Organisational Development

Online learning

The University uses the e-learning platform, LearnUpon, to deliver essential training to staff. These courses typically take less than an hour to complete and can be accessed at a time and place to suit you.

Please note, the button above will work for current, contracted staff only. Log in using your Sussex ID e.g. ab123@sussex.ac.uk. Temporary staff and other external staff will need to contact OD for alternative access. Please email learnupon@sussex.ac.uk if you need assistance.

Essential e-learning

Enrolment on all essential online training is automatic. New staff will be enrolled on LearnUpon within their first two weeks and will receive an email with login instructions once their account is live.

Essential e-learning for new staff:
Diversity in the Workplace

An introduction to the University's approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. As part of the University of Sussex's commitment to advancing equality of opportunity for all, this course is mandatory for all staff and must be completed within the first month of employment. 

GDPR 

All staff must complete the GDPR training as soon as they have access to LearnUpon.

Recruitment and Selection

The University must ensure that we recruit equitably and within the law. All staff who are involved in recruitment are required to complete this course within a month of employment.

Unconscious Bias

Our unconscious bias e-learning aims to increase awareness of unconscious bias and its impact on people with protected characteristics, and to reduce discriminatory behaviour and attitudes in the workplace. This course is recommended for all staff and mandatory for Grades 7 and above.

Health and Safety Essentials and Fire Awareness

All staff are required to complete these two mandatory safety courses.

What other courses are available?

In addition to the essential staff e-learning, there are many other recommended programmes onto which staff can self-enrol in the LearnUpon catalog. Courses are organised into categories - see below for all available e-learning listed by category.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Challenging Behaviour 

Combining original drama with personal testimony and expert analysis, this course covers a wide range of bullying and harassment issues, giving employees the tools for recognising and tackling inappropriate behaviour and the skills for working successfully as part of a diverse team.

Disabled adventures in work and recruitment - Short Film

Employers often tend to see the disability before the person and make assumptions about their needs and capabilities – and this can mean that the skills and potential of disabled job applicants and staff are not being properly recognised.

This short film provides personal insight and guidance on recruiting and employing disabled people and sets out how to provide reasonable adjustments and support in the workplace.

Diversity in the Workplace

An introduction to the University's approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. As part of the University of Sussex's commitment to advancing equality of opportunity for all, this course is mandatory for all staff and must be completed within the first month of employment. 

Insiders and Outsiders

Recommended as a follow on from our Unconscious Bias e-learning, you will explore the concepts and impacts of micro-inequities and unconscious bias and learn strategies and actions necessary to minimise the damaging effects.

Neurodiversity: An Introduction (Full Course)

A 30-minute video-based online training course that looks at the strengths that neurodivergent thinkers can bring to organisations and the challenges they face in the workplace. It also explores strategies and inclusive practices to create the best possible conditions for neurodivergent thinkers to thrive in the workplace. This training is recommended for managers and supervisors, but open to all Sussex staff.

Please note, there is a shorter 13-minute film version of this course for staff with time constraints: Introduction to Neurodiversity: Short Film

Recruitment and Selection

The University must ensure that we recruit equitably and within the law. All staff who are involved in recruitment are required to complete this course within one month of employment start date. 

The Effective Bystander

As bystanders in our everyday and working lives, we all have a responsibility to take action when we witness bullying, harassment and other inappropriate behaviour. Bystander interventions can take a number of different forms that range from directly confronting the perpetrator about their behaviour to using distraction or interruption and offering support to those on the receiving end. This course looks at some effective bystander intervention strategies and sets out when it might be appropriate and constructive to use them.

The Impact of Micro-Behaviours

Micro-behaviours are the tiny things that we say and do that tell those around us about what we’re feeling or thinking. We’re often not even aware of them happening, but they can have a huge impact on working relationships and team dynamics and are often a key indicator of unconscious bias. This course will take about 30 minutes, and includes films, quiz and learner notes.

Safeguarding Essentials

Designed to assist you in understanding your role in safeguarding children and adults at risk, and looks at what safeguarding means in practical terms. It provides information on the key warning signs that you should look out for and outlines a number of case studies and scenarios for you to consider.

Trans and non-binary awareness

Many trans and non-binary people encounter inappropriate behaviour and a lack of understanding and respect, both at work and in society. Using a mix of drama, real-life stories and expert commentary, this short course provides a unique insight into what it’s like to be trans and non-binary in today’s society, setting out appropriate language and etiquette and reinforcing the importance of treating trans and non-binary colleagues and customers with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Unconscious Bias

Our unconscious bias e-learning aims to increase awareness of unconscious bias and its impact on people with protected characteristics, and to reduce discriminatory behaviour and attitudes in the workplace. This course is recommended for all staff and mandatory for Grades 7 and above.

Understanding Equality Impact Assessments

An Equality Impact Assessment will help you analyse your policies and practices to make sure they do not discriminate against or disadvantage people and that they promote equality in your organisation. This course consists of 40 minutes of in-depth training with films, learner notes and quiz.

Compliance
Freedom of Information

Essential for all staff

GDPR 

All staff must complete the GDPR training as soon as they have access to LearnUpon.

Prevent

This course introduces the Prevent statutory duty and explains what higher education institutions need to do to comply with the legislation. Mandatory for certain key staff. These staff will be notified.

Leadership and Management
Building Trust

Designed with a particular focus on new leaders but suitable for all staff, this course looks at how trust develops, its importance in working relationships and what we can do to improve our own ability to build and maintain it.

Challenging Behaviour 

Combining original drama with personal testimony and expert analysis, this course covers a wide range of bullying and harassment issues, giving employees the tools for recognising and tackling inappropriate behaviour and the skills for working successfully as part of a diverse team.

Developing Emotional Intelligence

In this course, trainer, psychotherapist and writer Barry Winbolt looks at the five core ‘pillars’ of emotional intelligence and shows how improving our emotional intelligence can help us increase our resilience, build and maintain constructive relationships and deal with difficult situations and people.

Disabled adventures in work and recruitment - Short Film

Employers often tend to see the disability before the person and make assumptions about their needs and capabilities – and this can mean that the skills and potential of disabled job applicants and staff are not being properly recognised.

This short film provides personal insight and guidance on recruiting and employing disabled people and sets out how to provide reasonable adjustments and support in the workplace.

Inclusive Leadership

This programme contains insights from pioneers in the field of inclusive leadership, combined with original drama demonstrating inclusive leadership in action and tools for developing inclusive leadership skills at all levels of your organisation.

Influencing People

This course looks at why we might need to influence others in the workplace, sets out a range of different influencing behaviours and strategies and shows how we can improve our own ability to influence those around us.

Insiders and Outsiders

Recommended as a follow on from our Unconscious Bias e-learning, you will explore the concepts and impacts of micro-inequities and unconscious bias and learn strategies and actions necessary to minimise the damaging effects.

Managing Remote Workers

Designed for organisations that are either new to remote working or looking to expand the flexible working options they offer their staff, this course looks at the benefits and challenges of remote working and provides advice for leaders and managers on how to ensure that their home workers remain connected, engaged and productive.

Recruitment and Selection

The University must ensure that we recruit equitably and within the law. All staff who are involved in recruitment are required to complete this course within a month of employment.

Safeguarding Essentials

Designed to assist you in understanding your role in safeguarding children and adults at risk, and looks at what safeguarding means in practical terms. It provides information on the key warning signs that you should look out for and outlines a number of case studies and scenarios for you to consider.

Supporting trans and non-binary people at work: A guide for managers

Knowing how to support your trans and non-binary staff and create a respectful and safe environment for them is key to promoting their own personal well-being and ensuring that your organisation manages to harness and nurture the very best talent.

This short course provides an essential toolkit for managers in managing and supporting trans and non-binary staff at all levels of an organisation.

Unconscious Bias

Our unconscious bias e-learning aims to increase awareness of unconscious bias and its impact on people with protected characteristics, and to reduce discriminatory behaviour and attitudes in the workplace. This course is recommended for all staff and mandatory for Grades 7 and above.

Understanding Equality Impact Assessments

An Equality Impact Assessment will help you analyse your policies and practices to make sure they do not discriminate against or disadvantage people and that they promote equality in your organisation. This course consists of 40 minutes of in-depth training with films, learner notes and quiz.

Personal Development
How to be more productive

This course looks at what can cause us to be unproductive and sets out tools and strategies for managing our workload better.

Professional Development
Challenging Behaviour 

Although recommended for managers, this course is useful for all staff. You'll be given the tools for recognising and tackling inappropriate behaviour and for working successfully as part of a diverse team.

Developing Emotional Intelligence

In this course, trainer, psychotherapist and writer Barry Winbolt looks at the five core ‘pillars’ of emotional intelligence and shows how improving our emotional intelligence can help us increase our resilience, build and maintain constructive relationships and deal with difficult situations and people.

Effective Online Meetings - 10 Minute Film

This short film looks at the benefits and drawbacks of video meetings and explains what we can do to ensure that our online meetings are as productive as possible.

Extended Workforce - Employment Status and IR35

This module explains how the status assessment process works and how to follow the University's procedures and guidelines for taking on external contractors. It is for all University staff engaging people/contractors. 

Wellbeing
Mental Health: Stress Less

This course looks at the nature of stress and its impact on our health, and explains what we can do to combat stress and support our general mental well-being.

Mental Wellbeing

Staff can complete any or all of our 5 modules in the Mental Wellbeing programme:

  1. Mental Health in the Workplace
  2. Mental Wellbeing and Resilience
  3. Supporting Others
  4. The Law and Wellbeing Conversations
  5. Managing your own self-care and wellbeing
Safeguarding Essentials

Designed to assist you in understanding your role in safeguarding children and adults at risk, and looks at what safeguarding means in practical terms. It provides information on the key warning signs that you should look out for and outlines a number of case studies and scenarios for you to consider.

Finance
Finance training

For information about online finance training, including tutorials on using the finance system, visit the Finance training page. The following online courses are essential for all staff.

Fraud Awareness

This course introduces the most common kinds of fraud in universities, signs to look out for when attempting to find and stop them, and will help you to identify weaknesses in processes and systems. You will also learn how the University responds to concerns of fraud.

Modern Slavery

New UK legislation has been introduced to combat the global issue of modern slavery and human trafficking. This legislation applies to all UK organisations (including universities) with a turnover in excess of £36 million, to ensure that no organisations unwittingly use slave labour in their supply chains. This course provides an overview of what modern slavery is, including how to spot the signs and share concerns. This course is particularly relevant for any staff involved in purchasing or authorising purchases on behalf of the University.

Anti-Money Laundering

This course will help you to understand the legislation governing money laundering, what the main offences are and the primary defences. It will also help you to consider the practical steps you can take to limit the risk of money laundering and understand how the University will respond to concerns of money laundering. 

Contact us

od@sussex.ac.uk

Organisational Development
Human Resources
T 01273 606755 ext 4806

For regular updates on learning and development workshops and wellbeing events for staff, follow us on Linkedin or Twitter.

Looking for support from the OD team?

If you are a manager or leader and looking for support with learning and development for your team, complete this OD support request form to give details of the situation and expected outcomes, and a member of the OD team will be in touch within 5 working days.

A 30-minute video-based online training course that looks at the strengths that neurodivergent thinkers can bring to organisations and the challenges they face in the workplace. It also explores strategies and inclusive practices to create the best possible conditions for neurodivergent thinkers to thrive in the workplace. This training is recommended for managers and supervisors, but open to all Sussex staff. 

A 13-minute film that provides a brief overview of neurodiversity. This can be watched in place of the longer 30-minute course for those with time constraints. 

Union Black Antiracism Programme

Image of a protest banner with anti-racist comment

Staff and students now have a further opportunity to take part in the Union Black antiracism programme. Supporting our work towards an antiracist Sussex, the online course is available as a one-hour introductory session as well as the full six-hour programme. Enrol now.

LinkedIn Learning for Sussex Staff

All staff at Sussex have free access to LinkedIn Learning which offers an array of e-learning programmes for personal and professional development. You can log in via the ITS LinkedIn webpage. We now also have a dedicated LinkedIn learning page  where you can view our recommended courses and recommend courses to us as well.

Free eLearning with East Sussex College

East Sussex College Logo

East Sussex College offer a range of fully-funded online courses in digital skills, mental health first aid, customer service and more. You can study at a time that fits around your life commitments, and you'll always have a course assessor on hand to help you with questions you might have.

Please note, you must be 19+ years old and eligible to study in the UK to enrol on these courses.