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Caroline Lucas, Former Green Party leader and Brighton MP, was awarded an honorary degree at winter graduation 2025

You have the opportunity 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 keen to recognise 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. 

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

Find out about some of our previous recipients

At our recent 2025 winter graduation honorary doctorates were awarded to Caroline Lucas, Former Green Party leader and Brighton MP; Tony Macaulay, multi award-winning songwriter; and Professor L. Alan Winters CB, Emeritus Professor of Economics. You can watch a short clip of Caroline Lucas giving her acceptance speech below:

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At summer graduation last year, honorary doctorates were awarded to Isabella Tree, Knepp Estate founder and award-winning conservationist; Baroness Jane Campbell, leading disability rights campaigner; Professor Mary Evans, alumna and first Professor of Women’s Studies in the UK; Len Garrison, alumnus awarded posthumously for his work as an activist, historian, and educationalist focusing on Black British history; Dez Holmes, leader in family support and youth offending services; Dame Denise Holt, former Chair of the University’s Council; and Gilane Tawadros, alumna and Director of the Whitechapel Gallery.

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 collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness when nominating. In line with our Inclusive Sussex approach, we ask that you also think about our commitments to diversity of background, belief, and identity amongst those whom we might honour, and how this diversity represents Sussex.  

Nominations should be submitted via the nomination form available online. Completed forms need to be submitted by 14 March 2025 for consideration at the next meeting of the Honorary Degrees Committee. Nominations are still welcome after this date but will be considered at a later meeting.  

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: Chloe Ratcliffe Schofield (C.Ratcliffe-Schofield@sussex.ac.uk).