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This year is the final year of Professor Kelly Coate's five-year term as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education & Students) at Sussex. After a period of study leave, Kelly will take up a full-time academic role as Professor of Higher Education in the School of Education and Social Work. Kelly’s academic specialism in higher education and equity means that she will bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge to the School that will enhance research and teaching in this vital sub-field.

Professor Coate joined the University in 2018 to become Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education & Students), from King’s College London, where she was Vice Dean (Education) in the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy. During her time at Sussex Professor Coate has been a leading member of the University Executive Group and Senate.

Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor, said:

"I have only worked with Kelly for a short period of time but it has been clear to me that she has been a dedicated member of University Executive Group (UEG), whose knowledge about, and passionate commitment to, university education and student support have benefitted Sussex greatly. Kelly has been the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education & Students) during the most difficult times universities have faced in our lifetimes, quite possibly ever. The pandemic presented unprecedented challenges and I am sure that, at different times, each of us had moments of feeling quite overwhelmed by the scale of the change we were going through and the work we had to do. That Sussex’s approach to the pandemic and to supporting students has been widely recognised as sector-leading is in no small part to due to Kelly’s work and leadership.

"I want to thank Kelly for her service to the University, to UEG and to our students, and I look forward to engaging with her in her new role from September onwards."

Professor Coate said:

"I’ve had the privilege of working with so many amazing colleagues, who not only have been outstanding in their ‘day jobs’, but also made contributions that went well beyond what we could have imagined we would achieve during difficult times. I’ve learned so much and I’m looking forward to new opportunities."

Recruitment for a new Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education & Students) will commence shortly.