Your Student Update: Get 20% off TEDxBrighton tickets, Module Evaluation Questionnaires, and more
Posted on behalf of: Student Communications
Last updated: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Hello,
I wanted to start by wishing an early Eid Mubarak to those of you who will be celebrating the end of Ramadan this weekend and by wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in our community.
If you are an undergraduate student in Year 1, Year 2 or Foundation Year, you should have received an email this week asking you to complete Module Evaluation Questionnaires (MEQs) about your experience with your modules this semester.
These questionnaires are really important for us to understand what is working well about your course at Sussex and what changes might be needed. Previous feedback has resulted in improvements around assessment timings, equivalencies and workloads for our students. We need a good response rate, so please take just a few minutes to complete these before they close on 11 April.
If you are a final-year undergraduate or postgraduate student, your MEQs will open later in April.
You may have noticed that Sussex has been in the news yesterday. This is because we profoundly disagree with the findings of a three-and-half-year investigation by the Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator for higher education in England, into freedom of speech at Sussex.
Whilst the investigation report has potentially serious consequences for all universities in England on matters involving freedom of speech, and academic freedom of speech, I want to assure you that none of this will affect the value of your degree at Sussex. We remain fully committed to supporting all members of our community to work and learn together on our inclusive campus.
Where to go for student support
We are all part of a community to be proud of and we all have a part to play in creating the best University we can be. However, if you ever witness, or experience any inappropriate behaviour, please remember that you can access support via Report and Support, the Student Centre, and other resources available to you.
You can find out more details of the investigation and why we strongly disagree with it on the website.
Please read on for your regular update, including:
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Taught postgraduate students – you could win a £150 graduation package! (Segmented)
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Inclusivity Week (31 March-4 April)
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Turnitin Emergency Maintenance on Saturday 29 March
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Finalists – last chance to log Spirit of Sussex Award points
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Get 20% discount at TEDxBrighton on 4 April
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Health and wellbeing support for international students
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The future of food: is local always more sustainable?
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Calling all artists – new public art being commissioned for campus
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Sussex snapshot
Taught postgraduate students – you could win a £150 graduation package!
From this week, eligible postgraduate students will be invited to take part in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES). This is a national survey that will run until Friday 13 June.
We are always looking to make your time as postgraduate students at Sussex the best it can be and your responses to the PTES can help us to do that. As a thank you, students who take part by Friday 13 June will be offered the opportunity to opt into a prize draw, with five graduation packages worth £150 each on offer.
Inclusivity Week (31 March-4 April)
Next week Inclusivity Week, providing various opportunities for academics and students to share their innovative practices and resources, encouraging broader adoption across the institution. The week aims to reinforce the University’s collective commitment to inclusivity in higher education.
There are several events happening throughout the week that students are welcome to join, including the Shine a Light: Student Voices on Autism event happening on 2 April, 1-4pm. Hosted jointly by ACoRNS and the COALESCE Lab, this event will showcase students' contributions to autism research. There will be dedicated workshops on topics such as wellbeing in autism and creating lived experience videos, along with a sensory room for you to relax and unwind.
Turnitin Emergency Maintenance on Saturday 29 March
Please be aware that Turnitin will have a 30-minute emergency maintenance on Saturday 29 March 3-3.30pm, with the following services being impacted during this time:
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Turnitin and TurnitinUK (including all Integrations)
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Feedback Studio for iOS
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Canvas Plagiarism Framework
Finalists – last chance to log Spirit of Sussex Award points
The deadline for undergraduate finalists to log their Spirit of Sussex Award (SoSA) points before graduation is Tuesday 1 April at 11.59pm.
Check out this Experience Sussex! article which shares some quick wins and tips to help you reach Bronze, Silver or Gold award.
Log into the SoSA platform and get your points logged by 1 April!
Get 20% discount at TEDxBrighton on 4 April
TEDxBrighton is one of the largest and longest-running TEDx events in the world. This one-day experience will showcase extraordinary stories and ideas from visionaries, innovators, and change-makers shaping a brighter tomorrow for our planet.
TEDxBrighton is also launching its Education Partnerships Scheme, offering University of Sussex students a 20% discount off tickets! Get your ticket here using discount code TEDTEAM20.
Health and wellbeing support for international students
International students can access a wide range health and wellbeing support from the University and from external organisations. This includes drug and alcohol support from our local recovery service Change, Grow, Live and many services provided by the NHS, the UK’s state-run health service. Find out more on this recent article on the Student Hub.
The future of food: is local always more sustainable?
When we hear the term "local food," we often associate it with being healthier and more sustainable. But is local always the most sustainable choice? The short answer is not necessarily.
Dive into what the debate says and explore the different perspectives on this topic in this recent blog written by Sandra Juan-Delgado, Sustainability Manager for Sussex Uni Food.
Calling all artists – new public art being commissioned for campus
The University of Sussex campus has a long legacy of public art, and we are looking for someone to create a new artwork on our West Slope development.
Could you, or someone you know, be our next artist?
Read more on the Student Hub to find out what we’re looking for in our next outdoor art installation, and how you can get involved.
With best wishes,
Kate
Professor Kate O’Riordan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)