenly the decision you're making now about that future that hasn't arrived yet is not based entirely on fear. It's based on some kind of hope, which is a much nicer place to come from and doesn't ruin your present at the same time. And furthermore, when life then does throw you the unexpected curveball, you just adjust to it quicker because it's not going to surprise you. You kind of knew that may happen. I've got two lived experiences of this that I'd love to share with you. You may or may not be aware that the University of Sussex was my first choice when I was applying to universities all those years ago. Didn't want to go anywhere else. This was the place for me. I didn't get in. Apparently my grades weren't good enough, so I took my business elsewhere. And I waited for 25 years till all those who had prevented me getting in-- you know where I'm going with this, don't you? --that either moved on or retired or been deported or were in prison or just became plain dead. And I got back in as Chancellor, so yay! I know that was childish. But my point is, you know, take that linear planning. Where were you in all of that story? And also I wanted to act and write since I was about five years old. And I know this because when I was five, there was an uncle that came to our house and said to me, "So, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." Unfortunately, that's true. So I didn't go to drama school. I didn't even do GCSE drama, but the dream was still sitting there, pushed behind this sea of fear and impossibilities. When I was 30, I found myself in litigation. I also did a business degree. And I kind of sued the last company, the marketing company, I was working for, for breach of contract. And I couldn't get any kind of job for two years while the whole thing rumbled on through, you know, the legal process. And I was hugely in debt. I had moved back in with my parents. Obviously, all my friends were kind of, like, doing really well and had bought houses and, you know, got on with their lives. And it was, you know, it was a dark time for me, certainly for a period of it. I couldn't not have foreseen that within two years of that, that I would be on television in a successful programme, which was the launch of a career that sustains to this day, in something I absolutely love. So, once again, I have to say, take that, linear planning! Where were you with that, then? So I'd urge you, you know, that kind of blank bit of the future, don't necessarily approach it with just fear. You know, just have that... Be open to the possibilities. Through that, I've discovered something that I really hope... Well, some of you may already have, actually, in the room, but if you haven't, please grab hold of this if you can, which is that I've discovered I cannot fail. Sue me. I cannot fail. That word no longer applies to me. With every experience, I give myself two choices. I can enjoy or learn, or enjoy and learn, which is the better one. So, yeah, the word failure is a negative kind of thing, which doesn't help me. It doesn't help me. It just makes me feel worse about stuff. But it also means that I think that I'm fairly open to adapting or changing my plan, either the steps or even the goal, if need be. No room for failure. We all get so obsessed with winning and losing that sometimes we overlook improvement as being the most valuable marker. But who are we? Well, that's a lifelong journey to discover who you are, but there is a shorthand which I find quite useful, which is that we are, I believe, always, always... what we do next. Our next decision is who we are. What just happened to us may be down to us, but it may be down to situations from out of our control. Our response to it is you. That's you every single time. So process it. Whatever happens, happened, process it, learn from it, move on from it. I'll leave you with a proverb and a fable, which I really love, actually. I hope you like it, too. There's a fable that I read about a Native American who's chatting to his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "The battle between two wolves is inside all of us. "One wolf is evil. "It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, "self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. "The other wolf is good. "It's joy, peace, love, hope, humility, "kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." And the grandson thought for a minute and then said, "In this battle, which wolf wins?" And the grandfather said, "The one you feed." So please be mindful and constantly feed the good wolf. And finally, the proverb. It's an ancient Sanskrit proverb that I'm translating for you. "Too many cooks still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding." It's ancient and yet it's still true. At the end of the day, I think what we all need from each other is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes and to evolve. And that also means not being afraid of making mistakes. Just make sure that you make new mistakes. Or don't keep making old mistakes. That's the definition of an Indian. Don't be afraid of making them. It's how we improve and don't be judgmental about other people when they make them too. And fundamentally, be kind to yourself. Sometimes you have to be your own best friend to get that perspective. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one simple common thread, that you added to the love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways every day. And I'll look so forward to reading them. I officially declare this ceremony closed.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

[The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. I'm delighted as chancellor to welcome you formally to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and your family and friends who join you here today. To you all, I say, bonjour, buongiorno, guten tag, hola, dobrý den, privyet, marhaba, salamun alaykum, jambo, shalom, namaskara, ni hao, konnichiwa, oi, hey, hi, howdy, and hello. Aside from showing you my phenomenal skills that Google Translate, it indicates how proud we are that students from all over the world choose to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas beyond more conventional lines, embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems, and then combining these with the best of our own thoughts, realizing that invention and innovation has no colour, gender, or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects and an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, live together, celebrate together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give me the greatest hope and belief that we are always, always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be chancellor, these ceremonies to me have always been a celebration of the efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity that has brought you here today. The wedding reception, where you can let loose a little bit and have a little dance as opposed to the sombre, solemn registry do. And boy, am I aware of the sacrifices and efforts that you have made. In addition to the pandemic, various global conflicts, and the current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children, being carers, experiencing loss and sickness, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help, battling not just self-doubt, but sometimes even the doubts of others. But here you are. You persevered. And it is that very perseverance and focus overcoming all of those challenges that we are celebrating here today. And I do think that's really worth celebrating. These ceremonies are the highlight of the university's year. And for many, this will mark the end of your academic adventures. The odyssey that began with those first faltering steps at nursery school or kindergarten and culminates here after just a short walk across this very stage. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours. And you will take the mere 20 or so steps, terrified that you're going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea, worried that your flies are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and end up in the lap of someone in the front row. Of course, if you choose to go in that direction. What an array of laps we have arranged for you today. All super comfy. Look at that. It's like Love Island. The ones that got left behind. But this is your day. And so please feel free to express yourself, your joy, when you come up here. As long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality. This week, we've had handshakes, of course. We've had hugs. We've had high fives and fist bumps and dabs and dancing. Press-ups. We've had too many press-ups, to be quite honest. I'm not going to do any more press-ups. I did get up before, but I'm not sure I'll be able to get up next time. I'll just be lying there like that for the rest of the ceremony. You'll have to walk on top of me, which you can if I'm there, because it's your day. But listen, it is, as I said, your day. So please let me know who you are by the way you walk up here. And no selfies on the stage, I'm afraid. I'm very, very shy. Family and friends, thank you so much for today. I know there's a rail strike on as well. So the huge efforts that you've made to be here, to be part of this glorious moment. It is your day too. So what a great opportunity for you to truly embarrass your epic hero as he, she, or they cross this stage. So when the time comes, please have your cameras ready and be prepared to make a lot of noise. I call upon the Vice-Chancellor to address the congregation.

[Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the university, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex. Welcome, good morning. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil. I'm the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex. And first of all, I'd like to thank Sanjeev for his wonderful opening speech. And yes, he has done a lot of press-ups this week. Don't feel that you have to do some more. But before we proceed, I want to start by acknowledging that for some of you here, this isn't perhaps the occasion quite that you were anticipating. Because some of you, I think very few in this ceremony are still waiting for your final marks and degree classifications. During your time here at Sussex, all of you who've been here for three years or more have faced a number of really unprecedented challenges. First, you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions, interruptions. Someone's drilling their way in. I don't know what's going on there. It's just, you don't know what to expect in life. We had the pandemic with its lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. And then as things were settling down, in some schools there have been strikes. And in some schools, there is a marking and assessment boycott going on, which has meant that students have not been getting their results as planned. I really regret all this, all this disruption, all the interruptions, and I offer you my heartfelt apologies for all of those for which I can apologize. And I want to say that I promise that I'm doing all that I can at the moment to try to push for a resolution to the national dispute that's still ongoing, so that any students who don't yet have their marks, get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we're gathered together, class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones, to celebrate all that was good about your time at Sussex. This period of your life, when I know for sure you worked hard, learnt a huge amount, and experienced really significant personal growth and change and I hope had some fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited from the support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention the alumni and donors whose generosity has supported scholarships that enable so many students to reach their potential. So I'd like to ask those of you sitting before me in your gowns, those of you who are gonna walk across the stage very shortly, to stand and offer your thanks to maybe turn and face your families and supporters sitting behind you, and to offer your thanks to them with a big round of applause to say thank you for all their support and care and concern for you whilst you've been students.

[Graduands stand and applaud.]

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

See how much they love you? There's gonna be lots of opportunities for you to express that as we go on. Now, whether you already have a job to go to or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or are just waiting to see what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world. It's helped you to learn to think creatively and critically, to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, to understand the importance of a global perspective, of the connections between people and places, and people and planet, and to understanding how these are crucial in making change in the world and improving things for those who come after us. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship, and the breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. So across the disciplines and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex by the people who've taught you focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies, and much, much more. We're really proud that, according to the latest National Independent Review of Research, 93% of research at Sussex was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it makes a difference in the world. It is right now making the world a better place. And you should be especially proud that you're graduating from the University of Sussex Business School, which has just yet again come top in the country, top in the UK for research grant income. It really is absolutely at the top of its game in terms of research. And for the past seven years, the university has topped the QS World Rankings of universities, so top of the world for development studies. And this is a distinction which we're very proud at Sussex because it gets to the heart of our commitment to research and teaching and equitable partnerships that are seeking to advance global social justice and equity. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in 2023 for delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. And this commitment to sustainability from embedding it in all aspects of our curriculum to encouraging nature to flourish on campus has helped us climb 22 places this year in the QS World University Rankings League Table so that we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff, and our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and the natural environment that haunt us. This mission and all that we do align with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity, and kindness. We see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates Initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy and as a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted around the water courses of the local area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. This is a brilliant idea, facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and to contribute to the common good. So, families, friends, please do consider taking part in Trees for Graduates. There's a stall downstairs in the Brighton Centre and you can find it via Google. I know that many of you sitting here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. And I want to say that we know that for some of you, your time has involved periods of personal struggle, mental and physical health challenges, and times when things just didn't seem to be going right. I really hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. I also hope that everyone found your studies intellectually challenging, rigorous and rewarding, because that, after all, is what university is about, opening up, training, expanding minds. You will each now take different paths as you join the ranks of our more than 200,000 alumni around the world. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organisations, and those with less publicly high profile, but no less significant lives and careers. People whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex interdependent social fabric in small positive ways every day. Across the globe, in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So, celebrate who you are today at the end of your time at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible. And celebrate your friends and family who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon the Professor of Economics in the University of Sussex Business School, Gabriella Cagliesi.

[Professor of Economics in the University of Sussex Business School, Gabriella Cagliesi, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As she reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.]

Professor of Economics in the University of Sussex Business School, Gabriella Cagliesi:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, Faisal Al-Budladi. Farah Abusalha. Mohamed Enan Nayef Hamed. Ziad Alehim. Abdullah Alisai. Diab Al-Fahim. Jacques Alingham. Athul Anthony. Sriram Anoop. Raiyan Bhatt. Christian Camage. David Chanjong Limbu. Oliver Chester. Man Hin Zhao. Ben Crystal. Ethan Kadlip. Amin Dawal. Alexios Despotidis. Blade Dunford Blitch. Hamad Elboyuk. Louis Frost. Imran Gashi. Anasha Nawali. Cameron Gray. Nishong Gregg. Zain Hassan. Ruqiu Hu. Usain... Ali Usain. Madia Islam. Damon Judge. Ron Krasnicki. Shenping Kuang. Lap Yu Leung. Ling Li. Zhanyu Liang. Kiran Limbu. Hu Lu. Shoma Majunda. Shahzaib Maikhan. Oliver Manning. Lauren Maris. Bethany Marshall. Kian Martin. Anna Morgan. Joshua Murphy. Mert Otten. Kalena Pires. Filipos Pilacouris. Riza Piares. Mishak Powell. Shrainath Raghavan. Tilipan Rajakulasuriar. Tatiana Roglialo. Joby Reeves. Lihan Shi. Richard Su. Ishani Subash Sankar. Selim Tahir. Zahir Tahir. Wanyi Tang. Adam Tomlinson. Jude Tso. Rajan Virde. Yijia Wu. Shiyang Hu. For Accounting and Finance, with a Professional Placement here, Harriet Barnes. Oscar Cruz O'Dwyer. Also awarded the prize for Best Student in BSc Accounting and Finance and the ICAEW Prize for Best Student in Financial Accounting and Analysis, Miles Enslet. Ben Lonsdale. Max Rumble. Chanapa Saniha. Sofian Sugan. For Business and Management Studies, Alexandros Kontodimas. For Finance, Joseph Chadwick. Qiu Chen. Yuxuan Chen. Max Dexter. Duong Cung. Sarah Jane Edward. Chou-Ru Fang. Anthony Golan Torres. Han Xu. Yitian Xia. Louis Kenyon. Also jointly awarded the prize for Best Research Project in Accounting and Finance, Si Hong Kong. Well done. Manli Li. Junjie Lin. Ismael Nabil. Edward O'Neill. James Trott. Maria Tsihilova. Xinxuan Wan. Xin Yu Wan. Olivia Weston. Chuen Wu. Su Xu. Lingyi Xu. Ziling Yuan. Xiaotan Zhang. Xue Zhu. For Finance, with a Professional Placement Year, also awarded the Best Student Prize for the highest Grand Mean Score in BSc Finance, Hamira Anjum. Amy Harper. Emily Taylor. For Finance and Business, Abdelrahman Abdelaziz. Nadir Abdeldaim. Patrick Adwaye Odhiyete. Also the recipient of the Mrs Emily Akinluyi Scholarship, Anushka Anand. Well done, Anushka. Also awarded the Best Student Prize for the highest Grand Mean across BSc Finance and Business, Sophia Aounah. Marianne Augustino. Chloe Bolingbroke. Harvey Cracknell. Zhizi Dai. Elliot Dent. Mohamed El-Bayouk. Ali Fatahlah. Joshua Genco Russell. Tamilini Nanendran. Lachlan Hart. Joshua Haug. Kishar Joshi. Binu Khan. Harvey Ke. Raelyn Lau. Honlu Li. Ziyao Li. Wenqi Nicole Liu. James Lillip. Duong Liu. Francesca Moore. Ian O'Hulbwen. Silong Peng. Sky Bindo. Sarah Pranen. Hannah Roe. Youssef Saeeden. Ashita Tingo. Amase Tilly Giyado. Haleah Wahab. Ross Wildon. Ze Yang. Gan Yin. Mohamed Basse Mohamed Salah Youssef. Haolu Zhang. Xiaobai Zhang. Xin Yu Zhang. For Finance and Business, with a Professional Placement here, Diana Bednika. Thomas Canfield. Lucas Huston. Minqi Yan. For Finance and Technology, Mohamed Nasser Saleh Alfana Al Araimi. Noah Assa. Hannah Azab. Ali Aldisouki. Joel Joshi. Aziz Posa. Mohammed Raham. Samuel Williams. For finance and technology with a professional placement here, also jointly awarded the prize for best research project in accounting and finance, Anil Zahir. For the degree of Master of Science in Accounting and Finance, Siyan Zahir. Banking and Finance, Mohammed Abulaziz Alamhad. Kartiki Bansul. Samad Patel. Amiya Ajay Dikare. Vatsal Mayank Zaveri. For FinTech Risk and Investment Analysis, Oluwatu Misin Adenrele Adigun. Pulkit Singh Chowdhury. Oluwasini Olalekan Olukiran. For Management and Finance, Zubaida Khan. Chancellor, I will now present to you, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, for the thesis, 'Bank Stress Tests - Implications on Accounting Discretion, Transparency and Market Discipline', Johannes Hubert. Thank you. For the thesis, 'The Jointly Modelling of Energy Forward Curves', Yufi Pak. Congratulations. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the University of Sussex Business School.

[Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.]

Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones:

Chancellor, I will now present to you those who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in the School of Engineering and Informatics, Daniel Sadler. For Accounting and Finance, Reswan Mir. Philippos Bilikouris. Arjant Reksammati. For Finance and Business, Zhi Wang. George Payne. I am delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex ceremony.

[Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands centrally on stage.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

So just a couple of semi-formal things I'd like to do. So all the people who crossed the stage this morning, if you wouldn't mind standing for a moment. And if you wouldn't mind standing as well. This is just an opportunity to kind of look at you all again and say congratulations, and like the sign says outside this building, you did it! Come on! All right!

[Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.]

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Please take a seat. Halfway through the ceremony, it turned into a football match. I'm not quite sure exactly when that happened. Well done, everybody, and well done, family and friends. Some of you truly were embarrassing. And respect for that. And lovely to meet all of you up here. You all looked lovely, and you all smelled lovely, which is...apart from about three or four of you. I'm joking, of course. It was way more than three or four. So as your time here at Sussex draws to a close, we hope that you will keep us in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and each other as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest, and also I hope that some of you would even consider becoming mentors on the mentoring scheme. You would be such a great resource for current and future students. At the closing of these ceremonies, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But here's some thoughts that I've been having recently. And you can, you know, take them on or ignore them or improve on them, which would be even better. As your Sussex chapter ends, the future begins, and it's imperative that you get to write your future, that you have some say in writing that, because if you don't, someone else will. And I believe one of the best ways to control your own narrative is to consistently, but improvingly, be unconditionally you. You are the best you that ever existed, and each of you has the potential to be the greatest you that you can be. I often hear people - and you must have heard this as well - people who will say things like, "If they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them. "You know, if they listen to me, I'll listen to them. "If they won't show me respect, I won't show them respect." What that says to me is that you're going to act based on how someone else behaves. So who's really controlling the narrative there? Be nice. Listen. Respect. Simply because that's who you are. It's their job to be who they are. Also, I mean, I don't think emotional intelligence, for me, is the essential component of wisdom, because it incorporates empathy and compassion and kindness, and I think that those are the attributes that are going to see you through the good times and the challenging ones. I would add a sense of humour, not just because it's fun and that's great, but because irony can give you perspective. When we get overwhelmed, I think, by something that's kind of tragic or scary or anxious or even beautiful, emotional or whatever, even momentarily, when we're overwhelmed, we lose perspective. And if we have to make a decision when we're in that state, it may not be the decision that we would normally make with a calmer head. The quickest way to get perspective is to talk to someone. Get another viewpoint, because you're now no longer trying to find a solution from the same head that's overwhelmed. You see it through someone else's eyes, and that can be incredibly useful. Or get a sense of humour, if no-one's available, because that thing that was frightening or tragic or emotional and overwhelming, that's all it is. And if you can see that same thing and find something that's silly or ridiculous or even funny, it's no less tragic and no less frightening, but it's now no longer one thing. It's now that and ridiculous. And so that gives you perspective, which I think is really useful. A couple of thoughts about the future that I've been thinking about. I think society brings us up to fear the unknown future. It's why a lot of people plan. Have you got a plan? What's your plan? Have you written down your plan? That's not a good plan. Get a better plan. It's all about the planning thing, and planning is very important because it allows you to see and build small steps up to an eventual goal. But planning is linear, right? It has to be. One rung of a ladder follows the next. That's what planning is. Life is not. Life is anything but linear. Life bounces you around from the unexpected and the total coincidences and curveballs and the WTFs. World Tennis Federation, for the kids. And that made me think about a phrase, certainly an English phrase, which is "better the devil you know." Better the devil you know, which means kind of, you know this thing that you know is horrible or terrible? Hang on to that. Take that now. Because in the future, there might be something even more horrible and even more terrible. So what happens when you get to that future, the one that hasn't been written yet, and it's not more terrible or more horrible? You're now stuck with the thing that you knew was horrible at the beginning. And so what would happen, do you think, if instead of looking at that future, the one that hasn't happened yet, the one full of unimagined horror and worse things, what if you saw that same thing as a world of possibilities? It's really simple. And sure, some of those possibilities may be worse, but you then have to acknowledge that some of those possibilities may be better. And you're then making a decision in the present that's not entirely based on fear, but on hope and an openness. And then when life throws you the inevitable, unexpected curveball, you adjust to it quicker. And I've got two lived experiences of this that I'd like to share with you briefly. Now, you may or may not be aware that the University of Sussex was my first choice when I was applying to universities many years ago. Didn't want to go anywhere else. I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough, so I took my business elsewhere. And I waited for 25 years until all those who'd prevented me from getting in had either moved on, retired, been deported, were in prison, or just became plain dead. And I got back in as Chancellor, so hey! I'm aware that was childish. But my point is, you know, take that linear planning. Where were you, linear planning, when that all worked out? And also, I wanted to act and write since I was five years old. And I know this because when I was five years old, an uncle came to our house and said to me - I was a five-year-old - he said, "Well, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." It is true, unfortunately. I didn't go to drama school, and I didn't even do GCSE drama. But the dream was still sitting there, just pushed back behind this kind of ocean of fear and impossibilities. And then, quite unexpectedly, one of the curveballs, at the age of 30, I found myself in litigation. I'd also done a business degree. And I sued the last company I was working for, for breach of contract. And for two years, I couldn't get any kind of work at all as the thing rumbled through the legal process. And I was hugely in debt, and I had to move back in with my parents. I found it very difficult to face people. It was, you know, quite a low ebb. Now, I could not have foreseen from that point, that within two years of that, that I would be on television in a successful show and embarking on a career that I've managed to sustain since then. And, you know, it's something that I absolutely love. It's what I always wanted to do. And so I have to say, again, take that linear planning. Where were you in that plan? My point is that, you know, if you're open to that future being potentially better, you just don't block in the present. And sometimes that extraordinary moment in your future, that extraordinary bit of good fortune or whatever, is not the next step. It might be five or six steps, or even ten steps further. But you have faith that it's there. You know, people kind of will say to me, "Oh, you got lucky." And the great definition of luck that I heard was from Oprah Winfrey, who defined luck as being prepared plus opportunity. You know, if the opportunity arrives and you're not prepared, it's not going to happen, right? If you're prepared and the opportunity doesn't come, it's not going to happen. So your only job is to be prepared and then spot the opportunity when it comes. And through all of that, I've discovered one thing which has been really useful to me, and I hope would be useful to you as well. And that's the discovery that I cannot fail. I just can't. Sue me. Sorry. Simply because that word no longer applies to me. Other people can use it about me. You know, that's up to them. But it doesn't...it's not in my kind of dictionary now. Because I've decided with every experience, I either enjoy it or learn it or both. And that's it. There's no room for failure in all that. We get so obsessed with winning and losing that sometimes we sort of disregard that improvement is the most important marker. So, you know, it's something just to keep in mind, actually, that personal language that we use about ourselves and to keep that as positive as possible. I do believe that who we are, which is obviously constantly changing, but who we are is always our next decision. What just happened to us could have been down to us. It could have been down to, you know, a billion things, things out of our control. Our response to it is who we are every single time. So process it, learn from it, and then move on from it. Don't hang on to it. I'm going to leave you with a proverb and a fable, which I really love. So the fable is about a Native American who is chatting to his grandson about a debate that goes on inside people. And he says to his grandson, "Inside all of us is a constant battle between two wolves. "One wolf is evil. "It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, "self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego. "The other wolf is good. "It is joy, peace, hope, love, humility, kindness, "empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith." And the grandson thought for a minute and then asked, "In this fight, which wolf wins?" And the grandfather said, "The one you feed." So always be mindful of feeding the good wolf inside. And finally, the ancient Sanskrit proverb, which I've translated into English for you, which is, "Too many cooks "still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding." It's ancient and yet true. At the end of the day, I think what we all really need from each other is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes and to evolve from them. And that means essentially being kind towards ourselves too. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one simple common thread, that you added to the love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways every day. And I really look forward to reading them. I officially declare this ceremony closed.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

(The Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, stands and walks behind the lectern to introduce the ceremony.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I declare open this congregation of the University of Sussex. I'm delighted, as Chancellor, to welcome you formally to this ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our students, and your family and friends who join you here today. To you all, I say bonjour. Buongiorno, Guten Tag, Hola, Dobrý Den, Privyet, Marhaba, Salamun Alaykum, Jambo, Shalom, Namaskara, Ni Hao, Konnichiwa, Oi, Hey, Hi, Howdy, and Hello. Aside from showing my phenomenal Google Translate skills, it also indicates just how proud we are that students from all over the world come to study at Sussex. One of the guiding principles of the university was that it should be a forum for ideas. beyond more conventional lines. Embracing concepts and experiences from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems, and then combining these with the best of our own thoughts. Realizing that invention and innovation has no color, gender, or creed, hence the breaking down of barriers between subjects and the approach to interdisciplinary teaching. It's the simple fact that all of you study together, live together, celebrate together, whinge together, and solve problems together that continues to give you the greatest hope and total belief that we are always stronger together. In the nearly decade and a half that I've been privileged to be Chancellor, these ceremonies for me have always been a celebration of the efforts, sacrifices, and tenacity that has brought you here today. The wedding reception, if you like, where you can let loose a little and have a little dance as opposed to the solemn registry do. And boy, am I aware of the efforts and sacrifices that you've made. In addition to the pandemic, various global conflicts, the current cost of living, many of you have had to struggle to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children, being carers through sickness and loss, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, and family help, battling not just self-doubt, but sometimes the doubt of others. But here you are. You persevered and it is that very perseverance and focus overcoming all of those challenges that we're celebrating here today and something that I think is well worth celebrating. These ceremonies are the highlight of the university year. Now for many of you today may mark the end of your academic adventures. The odyssey that began all those years ago with those first faltering steps at nursery school or kindergarten and culminates here after just a short walk across this stage. A name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours. and you will take the mere 20 or so steps across this stage terrified you're going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea, wondering if your flies are open, and praying that you don't trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone in the front row. If you do choose to go in that direction, what an array of laps we've arranged for you. Look at that, super comfy. Gosh, it's like Love Island, the ones that didn't get in. Well, Fifty Shades of Grey. But these ceremonies are, as I said, incredibly important to us and live long in the memory for students, staff and families alike. And families, thank you so much. I know particularly today there's a rail strike on, that thank you for the effort that you've made to come down here and be part of this incredibly glorious moment. Students, when you come up here feel free to express your joy, let me know who you are in the way that you cross the stage. You can cross it in any way you want, as long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality. Already this week we've had handshakes, of course, we've had hugs, high fives, fist bumps, dabs, a little bit dancing, press ups. twice. Listen, if you want to do press-ups, you go ahead. I'm not joining you this time. I can get down there. I'm not sure I can get up again. Listen, hey, you can ignore me if you want and walk straight across the stage. It's your day. And no selfies on the stage, I'm afraid. I'm very, very shy. Family and friends, as I said, it's your day too. And a glorious opportunity for you to really embarrass your epic hero. as he, she, or they cross this very stage. So when the time comes, please have your cameras ready and do make some noise. I call upon the Vice-Chancellor to address the congregation.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the University, parents, supporters, friends and most importantly class of 2023, our amazing students here to celebrate your time at Sussex. Welcome, good afternoon. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil and I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. I'd like to start by thanking Sanjeev for his wonderful opening speech. He really has done two amazing sets of press-ups and he jumped up both times. So just saying, you could challenge him again. Before we proceed, I want to acknowledge that for some of you here, this isn't quite the occasion you were anticipating. Some of you are still waiting for your final marks and degree classification. During your time here at Sussex, you and your fellow students have faced unprecedented challenges. First you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic with its repeated lockdowns and major disruption to normal university life. Then as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced several periods of strike action and some of you are now facing delays in receiving your degree results. This is because academics in a number of schools, members of the university and college union are currently engaged in a marking and assessment boycott. This form of industrial action is taking place across the UK at more than 140 higher education institutions and is part of a campaign to secure improved working conditions and higher pay. These issues are negotiated nationally between the employers body and UCU. And since UCU rejected the pay rise that's been agreed by UCEA, the employer's body, there's been an impasse between the two sides and a proportion of UCU members have been boycotting the assessment process. As the Vice-Chancellor of Sussex, I've been doing all that I can to influence the national situation, as I believe that resolution has to be found through dialogue and compromise. In this spirit, I worked with the Sussex branch of UCU to issue a joint statement about the current situation. In this, we pointed out the underlying problem of the long-term underfunding of higher education, which means there is a serious mismatch between the real need of staff for wage rises in a high inflation environment and the ability of universities to pay enough to meet union demands. In our Sussex Joint Statement we urge the employers body and the union to return to the negotiating table to find a way through the situation so that students can have their work marked. Whilst I'm all too aware that many universities are facing serious financial difficulties and all universities are grappling with frozen tuition fees and rising costs, I do believe there's more we can do to address staff concerns about how they're rewarded for their dedication and hard work. And at Sussex we're engaged in a major programme of work to improve terms and conditions for our staff. So far this year we've delivered improved maternity and adoption leave, we've established a carers fund, we've secured accreditation as a real living wage employer, we made two additional cost of living payments to staff, as well as introducing subsidised meals for staff and students. But none of this has impacted on the national dispute, and right now, sadly, for far too long, you, our students, have been at the sharp end of this dispute, over which you have no control. I deeply regret this, it shouldn't be thus, and I offer you my heartfelt apologies and my promise that I'm doing all that I can to try to influence the national negotiations which have just recently restarted, so that those of you who don't yet have your marks get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, we're here, right here right now, to celebrate all that was good about your time at Sussex. This period of your life, when I know for sure you worked hard, learned a huge amount, and experienced enormous amounts of personal growth and change. And I hope had some fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited from the support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community and donors whose generosity supports scholarships that many of you have benefited from. So I'd like to ask those of you who are sitting in front of me in your gowns, who will shortly walk across the stage, if you wouldn't mind standing up and turning and facing your family and friends who are sitting behind you and offering them a round of applause to say thank you for their support.

(Graduands stand and applaud.)

So you really do have a community of well-wishers, supporters, carers, teachers, guides, who are behind you and around you. Now, whether you already have a job or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or are busy trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively. to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connections between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognized for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex by the people who've taught you focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies and much more. We're really proud that, according to the latest independent review of university research, 93% of research at Sussex was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it's making a difference in the world. Right now, it's making the world a better place. And for the past seven years, we've topped the QS World Rankings of universities for development studies. distinction which gets to the heart of Sussex's unique and profound commitment to research, education and equitable partnerships that seek to advance global social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023 for delivering on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum to encouraging nature to flourish on campus, has also helped us climb 22 places this year in the QS World University Rankings, and we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Environmental sustainability is central to our mission and purpose and right across the university, academics, professional services staff and students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and to our natural environment. This mission and all that we do align with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness. We see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple, graduates can be gifted trees by their families or friends in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy and as a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted around watercourses in the local area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. This is a brilliant idea, facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and contribute to the common good. So please do consider taking part in the Trees for Graduates initiative. You can find it using Google or I think there's a stand downstairs. I know that many of you here today have had already extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. I want to recognise that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental or physical health challenges, certainly times when things didn't seem to be going well. I hope you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. And I hope that everyone found your studies intellectually challenging, rigorous, and rewarding. That, after all, is what university is about. Opening up, training, expanding minds. You're now each going to go off on a different path as you join the ranks of more than 200,000 Sussex alumni worldwide. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment. Chief Executives of national and multinational organizations, and those with less publicly high profile but no less significant lives and careers. People whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex interdependent social fabric in small positive ways every day. Across the globe in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So celebrate who you are today at the end of your time at Sussex, celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it, celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible and celebrate your family and friends who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon Professor Kate O'Reardon, Dean of Media Arts and Humanities.

(Professor Kate O'Reardon, Dean of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As she reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.)

Professor Kate O'Reardon, Dean of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities:

Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in American Studies, Joseph Addison. Peter Allen. Lucy Callanan. Also, the recipient of the Rupert Wilkinson Scholarship, Kerry Cooper-Davis. Poppy Duck. Francesca Emter. Owen Evans. Amy Golding. Also the recipient of the Rupert Wilkinson Award, Louis Hubbock. Agatha Humphreys. Paul Hunter. Sophie Aldrod. Alec Terry. Thomas Woods. For American Studies in English, Emma Kinraid. Eloise Mann. For American Studies and Film Studies, Maya Rae Earp. Rebecca Williams. For American Studies and History, Alexander Constantine Smith. Lucy Kelly. Also, one of the recipients of the American Studies Prize for the highest dissertation mark, Matthew Sermon. For American Studies and Politics, Abbey Causer. John Morrissey. Also, one of the recipients of the American Studies Prize for the highest dissertation mark, Erin Raybone. For Art History, Jacob Chamberlin. Cecily Daffern. Gemma Foster. Alicia Gooch. Camilla Mistas. Rianne Pizzi. Sophie Roney. Charlie Savage. Lucy Smith. Elizabeth Strange. Madelaine Woodhouse. For Drama and English, Amy Dorling. Holly Jones. Isabella Lanyon. Anna Little. Holly McNaughton. Scott Robinson. Marianthi Zabetis. For Drama and Film Studies, Ella Green. Sachi Joshi. Mars King. Evie Ward. For Drama, Theatre and Performance, Naomi Acne. Zahra Bell. Rhiannon Davies. Julia DeBella. Emily Farmer. Anna Frost. Gabriella Gillespie. Robin Green. Nellie Hillier. Charlie Hopwood. Annabelle Hoskins. Eleanor Hughes. Emily Lever. Erin O'Lochnon. Victoria Pioskowska. Daniel Rieh. Olivia Richardson. Angharad Roberts. Theo Sankas-Ward. Grace Smith. Holly White. For English, Rose Abbott. Shannon Adams. Rahima Akhtar. Chloe Ashdown. Sean Bannister. Kitty May Barton. Jessica Boone. Bethany Brown. Isabelle Byrne. Matthew Camp. Sasha Campbell. Hannah Carlton. Rosalind Colgate-Stone. Clarissa Davies. Adam Dissam. Daisy Englunder. Sylvie Fraser. Sophie Galea. Alice Glasspool. Katherine Grubb. Susanna Harding. Tiffany Haybourn. Charlotte Hickman. Darcy Higgs. Rosie Jones. Sophie Kantor. Eesha Lakhani. Finlay Leon. Callum Liddell. Laris Locke. Eka O'Sullivan. Leah Oshler. Samuel Palmer. Katherine Porter. Sophia Rezuoli. Elsie Rosen. Kelly Ruddick. Emily Salomon Andrew. Hannah Simmons. Scarlett Speer. Amy Stanvera. Joanna Stanley. Betty Steiner. Georgia Strack. Emejwen Tavo. Luke Thompson. Shanak Wick Ramarathana. Ella Williams. Lucas Yelland. For English with a Study Abroad Year, Estelle Mills. Aanya Pires. Amber Souch. For English and Art History, Bella Cornford. Morgan Harvey. Melita Kumparuli. For English and Film Studies, Susie Grace Lusty-Williams. For English and History, Dipali Majithia. Emma Sgrace. For English and Media Studies, Sophie-Ann Daly. Olivia Hurley. Ivana Kitova. Olivia Fippard. For English Language and Linguistics, Lelaine Aitken. Laura Coffin. Karma Corbett. Alice Duncan. Amelia Harris. Harriet Linney. Johan Miranda Frank. Francesca Pullen. Evie Kuroga. Madelaine Tavaray. For English Language and Literature, Victoria Amundsen. Leah Hardcastle. Annabel Palmer. Clara Piccia. Lorenzo Souza. Fernanda Vidal. Erin Weller. Abigail Westrip. For History, Kezanet Arthane. Joseph Barter. Loretta Bagouche. Stephanie Cavalli. Holly Culling. Amelia Dawson. Melissa Dolan. Sara Elmadjoubi. Estella Faratro. Joshua Farthing. Daniel Gallagher. Isabella Giamatti. Bethany Hansen. Fraser Hawkins. For the Morris Hutt Prize for the major contribution to the History department, Emily Alexandra Hyatt. Chiara Isbani. Gabriel Jalloh. Elizabeth Kelly. Grace Kendall. Ka Chun Lam. Jo Leavitt. Caroline Lincoln. Gemma Lindsay. William Lloyd. Ruby Lochman. Elliot Pearce. John Pearce. Georgia Radley. Rebecca Shields. Will Simmons. Sophia Saini. Allegra Slater. Hannah Smith. James Storey. Elimeh Tondri. Jack Winstanley. For History with a Study Abroad Year, Chloe Louise Farrant. For History and International Relations, Miriam Dababa. Ryoka Jakes. For History and Philosophy, Grace Alston. Vincent Nolan. Joshua Wells. Emily Willicott. For Philosophy, Libby Barker. Leo Beedson. Jessica Beddow. Erin Brennan. Zachariah Brinkley. Joshua Cotta. Dan Englund. Harpreet Gill. Samuel Gill. Jarad Hussain. Abigail Mortimer. Ripley North. Morwenna Riches. Ayesha Simmonds. Marcus Worolew. Phoebe Kay Waterstone. Kate Whitelock. For Philosophy in English, Acia Barnett. Amelie Bodnar-Tunnell. Alicia Brown. Ella Fanel. Redmond Kerr. Valerie Poi. Prilya Pradhan. Victoria Shipton. Toby Ward. For Philosophy and Sociology, Anna Berryman. Amelia Sewell. For Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Kata Bode. Jemima Camp. Alice Coyle. Hannah Beatrice Emmanuelle. William Fox. Matthew Gale. Samuel Husk. Jenny Markeshi. Adil Munir. Millie Nightingale-Rose. Matthew Pearce. Isaac Pim. For Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a Study Abroad Year, Pascal Dilibba Lefebvre. For the Degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics, Reem Abdullah A. Alsharari. For Literature and Philosophy, Mary Grace Castello-Buxton. Please Welcome, Mary Grace Castello-Buxton. For Sexual Dissidence, Hannah Hill. For Social and Political Thought, Leah Alice Mason. Jessie McGregor. Darius Ostova. For the degree of Master of Philosophy, for the thesis, "bearing witness Roman Holter's memorial to the Holocaust through the medium of stained glass," Nina Hirschhorn. Chancellor, I will now present to you, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, for the thesis, "The 21st Century Iraqi Novel, Texts and Contexts," Farah Mahmoud Al-Rajah. For the thesis, "Scripting in the Shower, Locating the Politics of Procedural and Conceptual Anglo-American Poetry, 1990 to 2021," Ashley Barr. For the thesis, "Spectres of Lenin, Rethinking Political Power and Revolutionary Strategy in the Light of a Contested Heritage," Dennis Bosso. For the thesis, "Exploring Love with Plato, Sappho, and Arigaray," Heidi Cobham. For the thesis, "The Party of Lincoln, American Civil War Memory, Civil Rights, and the Republican Party, 1960 to 68," Timothy Goldsworthy. For the thesis, "The Myth of the Mental, Motivating the No-Mind Thesis in Philosophy, Psychology, Psychiatry, and Cognitive Science," Joseph Goff. For the thesis, "The End of the Middle, Middle Class Downward Mobility in the Contemporary Autofiction Novel," Philip Jones. For the thesis, "The Artist as Activist in Contemporary Theatre," Tracy O'Flaherty. For the thesis, "No Second Sex in Art, the Women's International Art Club, 1950 to 1976," Una Mari McDonald-Richmond. For the thesis, "Postmodern Feeling, Effective Framebreaking in the Metafictional Novel," Abby Saunders. For the thesis, "Thinking about Doing in Medical Knowledge Making, Placebos, Health Data, and the Qualitative-Quantitative Divide," Jessica Stockdale. Also the recipient of the Bader Philanthropy Scholarship and for the thesis, "Documenta and its Double, Germany's Myth of Modernism in Memory and Provenance from the Degenerate to Documenta, 1937 to 1955," Lisa Weber. For the thesis, "Reconceptualizing Winsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland, Picturing Race, Immigration and Childhood in Newspaper Comic Strips," Eleanor Whitcroft. Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the School of Media, Arts and Humanities.

(Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.)

Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones:

Chancellor. I will now present to you those who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English, Jamie Mellors. Chancellor, I am delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentation for this University of Sussex ceremony.

(Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar stands centrally on stage.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

I just have a couple of semi-formal things to do before you can, I know you're desperate to get out there and have your pictures by the beach and have your ice cream stolen by a seagull, but may I ask all the people who've just crossed the stage today, if you wouldn't mind just standing for a moment, and colleagues if you wouldn't mind standing as well, thank you very much, just an opportunity for me to say to all of you a hearty congratulations and like the sign says outside this building. You did it! Thanks! Come on! Thanks very much.

(Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause, Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar approaches the lectern for his concluding speech.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

So, so that happened. Congratulations again, everyone. And well done, family and friends. I mean, some of you were truly embarrassing. Respect. Fantastic. And students, it was really lovely to meet you up here, you know, despite it being brief, you all looked fantastic, you all smelt amazing, apart from three or four. Obviously I'm joking, there was way more than three or four. I'm kidding. So students, as your time here at Sussex draws to a close, we hope that you will keep us in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and to each other, of course, as alumni. There are a number of graduate and postgraduate schemes that may be of interest to you. And I hope that some of you might consider being mentors on the mentoring scheme, because I can't think of better mentors for the current and future students of the university. Whether your next step is gainful employment, the search for it, more academic study or simply some time out, I wish you of course the very best. At the closing of these ceremonies, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. Good luck with that. But here are some thoughts that I've had that you can, you know, ponder, ignore, or improve even better. Struck me that as your Sussex chapter ends the future begins and it is imperative I feel that you get to write it, that you have some say in your ongoing narrative because if you don't someone else will write it for you and I believe one of the best ways to control your narrative is to consistently yet improvingly be unconditionally you. I often hear people say things like, you must have heard this, “well, they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them.” You know, “if they listen to me, I'll listen to them.” “If they're not going to show me respect, I'm not going to show them respect.” All of those are conditional. To me, it just says that you'll act based on how someone else acts first. So, who's controlling the narrative there then? Be nice. And listen, and respect, simply because that's just who you are. What they do is up to them. That's not your concern. Be you. That traditional phrase that we've all heard, “treat others as you wish to be treated.” Yeah, I mean, it's so common that you get wafts past our heads, but it is exactly that, isn't it? Otherwise, the phrase would have been, “treat others after you've waited to see how they're treating you and making sure there wasn't misunderstanding or that you hadn't misheard and made sure it was you they were talking to and not some other random person and then do the same as them,” which isn't as catchy. Also, I believe that emotional intelligence is the essential component of wisdom because it incorporates empathy, compassion, and kindness. And those attributes, those three, better than any others, are gonna see you through the good times and the challenging ones. Thanks. I mean, I would add a sense of humour, of course, not just because it's fun, which is great in itself, but because irony can give you perspective. You know, when we get overwhelmed by something, you know, if it's very scary or tragic or anxious or even beautiful, emotional, you know, when we get overwhelmed, even momentarily, we lose perspective. And if we then have to make a decision in that moment, We're trying to make the best decision we can from the same head that's overwhelmed, and that's quite hard. So I think it's really important to try to get perspective as quickly as possible. The most efficient way of doing that is to talk to someone, get another viewpoint, you know, not the same as yours, but the fact that you are looking at it through their eyes, even momentarily, just gives you perspective. And if you can't find someone to talk to, then a sense of humour, because that thing which is scary and tragic or anxious that's overwhelming, if you are able to find something about it that's ridiculous or silly or even fun or interesting, any of those things, it's not less scary, it's not less tragic, but it's not just one thing anymore. It's now two things, and that's perspective. I think I'm hardwired to find a solution. I really don't care if I come up with it or someone else does, as long as we find it. Also, I think I'm hardwired to find common ground first. Disagreeing after agreeing feels very different to agreeing after we've disagreed vehemently. A couple of thoughts about the future. I think we're brought up to, at least society, has brought us up to fear. the unknown future. You know, that blank space in the future where you don't know what's gonna happen. I think a lot of people are scared of it. It's why a lot of people hold so much store in a plan. You know, “what's your plan? Have you got a plan? Gotta have a plan. Have you written a plan? Let's see your plan.” And the thing is, planning is great. It's really important because it allows you to see and build small steps towards an eventual goal. But planning is linear. right? I mean it has to be, you know, like rungs of a ladder, one follows the other, that's what planning is, that's how it functions, but life is anything but linear. Life just bounces you around and gives you the kind of curveballs and the unexpected and the weird coincidences and the WTFs, uh, ‘World Tennis Federation’ for the, for the kids, um. And that brought me on to thinking quite recently about the phrase “better the devil you know”. I've heard that quite a bit, “better the devil you know”. And breaking that down, it means, you know, take this horrible thing now because in the future, which hasn't arrived yet, there may be an even more horrible thing. And then what happens when you get to that future and the even more horrible thing isn't there? you're stuck with the thing that you knew that was horrible from the start, and you're in no position to take advantage of anything that's better. So, when you're stuck with that, how about... Not seeing that future, a future full of kind of unimagined worse things, but seeing a world of possibilities. I know that sounds really simplistic, but in a world of possibilities some things, sure they may be worse, but you have to acknowledge that some things could be better. And just in that slight change of approach, your decision-making now is not entirely based on fear. It's based on hope for a start, which I think is a healthier place to start from. And then when life does throw you the curveball, the unexpected, which will happen, you just adjust to it quicker because you're not shocked by it. Now I've got two lived experiences of this that I'd love to share with you very briefly. You may or may not be aware that the University of Sussex was my first choice when I was applying to universities many years ago. I didn't want to go anywhere else and I didn't get in. Apparently my grades weren't good enough and so I took my business elsewhere. and I waited 25 years till all those who prevented me from getting in had either moved on, retired, been deported, were in prison or just got plain dead and I came back in as Chancellor. I'm aware that was childish. My point is, take that linear planning. Where were you in that story? Also, I wanted to act and write since I was five years old. And I know this because when I was five years old, an uncle came to our house and said to me, as a five-year-old, well, what do you want to be when you grow up, young man? And I said, actor. And my dad said, “it's pronounced doctor.” It's true, unfortunately. I didn't go to drama school. I didn't do GCSE drama even, but the dream was still there, pushed behind a sea of kind of fear and impossibilities. And then when I was 30 years old, quite unexpectedly, curveball. I found myself in litigation. I'd sued the last company I'd worked for, for breach of contract, and I couldn't get any kind of job for two years while the whole thing rattled through the legal process. I was hugely in debt. I had to move back in with my parents. I found it very difficult to face people because I felt such failure and so despondent about stuff, and I couldn't see a way out of it at that point. I could not have foreseen that within two years of that, that I would be on television in a successful program, embarking on a career that I've managed to sustain now, since then, in something I absolutely love. And I have to again say, take that, linear planning! Where were you in that story? So I've lived through it twice, where that unimagined horrible future actually turned out to be the exact reverse. And through that, I discovered something which has been really useful to me. This is about the kind of inner monologue that we all had, the private conversations we have about ourselves in our heads, which is about making that positive and how important that is. I discovered in time that I cannot fail. I just can't. Sue me! Other people might think I can. I don't. Because that word no longer applies to me. That's it. I just decided. I decided with every experience I was either going to enjoy it or learn it. Or learn from it. Or both. The ideal situation. And that means I've not added that extra pressure to myself. I feel that I'm... more ready to adapt to change my plan, whether it's the steps or the eventual goal. There's no room for failure, I'm just learning. We've all got so obsessed with winning and losing that we overlook improvement as sometimes being the most valuable marker. So don't be afraid of making mistakes. It's how we learn. I mean, just, you know, every mistake you make, make sure it's a new one. Don't keep making the same old mistake, that's the definition of an idiot. Don't be an idiot. I believe that who we are is always, always what we do next. Our next decision is who we are. What just happened to us may have happened because of some contribution we've made, but it may be things out of our control. But our response to it is us, and we can improve that all the time. Process it, learn from it, move on from it. Don't hang on to it. I'll leave you with a fable and a proverb, both of which I really love. The fable is about a Native American who was chatting to his grandson about an ongoing battle that goes on inside people. He said, “the battle inside all of us. is between two wolves. One wolf is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego. The other wolf is good. It is joy, peace, hope, love, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.” And the grandson thought for a minute and then asked, in this fight, “which wolf wins?” And the grandfather said, “the one you feed.” And finally, the ancient Sanskrit proverb, which I translated into English for you, “Too many cooks still won't make enough food for an Asian wedding.” It's ancient and yet it's true. At the end of the day, I think what we really need from each other as opposed to what we want, what we really need from each other is compassion, acknowledgement, the space to make mistakes and evolve. And that essentially means being kind to ourselves as well. Sometimes you have to be your own best friend to see that perspective. So write your life stories with kindness and grace, with compassion and humour, adapting to the unpredictable, filling each page with a better you, an unconditional you, the best you. May all your stories contain one simple common thread, that you added to the love and compassion for and on this planet in small ways every day. And don't forget. feed the good wolf. I officially declare the ceremony closed.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

(A video of Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, starts playing on the large screens above the auditorium.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Greetings all. I am the Chancellor of the University of Sussex. A lot of you probably already knew that, but I thought the beard might throw you. It's for a character I'm playing in a TV thing. It is real. If I'd been there, I would have invited you to give it a tug to check its authenticity as you crossed the stage. Or not. Anyway, I digress. Well, well, here we are. Well, here you are. I am, of course, somewhere else. But here in spirit and in admiration. Apologies for gate-crashing your day, but I just couldn't help crowbarring myself into your celebration. I wanted to add the warmest of welcomes to all of you, and to those like me who may be following the ceremony remotely. Sussex graduations have become known for being a festival, a bit of a party, and it's a tradition that I hope you'll continue today. This is your day, so express your joy and positivity when you cross the stage. Skip, dance, strike a pose, anything as long as it's consensual and within the bounds of decency and legality. I know you've worked hard for this moment, so enjoy sharing it. And friends and family, this is your day too. So take a moment to be prepared with your cameras for the moment your superstar crosses the stage. And make as much noise as you can when they do. Oh, come on, they've embarrassed you enough times in the past. So this is payback time. Have a great ceremony, and I'll catch you on the other side.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I'm sorry that Sanjeev is only here on video. He's had a family emergency and he's had to return to London, so he sends his apologies, but he's here in spirit. Distinguished guests, members of the University, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, class of 2023, our amazing students gathered here to celebrate your time at Sussex. I extend to all of you the warmest of welcomes. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil, and I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. My thanks to Sanjeev in absentia for his opening speech. But before we proceed, I want to acknowledge that for some of you here, this isn't quite the occasion you were anticipating, not just because Sanjeev isn't here, but because some of you are waiting for your final marks and degree classifications. During your time at Sussex, you and your fellow students have faced a number of unprecedented challenges. First, you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. Then as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced several periods of strike action and some of you are facing delays now in receiving your degree results. This is because academics in a number of schools, members of the University and College Union, UCU, are currently engaged in a marking and assessment boycott. This form of industrial action is taking place across the UK at more than 140 higher education institutions and is part of a wider campaign to secure improved working conditions and higher pay. These issues are negotiated nationally between the employers' body and UCU. As the Vice-Chancellor of Sussex, I've been doing all that I can to influence the national situation, as I believe that resolution has to be found through dialogue and compromise. In this spirit, I worked with the Sussex branch of UCU to issue a joint statement about the current situation. In this, we pointed out the underlying problem of the long-term underfunding of higher education, which means that there's a serious mismatch between the real need of staff for wage rises in a high inflation environment and the ability of universities to pay enough to meet union demands. In our Sussex joint statement, we urged the employer's body and the union to return to the negotiating table to find a way through the situation so that students can have their work marked. and I'm glad that negotiations have actually restarted. Whilst I'm all too aware that many universities are facing serious financial difficulties and all universities are grappling with frozen tuition fees and rising costs, I do believe that there's much more we can do to address staff concerns about how they're rewarded for their dedication and hard work. And at Sussex we're engaged in a programme of work to improve terms and conditions for our staff. So far this year we've delivered improved maternity and adoption leave, we've established a carers fund, we've secured accreditation as a real living wage employer, we've made two additional cost of living payments to staff and we've introduced subsidised meals for students and staff. But none of this has impacted on the national dispute and sadly right now and for too long you, our students, have been at the sharp end of this dispute over which you have no control. I deeply regret this. It should not be thus and I offer you my heartfelt apologies and my promise that I'm doing all that I can to try to influence the national negotiations so that those of you who don't yet have your marks get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we're gathered together, class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones to celebrate all that was good about your university days. This period of your life at Sussex, in which I know for sure you worked hard, learnt a huge amount, and experienced enormous personal growth and change, having, I hope, some fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree. But it's also a moment to recognise that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community and donors, whose generosity has supported scholarships that have enabled many students to fulfil their potential. So I'd like to ask those of you sitting in front of me in your gowns, who will shortly be walking across the stage, to stand and to applaud those or to offer some thanks to those who've made your success possible, your friends and family. You might want to stand and turn and face them. They're behind you and around you. And you can say thank you.

(Graduands stand and applaud.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Wonderful. Now, whether you already have a job lined up or a place on a postgraduate course, or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or are busy trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively, to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connections between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education Across the disciplines and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex by the people who've taught you focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies and much more. We're really proud that according to the latest National Independent Review of Research in universities, 93% of our research was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it's making a difference in the world. Right now, it's making the world a better place. Over the past seven years, we've topped the QS World Rankings of universities for development studies. A distinction of which we're very proud because it gets to the heart of Sussex's unique and profound commitment to research, teaching and partnerships that seek to advance global equity and social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023 for delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. And this commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in the curriculum to encouraging nature to flourish on campus, has helped us climb 22 places this year in the QS World Universities Rankings, and we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Environmental sustainability is central to our mission and purpose and right across the university, staff and students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and our natural environment. This mission and all that we do align with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness. We see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniel Olenloa. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families or friends in acknowledgement of their achievement, a living legacy and a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted around the watercourses of the local area to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. It's a brilliant idea, facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and contribute to the common good. So families and friends, if you'd like to take part, please do consider the Trees for Graduates scheme. There's a stall in the Brighton Centre and you can find it on the internet. I know that many of you here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. I want to recognise that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental or physical health challenges, times when things didn't seem to be going well for you. I hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. And I hope that everyone found your studies intellectually challenging, rigorous, and rewarding. That, after all, is what university is about, opening up and training and expanding minds. You're each now going to take different paths as you join the ranks of over 200,000 Sussex alumni worldwide. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment. Chief Executives of national and multinational organizations. And those with less publicly high profile, but no less significant lives and careers. People whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex social fabric in small positive ways every day. Across the globe in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. And I know you will do that too. So, celebrate who you are today at the end of your time at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible and celebrate your family and friends who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon the Associate Dean in the School of Media Arts and Humanities, Professor Jim Endersby.

(Associate Dean in the School of Media Arts and Humanities, Professor Jim Endersby, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Associate Dean in the School of Media Arts and Humanities, Professor Jim Endersby:

Thank you. The Vice-Chancellor will now present you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English and Film Studies. Lauren Cowler. Sophie Eacock. Molly Gray. Ella Johnson. Lucca Mansell. William Powell. Lauren Ughetti. For English and Film Studies with a study abroad year, Harvey Halpenny. For Film Studies, Cheuk Hin Chung. Vivienne Estrada. Eleanor Germany. Yishan Hang. Sam Merefield. Sara Raja. Lottie Skala. Jamie Stein. Thomas Tsoukaris. Tin Nok Yuen. For Filmmaking, Stavros Apostolopoulos. Martin Attmore. Ethan Baker. Asa Boufrahi-Wade. Olivia Brown. Adam Cannell. Esme Chapman. Zibing Chen. Lydia Coe Raducu. Delilah Davies. Omer Dernek. Kate Dominic. Tia Fada. Daniel Fararooy. Luisa Freire. Benjamin Green. Oliver Haycraft. Summer Heselden. Christopher Jones. George Leonida. Maili Little. Daniel Olenloa. Ethan Peck. Giovanni Rizzo. Ethan Truss. Oscar Varnham. Zachary Warren. On Wong. For Filmmaking with a Professional Placement year, Brandon Piralli. For Filmmaking with a Study Abroad year, Callum Gronert. Karolina Wysinska. for Journalism, Vanessa Bandoh. Nirvan Barua. Don't jump the gun, guys. Helena Bates. Alexander Bishop. Alfie Cairns Culshaw. Ella Coffey. Sara Collins. Jasmine Josephine Crowhurst. Lucy Finch. Ryan Fitzsimons. Elena Harbinson. honour Hughes. Jacob Khadaroo. Matisse Moretti. Ziggy Reynolds. Luke Speck. For Journalism with a Professional Placement Year, Benjamin Cornwell. For Journalism with a Study Abroad Year, Camay Davis Mcauley. For Media and Communications, Lewis Adio. Ellen Armour. Matthew Brooks. Morgan Carter. Lap Chan. Kristal Chow. Yat Sin Chui. Molly Collins. Abigail Epstein. Phoebe Hill. Zaira Khanzada. Dohee Kim. Hannah Kinnane. Man Ho Marcus Lee. Sze Wing Lee. Yuxin Li. Iyesha O'Donnell Brown. Absent, I'm sorry. Rida Owais. Sorry, missed one there, thank you. Beatriz Pecegueiro Do Amaral Viana. Trevon Raji. Maisie Stocks. Kin Ming Tam. Alys Tinning. Molly Usher. Jemma Weeks. Sophia Weston. Hiu Wong. Yafei Wu. Yixin Zhang. Vice-Chancellor, this concludes the first part of the presentations from the School of Media, Arts and Humanities.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I call upon the Dean of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, Professor Kate O'Reardon, to present Dr Katrina Palmer.

(Professor Kate O'Reardon, Dean of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, approaches the lectern alongside Dr. Katrina Palmer to introduce her.)

Dean of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, Professor Kate O'Reardon:

Vice-Chancellor, I'm delighted and honoured to welcome, introduce and present Dr. Katrina Palmer. Dr. Palmer is an outstanding artist, writer and academic whose work explores our physical and psychological relationship with objects, with their presence, their absence and our ability to conjure them in our imagination. Dr. Palmer studied English and Philosophy at the University of Sussex and graduated here in the Brighton Centre in 1989. Moreover, she has graduated several times. After graduating from Sussex, she worked in publishing before returning to education in her 30s to study for a BA in sculpture at Central Saint Martins in 2004. That was followed by an MA at the Royal College of Art in 2006. She's currently a lecturer in fine art at the Slade School of Fine Art. In her career to date, she's done many things. She has won the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award, exhibited work at the Tate Britain and the Hayward Gallery, and has worked on projects commissioned by the Turner Contemporary, Margate, and Metal, Southend, as part of England's Creative Coast Waterfront projects. A piece on women's roles in the First World War was commissioned by the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. She has had site-specific work commissioned and exhibited in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, and has authored several books using fictional and often experimental narratives to explore her ideas. In 2013, she was one of two winners of Open, a competition run by BBC Radio 4 and Artangel. She focused on the quarries of Portland in Dorset in the UK, looking at the area as a place of loss, absence and instability. The opposite, in fact, of the buildings and monuments constructed from Portland stone. Portland stone is a small island that's mostly hollow because Portland stone has been excavated and is a giant quarry. And it was used to make all the buildings, the monumental buildings in London, including Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Tower of London, which are all made of millions of tons of stone from this very small part of the Dorset coast. For her most recent solo exhibition, What's Already Going On, she explored found objects and existing situations and taught herself to throw knives, using vibrantly painted clay objects as her targets. And she documented the process in another published book, Black Slits. As indicated by these very brief examples, her work is courageous, bold, innovative, and experimental. She's an inspiring figure in the art world. As a Sussex alumna, Dr. Palmer is a great role model for future and current students and staff in media arts and humanities. She has built a fine art career on philosophical and literary traditions. Her approach is interdisciplinary and crosses boundaries, echoing Sussex's strengths. And she is someone who has worked in different and perhaps unexpected areas, returning to education multiple times, and has been unafraid to try different directions in her life. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her brilliant work and for her renewed engagement with the university, its students, staff and alumni. Vice-Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, Dr. Katrina Palmer.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

By the authority of the Senate of the University of Sussex, I confer on you the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa.

(Shaking hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, Dr. Katrina Palmer is conferred an honorary degree. She then approaches the lectern to make her honorary speech.)

Dr. Katrina Palmer:

Vice-Chancellor, many thanks for inviting me here today and for granting this award. Thank you Professor Kate O'Reardon for your generous introduction. As you heard I studied philosophy and English literature when I was at Sussex and now as an artist I often draw on the reading and schools of thought that I was introduced to while studying here. I'm conscious that the particular form of my practice that combines writing and teaching with visual artwork is only possible because I was able to pursue my own path in what was a non-standard educational trajectory in subjects that don't straightforwardly map onto employment with professional income. It seems important to draw attention to this given this week's announcement from the government that universities should cap student numbers for such subjects. Those students who have pursued degrees in the arts and humanities have of course acquired valuable skills and knowledge that contributes significantly to our culture and society. Certainly the current period of strikes is one of unprecedented unrest in many universities, placing excessive pressure on staff and students alike. I note that, as was mentioned in this environment, I recently exhibited a video that I filmed in my office at the University of Oxford, where I was employed at that time, and where social inequalities and struggles for recognition were heightened. The work I made in response to this was, as you heard, a recording of myself learning how to throw knives in my office in the middle of the night. I threw the knives into balls of clay, forming randomly shaped objects. So the action was performative and creative. Initially, I missed the target frequently, but over the course of the term, I recorded that learning process, including all of the mistakes. And earlier this year, the video and clay targets formed part of a successful exhibition. In other words, I speak to the value in resisting, persevering, and making something productive in response to oppressive situations. In a context of much adversity, it's crucial that people can still assert their responses and that they're able to protest. To protest against exploitations, violence and inequalities that define our time, including transphobia and racism, for example. To speak up against the pressure to put caps on so-called non-vocational degrees. to resist unfair contracts endured by so many lecturers and outsourced cleaning staff in universities and the huge burden of debt faced by our students. I have confidence in this university to take these causes seriously. I wouldn't have accepted this honour if I didn't believe that. And it's the education that students receive in universities like Sussex that enables them to articulate their concerns. My encounters with so many bright and determined students gives me hope because in persevering with your education and resisting adverse circumstances, you encourage us all in the pursuit of a genuinely reflective, progressive, and tolerant culture. I want to finish by extending good wishes to all the Sussex graduates, alumni, staff, and current students of the university. Thank you.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I call upon Associate Dean in the School of Media Arts and Humanities, Professor Jim Endersby.

(Associate Dean in the School of Media Arts and Humanities, Professor Jim Endersby stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Associate Dean in the School of Media Arts and Humanities, Professor Jim Endersby:
Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications with a professional placement here, Gabriela Maudonnet. For Media and Journalism, Tyler Mowbray. For Media Practice with a Professional Placement Year, Andrew Hollingshurst. For Media Production, Farah Eyad Alabdulla. Lewis Alford. Maria Amaya Becerril. Leixi Chen. Charlotte Cheung. Amy Cheyne. Rebecca Chitolie. Sofia Constable Maxwell. Angelina Cunningham. Hope Dangerfield. Yuluo Deng. Bethany Diack. Zimiao Fan. Carlotta Freytag. Lucas Gibson-Gleave. Yuxin Guo. Patrick Haresnape. Holly Hart. Mohamed Hassan. Shun Ki Hon. Dania Hussein. Alicia Jenkins. Karin Khoury. Ahram Kim. Kristy Lai. Tsz Man Lai. Jeffrey Lam. Yi Yan Lee. Sin Yan Leung. Christine Marega. Louise Nalunkuuma. Chun Hin Cyrus Ng. Bessie Omanya. Penelope Owen. Emilie Owens. Zeran Pan. Man-Hsuan Shih. Piraveena Surendran. Celeste Tan. Crystal Tao. Wenyan Wang. Oliver Wellington. Ho Kwan Wong. Shuangyu Yu. For Music, Adam Fleming. Kenza Purdye. Samuel Thrussell. For Music Technology, Luke Barrett. Leon Bounds. Lola De Oliveira Gibbon. James Ely. Also, the recipient of the Dr. John Birch Music Scholarship, Frederick Greaves. Sean Oluwabankole Jibowu. Louey Kleiner-Gaines. George Lilley. Alfie Moran. Mark James Podmore. Emily Richardson. Tom Salter. Joseph Short. Jade Snowdon. For Music Technology with a Study Abroad year, Oskar Augustsson. For Digital Media, Sijia Ni. For Filmmaking, Sam Hayler. Hua Zhongke, Massimo Marengo, Faridah Popoola. Fatimo Tijani. Fangzhou Zou. For Gender and Media, Diana Ferreiro Hernandez. For International Journalism, Simone Lobo. For Media Practice for Development and Social Change, Megan Fowler. Hana Mason. Alleine Nicole Santo Tomas Namuco. Nathalia Sylvie Mary Platt. Sorry, absent. Vice-Chancellor, I will now present you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Want to come and join us? For the thesis, The Culture of the Agora, the Intersection of Materiality, Memories, and Senses in Thessaloniki Markets, Alexandros Daniilidis. For the thesis, Night Sniffing, Figuring Bats as Unruly Stakeholders Through Ambulatory Interfaces with Urban Planning Data, Clifford Hammett. For the thesis, Domestic Noir, Reading Contemporary Women's Genre Fiction, Katerina Hendricks. For the thesis, Fantasizing the Nation, Construction and Materializations of National Identity in American and Japanese Animated Fairytale Worlds, Christine Hui. Congratulations. For the thesis, Who Takes the Rap? Young People's Experiences of Violence and Resistance at an East London Youth Club, Baljit Kaur. For the thesis, cosy Vibes, Coziness as an Atmospheric Aesthetic Category, Manuela De Mattos Salazar. Congratulations. For the thesis, Nothing New or Alien, Uncanny Intergenerational Animal, Stuart Scott. For the thesis, After the Last Stitch, Palestinian Dresses and Anticolonial Feminist Filmmaking, Joy Stacey. Vice-Chancellor, this concludes the presentations for the School of Media Arts and Humanities.

(Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

(Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones:

Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you those who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management with Psychology with a professional placement year in the University of Sussex Business School, Lila Deniz Inam. For the Degree of Bachelor of Laws in Law Graduate Entry in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Rana Abdally. For the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications, Layla Muttawa. Vice-Chancellor, I'm delighted to confirm this now concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex ceremony.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands centrally on stage.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Well, we're nearly at the end. I'm going to ask you one last time to stand up, if you wouldn't mind, students, Thank you. And colleagues, would you stand? So we've reached pretty much the formal end of the ceremony. And I want to say congratulations on all your achievements. You've done it!

(Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause, a final video of Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, starts playing on the large screens above the auditorium.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Hello, it's me again. Congratulations, graduands. Very, very well done to all of you. Traditionally, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some parting words of wisdom. I don't think there's anything I can tell you that you don't instinctively already know. And your instincts, that inner voice, are always right, by the way. But they speak with the same vocabulary, cadence, inflection, and grammar as your fears, anxieties, and doubts. So how to tell the difference? But your instincts always come from a place of love. So check in with yourself and make sure that you are always coming from a place of kindness towards yourself and the world around you. Being kind in every situation can be a challenge sometimes. I know it's easier said than done. But the more you practice it, the easier it gets until eventually it's just habit and a part of who you are. all achieved magnificently in your academic pursuit, and I have no doubt you will apply that to your journey going forward. For dealing with the emotional challenges, anxiety, and mental health issues that we all face in an uncertain world, we need emotional intelligence. I believe that at the heart of emotional intelligence is compassion, love, and positivity. You know how when we look up at a clear night sky, we can marvel at starlight knowing that those stars may not now even exist, yet we can bask in their glow. Love and compassion have the same power. We can and do feel love and kindness from people and events long since gone. And we can do that now for those who will be here when we've long since gone. An act of compassion is like dropping a pebble into a lake. The ripples affect far more and reaches way further than we ever thought or intended. Positivity is not about thinking everything is great all the time. It's being aware that things are tough, but believing and knowing that that is not permanent, that things can and will change. I've lived this experience. At 32, I was unemployed, in debt, and living with my parents. I could not conceive that within two years I'd be working on TV and movies, not what my business degree had planned for me. Going further back, at 18, I applied here, to Sussex, my first choice for university. I didn't get in, something about my grades not being good enough. So I went elsewhere and waited until all those responsible for me not getting in had retired, were in prison, deported, or were just plain dead. And at the age of 46, I came back here as chancellor, so ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. And going back even further still, when I was five years old, an uncle asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. Actor, I said. My father said, it's pronounced doctor. But 30 years later, and since, I've been living and doing what I dreamed of. Obviously, I'm someone who plays the long game. My point being that all of those moments have been amongst the most surprising, positive experiences of my life, and have led to other extraordinary experiences, including bringing me here today. thus obliterating all of the negative ones I had before. It's taught me that I have no idea exactly what's in my future, and neither do you. But you want to stay in the game until the good stuff comes around, and be ready for it when it does. One of my favourite quotes is from the great American poet Maya Angelou, who I was lucky to have met once. And she said, people may forget what you did. People may forget what you said. People will never forget the way you made them feel. The final key to emotional intelligence I want to mention is listening and talking. It's obvious, right? Listening, really hearing what someone is saying to you is essential. People aren't always consciously saying what they're feeling. So like a detective waiting for that vital piece of information, you have to be really on it. My aunt always used to say, you have two ears and one mouth, so always listen twice as much as you talk. And talking. When we're overwhelmed by anything, fear, anger, grief, greed, even beauty and love, the thing we lose is perspective. Even momentarily, and in those moments, we may act in haste and without the clarity that's required. The quickest way to perspective is to pause and then talk to someone. Get an alternative point of view that's not also been created in your own head. But choose wisely beforehand, because these will be the excellent listeners I mentioned, and will not necessarily be convenient, but will tell you their honest opinion in the most compassionate way. And if you can't find someone to talk to, Get yourself a sense of humour. If you can see that that overwhelming, terrifying thing is also silly, then it is no longer just a terrifying thing. Instant perspective. Mahatma Gandhi said, be the change you want to see in the world. So if you want to see a more compassionate world, you be more compassionate. You want to see more accountability, then you be more accountable. If you honestly want to know who you really are, It's your next decision. Always. If your last decision didn't work out, learn from it and move on. It's not who you are anymore. Your next decision is. I give myself two choices. Enjoy or learn. That's it. I can't ever fail. If I'm not enjoying something, then what am I learning from it? If I'm not enjoying or learning, then why am I doing it? Stop. Do something else. Actually, obviously, there is a third option. Enjoy and learn. Patently, that's the best one. So we are already powerful. Each of us has the ability to make or break someone's day, to inspire or dishearten, to encourage or to devastate. So remember that even at your lowest point, you have the power to express kindness. You also, of course, have the power to call bad behaviour out. Just have it come from a kind place. Don't let anyone take that power away from you. Success without humility is empty. Achievement without gratitude is arrogance. Compassion that is selective is only half-baked. Love without expression is just an idea. And dancing without using your arms is just weird, unless it's Irish dancing, Riverdance style, in which case it's fine. I hope we meet in person at some point, in which case, feel free to come up and say, I'm a Sussex graduate, and you owe me a hug, or a handshake, or a high five, or ignore me if you want. I mean, it's up to you. Either way, I'll be wishing you all success in everything you do next. Take your compassion, positivity, humour, and power, and change your world, someone's world, the world. Farewell.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Thank you Sanjeev, thank you friends, thank you everyone. I declare this congregation closed.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

(A video of Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, starts playing on the large screens above the auditorium.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Greetings all. I am the Chancellor of the University of Sussex. A lot of you probably already knew that, but I thought the beard might throw you. It's for a character I'm playing in a TV thing. It is real. If I'd been there, I would have invited you to give it a tug to check its authenticity as you crossed the stage. Or not. Anyway, I digress. Well, well, here we are. Well, here you are. I am, of course, somewhere else, but here in spirit and in admiration. Apologies for gate-crashing your day, but I just couldn't help crowbarring myself into your celebration. I wanted to add the warmest of welcomes to all of you, and to those like me who may be following the ceremony remotely. Sussex graduations have become known for being a festival, a bit of a party, and it's a tradition that I hope you'll continue today. This is your day, so express your joy and positivity when you cross the stage. Skip, dance, strike a pose, anything as long as it's consensual and within the bounds of decency and legality. I know you've worked hard for this moment, so enjoy sharing it. And friends and family, this is your day too, so take a moment to be prepared with your cameras for the moment your superstar crosses the stage. And make as much noise as you can when they do. Oh, come on, they've embarrassed you enough times in the past, so this is payback time. Have a great ceremony, and I'll catch you on the other side.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the University, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex. I extend to you all the warmest of welcomes. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil, I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. And I want to start by thanking Sanjeev, our Chancellor, who can't be here today. He sends his heartfelt apologies. He had a family emergency yesterday and had to return to London. So I'm sorry you've just had the video. Before we go any further, though, I want to acknowledge that for some of you here, this might not be quite the occasion you were anticipating. because a number of you are still waiting for your final marks and degree classification. During your time here at Sussex, you and your fellow students have faced a number of unprecedented challenges. First, you went through the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life. Then as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced several periods of strike action and then delays in receiving marks. This is because academics in a number of schools, members of the university and college union, are currently engaged in a marking and assessment boycott. This form of industrial action is taking place across the UK at more than 140 universities and is part of a wider campaign to secure improved working conditions and higher pay. These issues are negotiated nationally between the employers' body and the UCU, And since UCU rejected the pay rise that had been agreed by the employers, there's been an impasse between the two sides, and a proportion of UCU members have been boycotting the assessment process. As the Vice-Chancellor of Sussex, I've been doing all that I can to influence the national situation, as I believe that resolution has to be found through dialogue and compromise. And in this spirit, I worked with the Sussex branch of UCU to issue a joint statement about the situation. In this, we pointed out the underlying problem of the long-term underfunding of higher education, which means there's a serious mismatch between the real need of staff for wage rises in a high-inflation environment and the ability of universities to pay enough to meet union demands. In our joint Sussex statement, we urged the employer's body and the union to return to the negotiating table to find a way through the situation to ensure that every student gets their work marked soon. And I am very pleased to say that the two sides are at the table today, so there is hope now. Now whilst I'm all too aware that many universities are facing serious financial difficulties and all universities are grappling with frozen tuition fees and rising costs, I really believe there's more we can do to address staff concerns about how they're rewarded for their dedication and hard work and at Sussex we're engaged in a major programme of work to improve terms and conditions for our staff. So far this year, we've delivered improved maternity and adoption leave, we've established a carers fund, we've secured accreditation as a real living wage employer, we made two additional cost of living payments to staff, and we introduced subsidised meals for students and staff. But none of this has impacted on the national dispute, and right now, for far too long, our students have been at the sharp end of this dispute, over which you have no control. I deeply regret this, and I offer my heartfelt apologies and my promise that I'm doing all that I can to try to influence the national negotiations so that the small number of you here today who don't yet have your marks get them as soon as possible. But in the meantime, right here, right now, we're gathered together, Class of 2023, with your friends and loved ones, to celebrate all that was good about your university days. This period of your life at Sussex, in which I know for sure you worked hard, learnt a huge amount, and experienced enormous amounts of personal growth and change, and I hope had some fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community and donors, whose generosity has supported scholarships that have enabled so many students to fulfil their potential. So I'm going to ask those of you who are standing or sitting at the moment sitting before me in your in your robes and who will shortly be walking across the stage to rise to stand and to offer your thanks to those who supported you on your journey so far. You might want to stand up and turn face your family and friends who are sitting around you and behind you and give them a round of applause.

(Graduands stand and applaud.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Thank you. Now whether you already have a job or a place on a postgraduate course or are planning to take some time out to explore the world or are busy trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, a university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively, to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connections between people and places, between people and planet, as fundamental to securing progressive change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The depth and breadth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex by the people who've taught you focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies and much more. We're really proud that according to the latest independent review of university research, 93% of our research was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means it makes a difference in the world. Right now, it's making the world a better place. And for the past seven years, we've topped the QS World Rankings of universities for development studies, a distinction of which we're very proud because it gets to the heart of Sussex's unique and profound commitment to research, teaching and equitable partnerships that seek to advance global social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education 2023 Impact Rankings for delivering on the United Nations Sustainability Goals. This commitment to sustainability, through embedding it in all aspects of our curriculum, to encouraging nature to flourish on our campus, has also helped us climb 22 places this year in the QS World University Rankings, and we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff and our students are demonstrating a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and our natural environment. This mission and all that we do align with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness. We also see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families or friends in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy and as a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees are being planted around the watercourses of the Brighton and Hove region to increase biodiversity and improve water quality. This is a brilliant idea facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and contribute to the common good. So families and friends, if you'd like to take part, please do look out for the Trees for Graduates stall or Google. I know that many of you here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. And I want to acknowledge that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental or physical health challenges, times when things didn't seem to be going so well. I hope you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. And I hope that everyone found your studies intellectually challenging, rigorous, and rewarding. That, after all, is what university is about. Opening up, training, and expanding minds. You're each going to take different paths now as you join the ranks of over more than 200,000 Sussex alumni. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers, and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organizations, and those with less publicly high-profile but no less significant lives and careers, people whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex social fabric in small, positive ways every day. Across the globe, in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know that you will do that too. So celebrate who you are today at the end of your time at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that's made it possible and celebrate your family and friends who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon the Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Robin Banerjee.

(Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Robin Banerjee stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Robin Banerjee:

Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Fidan Abdullayeva. Majd Alasadi. Fatema Esam Isa Qasim Aljawder. Charlie Alsop. Bethany Anderson. Megan Arnott. Louisa Aspeling. Sophia Barange. India Barling. Matthew Barlow. Manisha Barr. Mia Barrow. Dana Barthorpe. Eimile Bartkus. Georgia Beattie. Aiste Belausaite. Amber Bellot. Georgia Bennetts. Benjamin Blackwood. Josephine Blank. Jay Blew. Owain Boffey. Zoe Booth. Chloe Boxall. Carina Brann. Tara Brogan. Amber-May Brook. Kiera Burl. Eloisa Caltagirone. Nathan Carnell. Lucie Chambers. Megan Chappell. Tiger Chisman. Tatiana Chryssolor. Thank you. Derin Colak. Emily Collis. Connor Couch-Gonzalez. Olivia Cozens. Sophie Craven. Georgina Curtis. Nia Curtis. Adam Cusmans. Sasha Da Silva. Alice Dale. Megan Davies. Samantha Davies. Rebekah De-Haan. Lauren Dean. Lucy Dinnage. Saoirse Doyle. Mark Eacott. Madeleine Ebdon. Katy Eddington. Aikaterini-Eleni Efstathiadi. Hanna Eldarwish. Yasmine Elmellas. Farida Mohamed Mohamed Efat Elsadat. Saskia Ewins. John Fairley Ortiz. Sebastian Faucheux De Bergerac. Ellen Ferrao. Mara Field. Olivia Fraser. Silveolah Frimpong. Jennifer Gomez Llanos. Olivia Gorvett. Eadie Gould. Alexander Greatorex. Lauren Greenland. Sabrine Guettoch. Ruby Haddad. Molly Hadley. Molly Handford. Annabel Hansen. Finlay Hardwick. Imogen Head. Georgia-Mae Hearsey. Emily Herrera Chipantiza. Ana Hervas Peters. Alice Hill. Zoe Hill. Madeleine Hinkley. Avni Hirani. Joe Hitchcock. Lily Hoban. Jake Hocking. Megan Holliday. Sebastian Hommasi. Emily Hook. Lola Houlton. Skye Hurwitz. Eilidh Hutt. Chloe Ireland. Alfie Jackson. Aislin Jarvis. Emma-Louise Jattan. Amber Jenkins-Draper. Richard Jillings. Madeleine Johannessen. Jesse Johnson. Reanna Johnson. Ella Jones. Sanya Kajla. Markus Kan. Jessica Katz. Maria Kavasila. Antonina Keane. Heather Kerr. Lucy King. Rebecca King. Helin Kocadag. Miya Kumar. Zara-Jane Levy-Jones. Vasiliki Liakopoulou. James Littlefield. Eric Liu. Jacob Lothian. Maria Makri. Grace Marshall. Kayleigh Matthews. Nuala Mccullough. Jasmine Meacock. Fotini Michael. Karolina Mikołajczyk. Rebecca Milligan. A'Faf Mohammad Bafadhal. Camaryn Monro. Daniel Moore. Max Needham. Thea Nelson. Myco Nguyen. William Nicol. Lyubie Nikolova. Zoe Norton. Maia Oakley. Eren Olgun. Evie Outen. Olivia Outerbridge. Semeli Panagiotou. Daya Panesar. Ella Parsons. Mihaela Pascalov. Evelina Pascaniuc. Radhika Patel. Joshua Payne. Ella Phillips. Milly Pigram. Lorika Plepolli. Elijah Ponte. Adina Popa. Emily Pope. Ella Powles. Madison Price. Katie Quattromini. Karen Daniela Raga Velez. Alia Rahman. Rachel Reid. Linn Mille Rekdal. India Rich. Megan Robinson. Millie Rogers. Bethany Romero. Josie Roux. Natasha Rubins. Olivia Russell. Marcelo Sader. Leila Sanchez. Claire Sanders. Daniel Sarigul. Lavinia Sassoli De Bianchi. Nimat Shonibare. Kweku Siaw. Lucyna Zofia Sikorska. Lily Sissons. Amelie Smith. Liberty Smith. Trinity Smith. Anna Sochiera. Gemma Stacey. Louella Stephens. Joseph Stones. Peter Stratton De Carvalho. Abenaa Sutharsan. Sara Svobodova. Özge Tas. Skylar Taylor. Jazmine Tiley. Selina Tregunno-Waheed. Alicia Van Langenberg. Madeleine Veasey. Madeleine Vickers. Lois Vidamour. Michael Vile. Anya Ward. Maisie Ward. Ishak Welsh. Ann Whittingham. Maximillian Wills. Sophie Wilson. Vasvi Yaksh. Panayiotis Yiasemi. Ka Yiu. Raul Ymeraj. Thomas Youells. Yelena Zylko. Vice-Chancellor, this concludes the first part of the presentations from the School of Psychology.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Thank you, Professor Banerjee. And I call upon you, Professor Banerjee, to introduce Professor Gail Lewis.
(Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Robin Banerjee, approaches the lectern again alongside Dr Gail Lewis to introduce her.)

Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Robin Banerjee:

Vice Chancellor, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Dr. Gail Lewis. Gail is a distinguished feminist academic and black feminist activist, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, and a Sussex alumna with an MPhil in Development Studies in 1982. She had previously studied social anthropology at the London School of Economics, and after an MPhil at Sussex, went on to complete a PhD in social policy with the Open University. Currently a professor at Yale University in the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and reader emerita of psychosocial studies at Birkbeck College, Gail has been the co-editor of European Journal of Women's Studies, and a member of the editorial collective of The Feminist Review. As an activist for women's rights and black women's rights, Gail has gained wide respect. She has highlighted how gender, race, sexual orientation, and class affect the visibility of non-white women and has campaigned for causes that support equality, diversity, and inclusion, matters that are close to our heart at Sussex. During the 1970s and 80s, Gail was a leading proponent of the women's liberation movement. Her memories and reflections were captured in Sisterhood and After, The Women's Liberation, an oral history project now archived in the British Library and directed by University of Sussex Professor of Cultural Studies, Margaretta Jolly. She was also a long-standing member of Brixton Black Women's Group and a co-founder of the Organization for Women of African and Asian Descent, a collective regarded as a watershed in the history of black women's rights activism. Through her history in the psychosocial aspects of our lives, she has also used autobiography to explore attitudes towards race in Britain since the end of the Second World War. Born in London in 1951 to a white mother and a black father from British Guiana, Gail revisited her childhood memories for an article for the journal Studies in Maternal, in which she wrote frankly and movingly and in an astonishing and beautifully vivid stream of consciousness about growing up in a family and a neighborhood where the colour of her skin marked her as different. In 1998, Gail assisted the legal team representing Duane Brooks, a friend of the murdered black teenager, Stephen Lawrence, in the McPherson inquiry, and she co-authored a submission on racial stereotyping. Two years later, she gave evidence to the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, highlighting the importance of gender to the future of multi-ethnic Britain and the role of social policy in social inclusion. In 2019, Gail was invited to give the Feminist Review Annual Lecture. Her lecture was entitled, Lies and Disguises, the Racialization of Culture and Child Sexual Exploitation. Gail 's contributions to debates around issues of race, gender, class, and sexual orientation, and her personal sharing of her own experiences, are not only furthering our understanding of these issues, They encourage all those without a voice to feel able to speak up, to be listened to, and to be heard. Vice Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, Dr. Gail Lewis.

(Shaking hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, Dr. Gail Lewis is conferred an honorary degree. She then approaches the lectern to make her honorary speech.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

By the authority of the Senate of the University of Sussex, I confer on you the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.

Dr. Gail Lewis:

Oh my God. I am full of tears. And like many of you here, graduates, full of my mother, for all sorts of complicated reasons. One of which was that she would say to me when we'd come down here to visit family when I was a teenager, maybe you'll get a job at Sussex University one day. You could maybe work in the library, something like that. And it seemed very far away. But I want to start, just need to go to see a few notes that I want to say to you. But I want to start with where I'm going to end as well and say what an extraordinary gift and a pleasure it's been to see you come up and be honoured by us and celebrated by us as your families and friends here, their hearts swelled to gather you in and applaud your achievement and that was in my heart too and I want to say thank you for inviting me to do that today. I also want to say, of course, that it's a pleasure and an honour to be here, to be offered this degree. I can't quite believe it, actually. I feel terribly trembly about it. And thank you for the beautiful introduction. And again, as I say, because as an adolescent, this was a far distant place. It was a university that seemed so far across a water that I wouldn't be able to swim across. And here I am, and there I was for IDS for my degree, my MPhil degree. There was a time when to be here was as remote as the proverbial pigs might fly. The university beckoned as a kind of maybe, one day place every time I visited my great aunt who lived in Peacehaven and then Hove. And also, I did come here to IDS and I want to just remember particularly Robin Murray, who was one of my teachers in the IDS, who absolutely made it possible for me to be there, a black girl from working class background, to be able to pursue my degree as a Master of Philosophy in Development Studies. I thank the University for proposing me for this degree and the Senate for approving the nomination and I especially want to thank Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil for a warm and welcoming letter of invitation to accept the degree. that it's for my work predominantly on black feminism is especially meaningful to me as it's the activist theoretical and analytical space from which I've engaged the intersections of racialization, gendering, sexuality and class, questions of social policy and welfare practice, excuse me, I lost my place, of course. And considered what's meant by the term experience and how this category of the lived and the analytic may be considered a vector of social, cultural, and political dynamics through which our lives are governed. More than that, black feminism and its core ethical stance of care and recognition and connection across difference has offered me a way to calibrate the quality of relationships, provided what Harriet Tubman would call a North Star, as we try and find our way into a place called freedom. and by which to chart the waters of the past, the present, and the hoped-for futures. To be honoured for that is a very high honour indeed for me, so a heartfelt thank you. And lastly, but in keeping with the black feminist ethic that I just referenced, I want to say that this honour is made even more meaningful to me because it links me to all of you, the other finalists, for whom this is graduation day. A cohort whose achievement, whether formally known today or not, is remarkable given the conditions under which you have had to study and experience university life. that you've negotiated the pandemic alongside the effects of the enduring labour struggles is only tribute to your absolute thirst for life and curiosity itself, for a determination and courage as you've pursued the paths of your intellectual curiosity and your hope for futures. This determination and achievement only underscores the value of the degrees you've got today. Even more starkly, it's really underscored them. I'm proud to be among you and offer my heartfelt tribute to you all and to your families. Go well, fellow graduates.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Thank you, Gail. I now call upon Professor Alison Pike of the School of Psychology.

(Professor Alison Pike of the School of Psychology stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As she reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Professor Alison Pike of the School of Psychology:

Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you for the Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a professional placement year, Joao Almeida. Mathilde Bauer. Piera Bertolotti. Helena Buhl. Luke Bunn. Megan Chambers. Aimee Cole. Also awarded the Stuart Sutherland Prize for an outstanding third-year project, Angharad Collins. Martha Cooper-Jones. Also awarded the Mike Scaife Prize for Best Final Year Project in Cognition, Learning and Innovative Technology, Clare Davis. Vera Diakonov. Carenza Dunn. Charlotte Evans. Emma Ewing. Chaturi Galboda Liyanage. Also awarded the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Prize for Best Final Year Project in Mental Health or Wellbeing, Dana Pedersen Gatley. Millie Gaydon. Also awarded the George Butterworth Prize for Best Final Year Project in Developmental Psychology, Ruby Grant. Harriet Green. Tatyana Ilieva. Abigail Jones. Pinelopi Aikaterini Karafyllaki. Katie Karnif. Paulina Kupczak. 59:58.405 --> 01:00:06.833 Claudia Lawrence. Jemima Matthews. Josephine Peck. Kalliopi Perrou. Christopher Perry. Maria Petric. Daniel Procter. Yasmin Richter. Heather Roche. Radu Rusu. Rosie Scates. Jessica Shaw. Emma Spindler. Eliza Swinburn. Ameliagh Terrins-Hutchinson. Claudia Tinkler. Joseph Twist. Marian Obiageli Ugoh. Daisy West. Alice White. Madison Young. Hannah Zaman. For Psychology with a Study Abroad Year, Charlotte Burton. Scarlet Gradwell. Millie Regan. Louise Stafford. Joseph Ventriglia. For Psychology with Business Management, Emaan Ahmed. Umme Bashir. Andrea Boeva. Ida Hammar. Eva Hlahulkova. Kieran Jalif. Also awarded the Peter Smith Prize for Best Final Year Project in Social and Applied Psychology, Ana Loureiro. Well done, congratulations. Carmen Martinez De La Colina Vilarino. Karishma Panchal. Danielle Rodriguez. Ifeoluwa Rotimi. Emily Sharpe. Jake Smith. Weronika Julia Strzelczyk. Katie Sutcliffe. Chi Yee Tan. Alexander Vincent. Iris Tsz Wong. For Psychology with Clinical Approaches, Hana Abdelaal. Juliana Afonso. Tiarna Aktipi. Ghalia Al Horoub. Rima Ali. Meggi Aliu Mahad Altaf Mirra Banerjee. Stefan Barnett. Ashleigh Begum. Anna Clausen. Rachael Crowder. Pablo Curtis. Rosalind Curwen. Duygu Ayca Demirci. Jessica Down. Bethany Ellenger. Joel Haines-Lynsdale. Sorcha Hamer. Maria Herrera Castro. Madelyn Hill. Teresa Jorge Pessina. Grizelda Khaling Rai. Rojda Koker. Sophie Kwist. Kenji Lee. Freya Marshall. Tneisha Mills. Lilian Mitchell. Telma Njualem. Daisy Quinn. Marta Quintana Marrero. Georgia Sancisi. Eslam Emad Abdelnaby Shahin Shaheen. Sara Sohail. Magdalena Swiniarska. Meera Vinu. For Psychology with Clinical Approaches with a Professional Placement Year, Ellen Charlesworth. Cerys Davies. Rebecca Dyer. Amy Hemming. Rutendo Chingosho. For Psychology with Cognitive Science, Maryam Abdelgadir. Anna Kobis. Friederike Strickstrock. Lara Tuzunsu. Denis Tyshchenko. For Psychology with Cognitive Science with a Professional Placement Year, Oscar Bowen-Hill. Time to say goodbye No, no, non esistono più. Lo con te. Okay then. For Psychology with Criminology, Yasmin Al Thawr. Katherine Bennett. Isabella Bianciardi. Lucy Bowling. Juliana Boyanova. Thomas Bryant. Elliot Chawla-Duggan. Kamil Czarnecki. Giulia Dal Maso. Ella Darby. Holly Davis. Lorelei Drew. Conor Elliott. Valenteena Gabb. Jodhi Gold. Maria Iglesias Becerra. Chi Kwok. Cheuk Long Lee. Bronte Lewis. Hannah Mcgrath. Phoebe Mitchell. Tilly Potter. Chelsea Riley. Anastasia Rolland. Madeleine Sainty. Maria Schulte. Amelia Scott. Rihana Shivji. David Smith. Oliver Smith. Oliver Smith. Leah Udall. Holly Weisfeld. Sophia Williams. For Psychology with Criminology with a Professional Placement Year, Syedah Hussain. Prianka Patel. Imogen Velvick. For Psychology with Economics, Jemima Hall. Also awarded the Sage Publications Prize for Outstanding Application of Statistical Methods in the Final Year Project, Charlie Homewood. Well done. I need to check something. So sorry. Back to our scheduled programming. Okay. For psychology with education and... Third time lucky. For psychology with economics and also awarded the Tony Gale Memorial Prize for Best Final Year Project, Dylan Watts. For Psychology with Education, Daisy Billinge. Vivienne Moana Maria Freund. Aemilia Gillespie. Ayshe Lyuman. Becky Poulter. Mackenzie Reilly. For Psychology with Neuroscience, Nada Amr Hassan Kamel. Panni Lilian Andor. Benjamin Baker. Cemaliye Bergun. India Bonnett. Tiegan Bryant. Rowan Campbell. Sarah Capps. Hannah Davies. Elodie Durand. Zeyad Khaled Mohamed Ezeldin Fayed. Abigail Hardcastle. Jun Wei Hew. Georgia Hughes-Evans. Lauren-Nicole Jezeph. Emma Johansson. Yididya Kinfe. Chloe Lambert. Isabella Li. Sin Yi Liu. Gabriella Macrae-Jones. Rhys Mather. Abbie Mizen. Anna Nouli. Eleanor O'Neill. Jessica Phillips. Lauren Pollock. Anita Rein. Andrea Saw Wen. Madeleine Wernick. For Psychology with Neuroscience with a Professional Placement Year, Anna Johnson. Hanna Joyce. Luise Kalus. Vice-Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the School of Psychology.

(Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones:
Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you those who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Management Studies with a professional placement year in the University of Sussex Business School, Alice Kenny. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Jasmine Kermoud. For Psychology with Neuroscience, Cagdas Berk. Almira Isik. Vice-Chancellor, I'm delighted to confirm that this now concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex ceremony.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Psychologists, Class of 2023, would you all stand please? Colleagues will you all stand. So it falls to me now to say to you all congratulations, you did it!

(A final video of Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, starts playing on the large screens above the auditorium.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Hello, it's me again. Congratulations, graduands. Very, very well done to all of you. Traditionally, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some parting words of wisdom. I don't think there's anything I can tell you that you don't instinctively already know. And your instincts, that inner voice, are always right, by the way. But they speak with the same vocabulary, cadence, inflection, and grammar as your fears, anxieties, and doubts. So how to tell the difference? but your instincts always come from a place of love. So check in with yourself and make sure that you are always coming from a place of kindness towards yourself and the world around you. Being kind in every situation can be a challenge sometimes. I know it's easier said than done, but the more you practice it, the easier it gets until eventually it's just habit and a part of who you are. You have all achieved magnificently in your academic pursuit, and I have no doubt you will apply that to your journey going forward. For dealing with the emotional challenges, anxiety and mental health issues that we all face in an uncertain world, we need emotional intelligence. I believe that at the heart of emotional intelligence is compassion, love and positivity. You know how when we look up at a clear night sky, we can marvel at starlight knowing that those stars may not now even exist, yet we can bask in their glow. Love and compassion have the same power. We can and do feel love and kindness from people and events long since gone. And we can do that now for those who will be here when we've long since gone. An act of compassion is like dropping a pebble into a lake. The ripples affect far more and reaches way further than we ever thought or intended. Positivity is not about thinking everything is great all the time. It's being aware that things are tough, but believing and knowing that that is not permanent, that things can and will change. I've lived this experience. At 32, I was unemployed, in debt, and living with my parents. I could not conceive that within two years I'd be working on TV and movies, not what my business degree had planned for me. Going further back, at 18, I applied here, to Sussex, my first choice for university. I didn't get in, something about my grades not being good enough. So I went elsewhere and waited until all those responsible for me not getting in had retired, were in prison, deported, or were just plain dead. And at the age of 46, I came back here as chancellor, so ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. And going back even further still, when I was five years old, an uncle asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. Actor, I said. My father said, it's pronounced doctor. But 30 years later, and since, I've been living and doing what I dreamed of. Obviously, I'm someone who plays the long game. My point being that all of those moments have been amongst the most surprising, positive experiences of my life, and have led to other extraordinary experiences, including bringing me here today. thus obliterating all of the negative ones I had before. It's taught me that I have no idea exactly what's in my future, and neither do you. But you want to stay in the game until the good stuff comes around, and be ready for it when it does. One of my favourite quotes is from the great American poet Maya Angelou, who I was lucky to have met once. And she said, people may forget what you did. People may forget what you said. People will never forget the way you made them feel. The final key to emotional intelligence I want to mention is listening and talking. It's obvious, right? Listening, really hearing what someone is saying to you is essential. People aren't always consciously saying what they're feeling. So like a detective waiting for that vital piece of information, you have to be really on it. My aunt always used to say, you have two ears and one mouth, so always listen twice as much as you talk. And talking. When we're overwhelmed by anything, fear, anger, grief, greed, even beauty and love, the thing we lose is perspective. Even momentarily, and in those moments, we may act in haste and without the clarity that's required. The quickest way to perspective is to pause and then talk to someone. Get an alternative point of view that's not also been created in your own head. But choose wisely beforehand, because these will be the excellent listeners I mentioned, and will not necessarily be convenient, but will tell you their honest opinion in the most compassionate way. And if you can't find someone to talk to, get yourself a sense of humour. If you can see that that overwhelming, terrifying thing is also silly, then it is no longer just a terrifying thing. Instant perspective. Mahatma Gandhi said, be the change you want to see in the world. So if you want to see a more compassionate world, you be more compassionate. You want to see more accountability, then you be more accountable. If you honestly want to know who you really are, It's your next decision. Always. If your last decision didn't work out, learn from it and move on. It's not who you are anymore. Your next decision is. I give myself two choices. Enjoy or learn. That's it. I can't ever fail. If I'm not enjoying something, then what am I learning from it? If I'm not enjoying or learning, then why am I doing it? Stop. Do something else. Actually, obviously, there is a third option, enjoy and learn. Patently, that's the best one. So we are already powerful. Each of us has the ability to make or break someone's day, to inspire or dishearten, to encourage or to devastate. So remember that even at your lowest point, you have the power to express kindness. You also, of course, have the power to call bad behaviour out. Just have it come from a kind place. Don't let anyone take that power away from you. Success without humility is empty. Achievement without gratitude is arrogance. Compassion that is selective is only half-baked. Love without expression is just an idea. And dancing without using your arms is just weird, unless it's Irish dancing, Riverdance style, in which case it's fine. I hope we meet in person at some point, in which case, feel free to come up and say, I'm a Sussex graduate, and you owe me a hug, or a handshake, or a high five, or ignore me if you want. I mean, it's up to you. Either way, I'll be wishing you all success in everything you do next. Take your compassion, positivity, humour, and power, and change your world, someone's world, the world. Farewell.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I declare this congregation closed.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)

[‘Trumpet Fanfare’ music playing] (A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enter the auditorium, walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduands and guests, ascend the stage via staircases on the left and right respectively, and take their seats. At the end of the procession are two academics/staff with ceremonial torches who on stage bow to each other, the rows of academics/staff, and then place the torches on a small, raised table with a cloth at the very front of the stage.)

(A video of Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, starts playing on the large screens above the auditorium.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Greetings all. I am the Chancellor of the University of Sussex. A lot of you probably already knew that, but I thought the beard might throw you. It's for a character I'm playing in a TV thing. It is real. If I'd been there, I would have invited you to give it a tug to check its authenticity as you cross the stage. Or not. Anyway, I digress. Well, well, here we are. Well, here you are. I am, of course, somewhere else, but here in spirit and in admiration. Apologies for gate-crashing your day, but I just couldn't help crowbarring myself into your celebration. I wanted to add the warmest of welcomes to all of you, and to those like me who may be following the ceremony remotely. Sussex graduations have become known for being a festival, a bit of a party, and it's a tradition that I hope you'll continue today. This is your day, so express your joy and positivity when you cross the stage. Skip, dance, strike a pose, anything as long as it's consensual and within the bounds of decency and legality. I know you've worked hard for this moment, so enjoy sharing it. And friends and family, this is your day, too, so take a moment to be prepared with your cameras for the moment your superstar crosses the stage. And make as much noise as you can when they do. Oh, come on, they've embarrassed you enough times in the past, so this is payback time. Have a great ceremony, and I'll catch you on the other side.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands and approaches the lectern to make an introductory speech.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Distinguished guests, members of the University of Sussex and colleagues from the University of Brighton, parents, supporters, friends, and most importantly, Class of 2023, our amazing students here to celebrate your time studying at Sussex, I extend to you all the warmest of welcomes. My name is Professor Sasha Roseneil, and I'm the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex. I must first explain to you why you saw a video just now of our Chancellor Sanjeev rather than having him here in person. I'm very sorry to say he had to go back to London last night from Brighton due to a family emergency. He sends you his very best wishes for this afternoon, and sorry he can't be here. Before we go any further with the formalities of the day, I want to just acknowledge that this hasn't been quite the university experience you might have hoped for. During your time at Sussex, you and your fellow students have faced a number of really unprecedented challenges, above all the uncertainties and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, with its repeated lockdowns and interruptions to normal university life and to your placements. Then as things were settling down, students on some courses experienced periods of strike action and delays with their marks. I deeply regret this. I offer you my heartfelt apologies for everything that was perhaps within our control to change, and I really hope that we can enjoy this afternoon despite all that. Because we are here right now to celebrate your time at Sussex, Class of 2023, to mark this moment with your friends and loved ones, and to remember all that was great about your time as university students here. This period of your life, when I know for sure you worked really hard, learnt a huge amount, and experienced enormous personal change and growth, and I hope had considerable amounts of fun along the way. Today's ceremony represents the culmination of your hard work throughout your degree. But it's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefitted from the support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course from the teaching and guidance of staff at the university. I'd also like to mention our alumni community and donors, whose generosity has supported scholarships that have enabled students to fulfil their potential. So I'm going to ask all of you who are sitting before me in your gowns, who are going to walk across the stage shortly, to stand and to turn and face your supporters and friends who are gathered around you and behind you, and to offer them a round of to say thank you for all that they've done to support you during your time as students.

(Graduands stand and applaud.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

You really do have an army of well-wishers around you. Now, whether you already have a job or a place on a postgraduate course or are planning to take some time out to explore the world, or are just busy trying to work out what comes next, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation. A university that has equipped you with a body of knowledge and a set of skills for life and work in the contemporary world, helping you to think critically and creatively, to work across the boundaries of established knowledge, and to understand the importance of a global perspective that sees the connections between people and places, people and planet, as fundamental to securing change and making the world a better place. You've been tutored and supervised by academics who are internationally recognised for the excellence of their research and scholarship. The breadth and depth of their research has directly informed your education. Across the disciplines and in the spaces in between, research at Sussex, by the people who taught you, focuses on the urgent concerns of our time, from climate crisis and environmental degradation, to populist challenges to democracy and intensifying inequalities, to the ethics and politics of new technologies, infectious diseases and public health, the challenges of an ageing population, and of mental wellbeing. We're really proud that according to the latest National Review of Research, 23% of our research at Sussex was found to be delivering very considerable, sorry, 93%… 23, where did that come from? 93% of our research was found to be delivering very considerable or outstanding impact. That means, and they're very different numbers, 23 and 93, it's making a difference in the world. Right now it's making the world a better place. Those of you from the University of Brighton and Sussex Medical School should also be proud that you're graduating from one of the universities that is described as a top 50, it's in the top 50 of young universities in the world, and that has been ranked the highest in the UK. And for the University of Sussex as a whole, we are very proud that we have topped the QS World Rankings of Universities for Development Studies for seven years running now. We're particularly proud of this because it gets to the heart of what makes Sussex distinctive, which is our really unique commitment to research and teaching and equitable partnerships that are seeking to advance global equity and social justice. We're also amongst the world's top 50 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023 for delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment to sustainability, from embedding it in our curriculum to encouraging nature to flourish on campus, has helped us climb this year 23 places in the QS World Universities Ranking League Table, and we now feature in the top 15% of the world's leading universities. Right across the university, academics, professional services staff and our students demonstrate a profound commitment to tackling the threats to humanity and to our natural environment. This mission, and all that we do, align with our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness. We also see these values reflected in the activities and ambitions of our students. A great example of this is the Trees for Graduates initiative, which was developed by two Sussex students, Tim Merritt and Daniela Valenzuela. The idea is simple. Graduates can be gifted trees by their families or friends in acknowledgement of their achievement as a living legacy and as a way to offset the carbon cost of their studies. The trees will be planted around the watercourses in the local areas and increase biodiversity and improve water quality. It's a brilliant idea, facing into the urgent need for more trees on the planet and the human desire to connect with nature and to contribute to the common good. Families and friends, please do consider taking part in the Trees for Graduates initiative, and you can find a stall downstairs. I know that many of you here today have already had extraordinary and sometimes difficult life journeys. I want to recognise that for some of you, your time as students has involved periods of personal struggle, mental and physical health challenges, times when things didn't seem to be going well. I hope that you found kindness, care and support amongst the Sussex community. I also hope that everyone found your studies intellectually rewarding, challenging and rigorous. After all, that's what university is about, opening up, training and expanding minds. You are all now going to take different paths as you join the ranks of more than 200,000 Sussex alumni worldwide. They include Nobel laureates and world-leading academics and researchers, grassroots campaigners and activists, heads of state and vice presidents, leaders, influencers and creative practitioners in the arts and entertainment, chief executives of national and multinational organisations, and those with less publicly high profile but no less significant lives and careers. People whose actions and relationships remake and renew our complex, interdependent social fabric in small, positive ways every day. Across the globe, in more than 160 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience. I know you will do that too. So, celebrate who you are today at the end of your studies at Sussex. Celebrate the fact that the sacrifices you made were worth it. Celebrate the belief in yourself that has made it possible. Celebrate your friends and family who helped you reach this moment. In short, celebrate. I now call upon the Head of the School of Education and Social Work, Professor Simon Thompson.

(Head of the School of Education and Social Work, Professor Simon Thompson, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Head of the School of Education and Social Work, Professor Simon Thompson:

Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Childhood and Youth, Theory and Practice, Celia Allison-Fagg. Martha Ash. Mira Ashley Binti Asra. Annaleise Berry. Lauren Brazier. Eve Burniston. Alessia Di-Ruzza. Hannah Eastwell. Also awarded the BA Childhood and Youth Award for Outstanding Courage and Resolve for completing her degree whilst facing exceptional challenges beyond her control, Lok Ching Fung. Mia Gallagher. Jem Hadert. Ayesha Hamlyn. Ciara Hinson. Lara Hurley. Akiva Jensen. James Morton. Sophie North. Paige Palmer. Carmela Pamintuan. Abigail Pounce. Kelli Snow. Maeve Tully. Jody Wallis. Louise Warner. Archie Wilson. For Primary and Early Years Education with Qualified Teacher Status, Aleena Ahmed. Saiba Ahmed. Megan Baxter. Megan Bray. Hannah Brown. Sophie Bundy. Katrina Carrick. Tabitha Chinery. Elizabeth Dunk. Shannon Cutmore. Jenna Epstein. Iona Fairley. Grace Gibson. Eliza Graham. Megan Griffiths. Elisabeth Guns. Dylan Harwood. Mercedes Hawkey Hernandez. Zara Hayter. Catherine Hesmer. Joanna Hills. Katie Hunt. Saskia Huntley. Bethany Jordan. Morrell. Isabel King. Jessica Lloyd-Burke. Hannah Mullane. Claire Novis. Megan Parkes. Lillian Regaard. Caitlin Rietdyk. Kimberley Royle. Abigail Shackleton. Alice Shea. Jessie Thompson. Hannah Tookey. Alexander Wood. For Primary, Eve Davey. Joanna Heath. Lorna Robson. Kara Rummer-Downing. For Primary with Maths, Charlotte Holdway. For the degree Master of Arts in Childhood and Youth Studies, Yedesdes Sintayehu Gizie. Wenjing Wang. For Early Years Education, Manar Ali Alsubaie. Junting Liang. For Early Years Education with Early Years Teacher Status, Angharad Rachel Megan Williams. For Education, Chloe Homewood. Isabel Mood.y Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for the thesis, ‘We are Learning from Each Other, Teacher Leadership in Ghanaian Basic Schools,’ Esi Fenyiwa Amonoo-Kuofi. For the thesis, ‘Accusations of Spirit Possession and Witchcraft Exploring the Experiences and Outcomes for Accused and Non-Accused Children within the Family,’ Leethen Bartholomew. For the thesis, ‘Modelling Multiple Stakeholder Approach to Education Services Improvement A Case Study of the National Education Collaboration Trust in South Africa,’ Godwin Khosa. For the thesis, ‘Education for Peacebuilding and Social Justice A Case Study of an Elite School in Jordan,’ Carmen Pon.
Vice-Chancellor, I wish to take this opportunity to echo your earlier reflections and recognise and celebrate the remarkable achievements of the students from our School of Education and Social Work. Many started their studies in the most unprecedented and challenging circumstances and yet they emerged as successful researchers, experts in childhood, social workers, teachers and early years practitioners. All committed to making a difference in our world. As Head of School, I share my school's admiration and hope they take great pride in their tenacity, their academic success and the important contribution they will go on to undoubtedly make. I call upon Professor Robin Banerjee of the School of Psychology.

(Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Robin Banerjee, stands and approaches the lectern to present the graduands. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Robin Banerjee:

Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you for the Postgraduate Certificate in Low-Intensity Psychological Interventions for Children and Young People, the Children's Wellbeing Practitioner Pathway, Yee Ling Cheng. Amy Redler. For Mental Health Practice, Megan Everett. For Psychology of Kindness and Wellbeing at Work, Angela Macarthur. Amelia Weaver. Helen Marie Westwood. For the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Mental Health Practice, Peter Ajoku. Lauriane Constans. Lucy Gordon. For Psychological Therapy, Jennifer Edwards. Sasha Marshall. Emma Simon. Georgina Sofia Vass. For the Degree of Master of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience, Leonard Friedrich Craemer. Ana Beatriz de Souza Nogueira. Tavonga Jimias Madzingira. Urmi Jayesh Nagada. Eleanor Frances Kathleen Wareham. For Foundations of Clinical Psychology and Mental Health, Cerys Bowden-Howe. Thomas Maisey. Nandini Modi. Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. For the thesis, ‘Effects of ApoE4 Genotype and Exercise on Neurovascular Coupling,’ Silvia Anderle. For the thesis, ‘A Clinical, Neuropsychological, and Forensic Investigation of Congenital Aphantasia,’ Carla Dance. For the thesis, ‘Mapping the Progression of Cortical Atrophy and Functional Disconnection in Alzheimer's Disease, the Effect of ApoE4 Polymorphism,’ Francesco Di Lorenzo. For the thesis, ‘Reducing Social Psychological Barriers to Success at School, Helping All Students Achieve Their Potential One School at a Time,’ Ian Hadden. For the thesis, ‘Our Future, Social Change Through Marginalized Young People's Engagement with Inclusive Group-Making Activities,’ Marusa Levstek. For the thesis, ‘Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Auditory-Verbal Hallucinations, What Should It Be Doing and How Will We Know When That's Happened?’ Sofia Loizou. For the thesis, ‘Anomalous Trichromacy, External Enhancement of colour Signals, Individual Differences, and Diagnosis,’ Lucy Somers. For the thesis, ‘Positive Psychological Traits, Predict and Facilitate Good Sleep Quality and Quantity,’ Amber Tout. Vice-Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the School of Psychology.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

I call upon the Dean of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Professor Malcolm Reid. Thank you. I'm also inviting Dr. David Walker, who's here, to join me in congratulating all the graduating students from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

Dean of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Professor Malcolm Reid:

Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you, for the degree of Bachelor of Medical Science, Natasha Stewart. Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you, for the degree of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Golboo Abbasian Amin. Adiranke Adansoye. Aisha Abubakar Mohamed. Also awarded the Royal College of General Practitioners Prize for General Practice at BSMS, Annabell Agate. Belal Ahmad. Jessica Ahmed. Shuchita Ahmed. Rukhsaar Akhtar. Mohammed Faisal Hussdin Malik. Nigeen Akram. Dasha Alderton. Zahra Al-Essah. Also awarded the BSMS Prize for Outstanding Personal Achievement, Fahmida Ali. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall, Ali Almajali. Alexander Angelis. Salman Asad. Hussain Atcha. Niall Bains. Margaret Bassey. Mohamed Bedir. Sophie Bedson. Also awarded distinction in Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Therapeutics and Professional Studies, Louise-Ingrid Bekono-Nessah. Maifa Belghoul. Sarah Belkout. Christopher Bennett. Matei Berceanu. Also awarded distinction in Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Therapeutics and Professional Studies, Maya Berger. Lisa Blake. Also one of the recipients of the BSMS Sports Award, Morgan Brock. Hannah Burton. Arun Chahal. Kirsten Chaplin. Imadul Chowdhury. Thomas Clarke. Also awarded distinction in Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Therapeutics and Professional Studies, Thomas Copeland. Sasha Correia. Also awarded the BSMS Prize for the most significant contribution to the community and distinction in Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Therapeutics and Professional Studies. Also awarded the distinction in the BMBS course overall, Eleanor Craven. Toluwalogo Daramola. Also awarded the BSMS Societies Award, Kwaku Darko. Jemima Demi-Ejegi. Also awarded distinction in Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Therapeutics and Professional Studies and one of the recipients of the BSMS Sports Award, Luke Fox. Naveen Garikapati. Madeleine Grand. Lewis Gregory. Big breath. Also awarded the Professor Alistair Smith Prize for best performance in the course overall, the BSMS Prize for the best overall performance and distinction in the BMBS course overall. Additionally awarded distinction in Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Therapeutics and Professional Studies, Katie Griffiths. Caitlin Hamon. Matthew Hannam. Freya Harding. Also awarded distinction in Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Therapeutics and Professional Studies, Rhiannon Herold. Daisy Holland. John Howat. Mahmood Husein. Abbas Hussain. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall, Helena Ironton. Ayadul Islam. Raveena Kahlon. Elian Karim. Julia Karwat. Abirami Kathiravelupillai. Callum Kenny. Saira Khan. Also awarded the Sue Eckstein Prize for Medical Humanities, Zahra Khan. Nadine Khayyat. Tharaga Kirupakaran. Aron Kulanathan. Liam Kynaston. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall, and distinction in integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Joseph Langworthy. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall, and distinction in integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Emilia Lawden. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall, and distinction in integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Francesca Lockyer. Caitlin Mainstone. Also awarded the BSMS Outstanding Service Award, Natalie Mauger. Bonnie Mclaughlin. Penelope Merrick. Samad Miah. Blessing Mlilo. Rosa Morgan. Bibi Neerahoo. Jonathan Nigate. Alexandra Nye. Daniel O'Flaherty. Holly O'Flanagan. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall, and distinctions in integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Alicia Paessler. Nathan Pakenham. Alexander Palmer. Puja Parekh. Also awarded the BSMS Prize for the best contribution to student body and university life, Oliver Pentz. Tashi Playle. Also awarded distinction in integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Teodora-Maria Purice. Ziqiao Qi. Abdul-Habib Rahman. Poppy Rahman. Tarekur Rahman. Daniel Ray. Dania Raza. Oliver Reigler. Ava Rietdyk. Isabella Robertson. Niloufar Sadeh. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall and distinction in integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Omar Sadek. Miriam Sadiq. Yalda Salari. Yasaman Salari. Georgia Saldanha. Reem Salem. Remya Salimkumar. Polly Scott. Also one of the recipients for the BSMS prize for most significant contribution to the community, Harriet Sharp. Mohammed Siddiq. Rohan Singh. Subaneya Sivathas. Rosalie Stonell. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall and distinction in integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Eleanor Swift. Turkan Taskin. Also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall and distinction for integrated medicine, surgery, therapeutics, and professional studies, Katherine Thurlow. Philipp Tobias. Sahascheat Tov. Harrison Townsend. George Upton. Shruti Venkatakrishnan. Vanisha Victor. James Walsh. Marshall Wang. Omar Wardak. Lena Wodecka. Also recipient of the BSMS Creative Arts Award, Madeleine Wood. Lena Wragg. I'd just like to go back to the beginning because I think I missed out saying for Adiranki Adensoye that she was also awarded distinction for the BMBS course overall. So my apologies and round of applause. For the Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Leadership and Commissioning, Francie Lacson. For Simulation in Clinical Practice, Rosalind Elsbury. For the Degree of Master of Science in Cardiology, Ali Alshahrani. Binoob Gopinath. Pulkita Sharma. For Clinical Education, Dilhara Karunaratne. For Public Health, Mayada Ahmed. Vice-Chancellor, I now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Medicine for the thesis, ‘Power Preparedness and Professional Transition, how students are helped or hindered in the adoption of their new role as doctors,’ Francesca Hall. Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for the thesis, ‘Multimodal Imaging of Neuroinflammation in the Living Human Brain,’ Riccardo De Marco. For the thesis, ‘Host Immune Responses and their role in the pathogenesis of Podoconiosis,’ Mikias Gemeda. For the thesis, ‘Refractory Ascites in End Stage Liver Disease, focusing on the use of long-term drains in a palliative setting,’ Lucia Macken. For the thesis, ‘In Vivo characterisation of Hippocampal Pathology in Patients with Depression Associated to Multiple Sclerosis,’ Prince Nwaubani. For the thesis, ‘Brain Structure and Connectivity as Predictors of Functional Decline and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment,’ Malgorzata Raczek. For the thesis, ‘Mitigating the Carbon Footprint of Products Used in Surgical Operations,’ Chantelle Rizan. Vice-Chancellor, Brighton and Sussex Medical School BMBS graduates, I would like to invite you all to stand and join me in reciting the Hippocratic Oath.

(BSMS graduands stand to recite the Hippocratic oath which appears on the on the large screens above the auditorium. )

Dean of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Professor Malcolm Reid:

I solemnly promise to serve humanity, caring for the sick, promoting good health and alleviating pain and suffering to the best of my ability. Humility, honesty and compassion, working with my colleagues to meet the needs of patients. With this profession comes considerable responsibility and I will not abuse my position and I will act in a professional manner at all times. I will ensure that age, gender, race, religion, social standing…”

(Graduands now recite unprompted.)

Dean of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Professor Malcolm Reid:

Vice-Chancellor, this concludes the presentations from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

(Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones stands and approaches the lectern to call out the final graduand names of the ceremony. As he reads the names aloud, the graduands walk across the stage to applause and shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil.)

Interim Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Keith Jones:
Vice-Chancellor, I will now present to you those who were unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony. For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management in the University of Sussex Business School, Connor Jackson. Lucy Jackson. For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, for the thesis, ‘Individual Differences in Experiencing the Pain of Others Across Brain, Behaviour and Culture’, Mengze Li. For the Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education, Laura Conway. Vice-Chancellor, I am delighted to confirm that this concludes the presentations for this University of Sussex ceremony.

(Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, stands centrally on stage.)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil:

Class of 2023, may I ask you to stand? And colleagues, will you stand too? It's been a huge honour to preside over this ceremony today. Educators, social workers, psychologists, medics, researchers, what an amazing group of people you are and what an enormous contribution I know you are going to make to this country and to the world. I would like everyone here to give you all an enormous round of and to say congratulations, you've done it.

(Graduands and academics/staff stand and after sustained applause a final video of Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, starts playing on the large screens above the auditorium.)

Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar:

Hello, it's me again. Congratulations graduands, very, very well done to all of you. Traditionally, the Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some parting words of wisdom. I don't think there's anything I can tell you that you don't instinctively already know. And your instincts, that inner voice, are always right by the way. But they speak with the same vocabulary, cadence, inflection and grammar as your fears, anxieties and doubts. So how to tell the difference? Well, your instincts always come from a place of love. So check in with yourself and make sure that you are always coming from a place of kindness towards yourself and the world around you. Being kind in every situation can be a challenge sometimes, I know it's easier said than done. But the more you practice it, the easier it gets until eventually it's just habit and a part of who you are. You have all achieved magnificently in your academic pursuit and I have no doubt you will apply that to your journey going forward. For dealing with the emotional challenges, anxiety and mental health issues that we all face in an uncertain world, we need emotional intelligence. I believe that at the heart of emotional intelligence is compassion, love and positivity. You know how when we look up at a clear night sky, we can marvel at starlight knowing that those stars may not now even exist, yet we can bask in their glow. Love and compassion have the same power. We can and do feel love and kindness from people and events long since gone. And we can do that now for those who will be here when we've long since gone. An act of compassion is like dropping a pebble into a lake. The ripple affects far more and reaches way further than we ever thought or intended. Positivity is not about thinking everything is great all the time. It's being aware that things are tough, but believing and knowing that that is not permanent, that things can and will change. I've lived this experience. At 32, I was unemployed, in debt and living with my parents. I could not conceive that within two years I'd be working on TV and movies, not what my business degree had planned for me. Going further back, at 18, I applied here to Sussex, my first choice for university. I didn't get in, something about my grades not being good enough. So I went elsewhere and waited until all those responsible for me not getting in had retired, were in prison, deported, or were just plain dead. At the age of 46, I came back here as Chancellor, so ha ha ha ha ha. And going back even further still, when I was five years old, an uncle asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. "Actor," I said. My father said, "It's pronounced doctor." But 30 years later and since, I've been living and doing what I dreamed of. Obviously, I'm someone who plays the long game. My point being that all of those moments have been amongst the most surprising, positive experiences of my life and have led to other extraordinary experiences, including bringing me here today, thus obliterating all of the negative ones I had before. It's taught me that I have no idea exactly what's in my future, and neither do you. But you want to stay in the game until the good stuff comes around and be ready for it when it does. One of my favourite quotes is from the great American poet Maya Angelou, who I was lucky to have met once. And she said, "People may forget what you did. People may forget what you said. People will never forget the way you made them feel." The final key to emotional intelligence I want to mention is listening and talking. It's obvious, right? Listening, really hearing what someone is saying to you is essential. People aren't always consciously saying what they're feeling. So like a detective waiting for that vital piece of information, you have to be really on it. My aunt always used to say, "You have two ears and one mouth, so always listen twice as much as you talk." And talking. When we're overwhelmed by anything--fear, anger, grief, greed, even beauty and love--the thing we lose is perspective. Even momentarily, and in those moments, we may act in haste and without the clarity that's required. The quickest way to perspective is to and then talk to someone. Get an alternative point of view that's not also been created in your own head. But choose wisely beforehand, because these will be the excellent listeners I mentioned and will not necessarily be convenient, but will tell you their honest opinion in the most compassionate way. And if you can't find someone to talk to, get yourself a sense of humour. If you can see that that overwhelming, terrifying thing is also silly, then it is no longer just a terrifying thing. It's an instant perspective. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." So if you want to see a more compassionate world, you, be more compassionate. You want to see more accountability, then you be more accountable. If you honestly want to know who you really are, it's your next decision. Always. If your last decision didn't work out, learn from it and move on. If you're not who you are anymore, your next decision is. I give myself two choices. Enjoy or learn. That's it. I can't ever fail. If I'm not enjoying something, then what am I learning from it? If I'm not enjoying or learning, then why am I doing it? Stop. Do something else. Actually, obviously, there is a third option. Enjoy and learn. Patently, that's the best one. So we are already powerful. Each of us has the ability to make or break someone's day, to inspire or dishearten, to encourage or to devastate. So remember that even at your lowest point, you have the power to express kindness. You also, of course, have the power to call bad behaviour out. Just have it come from a kind place. Don't let anyone take that power away from you. Success without humility is empty. Achievement without gratitude is arrogance. Compassion that is selective is only half-baked. Love without expression is just an idea. And dancing without using your arms is just weird, unless it's Irish dancing, Riverdance style, in which case it's fine. I hope we meet in person at some point, in which case feel free to come up and say, "I'm a Sussex graduate and you owe me a hug or a handshake or a high five." Or ignore me if you want, it's up to you. Either way, I'll be wishing you all success in everything you do next. Take your compassion, positivity, humour and power and change your world, someone's world, the world. Farewell. I now declare this University of Sussex congregation closed.

[Music playing] (Senior academics and staff on stage tip their hats as two academics/staff walk across the stage to pick up the ceremonial torches from the small, raised table. They bow to one another before bowing to the rest of the academics/staff. Both lead lines single file of all the professors in separate directions down the staircases on the left and right. The academics and staff walk down the aisles betwixt the audience of seated graduates and guests and exit at the back of the auditorium.)