Alumni news

Now is your chance to nominate inspiring people to receive an honorary degree or fellowship from Sussex at a future graduation ceremony. 

Awarded in recognition of excellence in an academic field, or to those who have played an important role in society, honorary awards give us the opportunity to acknowledge people who make a positive impact in the wider world. 

Nominees do not have to have a direct connection to the University, but there does need to be a compelling reason why we should honour them. We are particularly keen to recognise the contributions and distinction of our alumni and people contributing to our city and region, and those whose work relates to areas of academic strength and specialism at Sussex. The selection process is led by the Vice-Chancellor and the Honorary Degrees Committee, and nominations are welcome from all areas of the University community, including current and former staff and students. 

Our 2024 Winter Graduation will take place at the Brighton Centre on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 January. Following a call for nominations last September, two honorary doctorates will be awarded during the ceremonies. 

Celebrating our honorary graduates is a highlight of Graduation. During the ceremonies, each person is recognised for their notable contributions to knowledge or to society. Honorary graduates have the opportunity to deliver a speech to the audience of graduates and their families, which often generates positive publicity for the University. 

At Summer Graduation last year, honorary doctorates were awarded to Baroness Valerie Amos, the first Black woman to lead a university; Paul Barber OBE, Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion; award-winning interdisciplinary artist, and alumna, Dr Katrina Palmer; Dr Gail Lewis, a leading Black feminist academic, activist, psychotherapist, and alumna; engineer Richard Atkins, who advanced race car engines and has contributed significantly to education at Sussex; and Lord Peter Hain, former apartheid activist, Cabinet Minister and former student at Sussex. Watch a compilation of speeches from last summer’s honorary graduates. 

In previous years, the University has awarded honorary degrees to a wide range of exceptional people including leading employment law solicitor Rustom Tata, cosmologist Professor Carlos Frenk CBE, BBC journalist Clive Myrie, author Ali Smith, historian Dr Lucy Worsley, actor, comedian and writer Stephen Fry and guitarist Jeff Beck. 

How to nominate

You can find information about the criteria and the online nomination form on our honorary degrees webpage.  

We encourage you to think about our University values of kindness, integrity, inclusion, collaboration and courage when nominating. In line with our Inclusive Sussex approach, we ask that you also think about diversity and representation.  

Nominations should be submitted via the online form – a downloadable version of the form is also available to help with compiling the required information. Completed forms need to be submitted by Friday 26 January 2024 for consideration at the next meeting of the Honorary Degrees Committee, ahead of Summer Graduation in July 2024. Nominations are still welcome after this date, but will be considered for the next set of ceremonies.  

All nominations should be kept confidential, including from the nominee, until selections have been made, Senate approval has been given, and the nominee has been offered and accepted the award. 

If you have any questions about nominations, or the Honorary Degrees Committee process, please contact: Zoe Varney-Burch (zoevb@sussex.ac.uk).