Sussex School for Progressive Futures

Find out about our interdisciplinary hub that is helping to create progressive futures.

Addressing the planet’s greatest challenges

The Sussex School for Progressive Futures (SSPF) is the University’s flagship hub to catalyse and coordinate a distinctive, world-changing programme of interdisciplinary education, research, and global and civic engagement.

Rooted in Sussex’s heritage of groundbreaking teaching and research across disciplines, we focus on the three linked transformational themes that underpin the Sussex 2035 strategy and are central to making a better world in the 21st century: environmental sustainability, human flourishing, and digital and data futures.

We bring together researchers, educators, students, and professional practitioners from across our University, with collaborators from business, industry, government, the arts and the third sector, to address the greatest challenges facing our planet.

With the world facing deep uncertainties caused by climate crisis and biodiversity loss, global conflict, intensifying inequalities, and cultural polarisation, Sussex’s scientific rigour, creativity, critical thinking, and internationalism are needed more than ever.

Catalysing change

Our three themes – and the interactions between them – capture Sussex’s distinctive excellence. They shape our research and innovation, our approach to education, and the ways in which we engage with local and global partners.

Environmental sustainability

Our work on environmental sustainability combines world-leading research and teaching on issues such as climate change, biodiversity, water pollution, ecological resilience, rights of nature and how nature plays a role in culture.

A sustainable planet is fundamental for human flourishing. Our researchers address the challenges that exist in achieving just transitions to sustainable futures, working in close partnership with the people most affected by environmental and climate change around the world.
Human flourishing

The concept of human flourishing is expansive, with roots in philosophy and manifestations in work on health and wellbeing, culture and creativity, and rights and justice.

At Sussex, we conduct impactful critical research and inspirational teaching in areas such as international development, physical and mental health, ageing societies, war, conflict and migration, and the arts, culture and heritage.
Digital and data futures

Digital and data futures is a theme with a long history. Sussex led the way in early research in computing and informatics and laid the foundations for the contemporary cognitive science that underpins AI and the science of consciousness. In the 21^st century, the rate of change and increasing ubiquity of digital systems and the explosion of new forms of data has profound implications for people and planet.

Our research and teaching engages with the potential and threats of an increasing digital and data-intensive world. We innovate and apply new forms of data science, computing and AI, while responding to the ethical dimensions of their application.

At the heart of Sussex life

We are based in the University Library, an iconic modernist building at the heart of campus.

Designed by Sir Basil Spence, the Library is a much-loved place for staff, student and alumni alike, making it the ideal space for fostering collaboration and innovation across disciplines.

The SSPF is based around the University’s values of collaboration, inclusion and openness.

We work within the University’s foundational commitment to academic freedom, as expressed in our Charter and Statutes, and seek to promote and support freedom of speech, diversity of belief and method.

The meaning of ‘progressive futures’ is an open concept signifying a commitment to innovation for equitable and positive environmental, social and technological change.