Hello,
With the autumn term just around the corner, I and all of the staff in our community are finishing preparations to welcome new and returning undergraduate students to campus and continuing to support our postgraduate students.
To help you have the best start when you arrive on campus in a few weeks’ time, this week’s update contains essential information, opportunities and stories from across our community.
These include a range of opportunities, from becoming a Course Rep, applying for a Career Lab Winter Student Consultancy Programme place, to finding out how students have been tackling real-world challenges with local organisations. You will also find practical information about staying connected to Eduroam Wi-Fi, new express bus routes, and more.
Please read on for this week’s news, including:
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Sign up to be a Course Rep for 2025/26
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From distance to belonging: students share stories at the Journeys exhibition
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Stay connected on EduroamWi-Fi
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New express bus routes to campus
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Real-world learning: Abdlrhman’s consultancy experience
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Apply now for the Career Lab Winter Student Consultancy Programme
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Apply for campus housing
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UK students – have you applied for your student loans?
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Sussex Snapshot
Sign up to be a Course Rep for 2025/26
Every year, the University works with the Students’ Union to promote the Student Rep Scheme, which is an important part of making sure that your student voice is heard and acted on across the University. Course Reps work with their peers to discuss how courses are going and share insights about their academic experiences in meetings with University staff. These conversations help recognise what is working well and to bring about positive changes at Sussex.
The Students’ Union will run training sessions throughout the Autumn term, giving Reps the confidence and knowledge to represent their peers effectively. The scheme is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers, with positions available in every school. Sign up now. (Please note: BSMS students should sign up via the BSMS Rep Sign Up Form.)
If you would like to take on more of a leadership role, you can also nominate yourself in the Autumn elections.
How to stay connected on Eduroam wi-fi on campus
On Thursday 4 September the security certificate for the University’s Eduroam network was renewed. This means staff and students using their own devices (non-university managed) need to take action to keep access to the network. Staff and students using managed devices may also be disconnected from the network, in these cases you will need to take action too. Find out what you need to do here.
From distance to belonging: Students share powerful stories at Journeys exhibition
The Journeys exhibition, co-curated by the Student Engagement and Enhancement team and students, was held at the i360 and the Seafront Gallery over the week of Summer Graduation 2025. It explored the journeys that students navigate throughout their time at Sussex. Whether it is a physical distance travelled, or something less tangible, such as a moment of belonging in a space where they have never felt seen, these journeys are the backdrop of our students’ experiences, and we wanted to showcase these to the wider University and our local community. Full details can be found here.
If you would like any more information about the exhibition, or would be interested in collaborating on our next iteration in 2025/26, please contact Rosie Jones at: rosie.jones@sussex.ac.uk
New express bus routes to campus and changes to other routes
Two new express bus routes from Brighton to campus will be introduced by Brighton & Hove Buses on Sunday 28 September. Last year, nearly 1,500 staff and students took part in our Travel Survey and your feedback was consistent – you wanted more bus services and faster routes. This has been championed by your Students’ Union too. Taking on board your feedback, we have collaborated with Brighton & Hove Buses, Brighton & Hove City Council, and University of Brighton to introduce a brand-new route – the 3X route along with reinstating the much-missed 25X route. Full details can be found here.
Final year undergraduates and postgraduates: Your chance to gain valuable paid work experience from Career Lab
Looking to boost your CV and gain real-world experience? Applications are now open for the Career Lab Winter Student Consultancy Programme! Student Consultancy offers a flexible way to gain practical work experience alongside your studies. You will work in a supportive team to tackle a real challenge faced by an organisation, develop and deliver a project to a client, and receive a bursary paid at the Living Wage.
The programme is open to final year undergraduates and taught postgraduates - no prior experience required. Learn more and apply here.
Real-world learning: Abdlrhman’s experience consulting for Brighton & Hove City Council
Several Project Management MSc students recently worked on live consultancy projects with local organisations, including Sussex Innovation and Brighton & Hove City Council. Projects ranged from carbon reduction recommendations to service improvements, with students delivering research, insights and presentations that could make a real impact on local businesses and services.
One team, including Abdlrhman (Project Management MSc), took on a brief from Brighton & Hove City Council to explore how parking in the city could be improved. Their work included stakeholder interviews, journey mapping and prototyping a mobile app MVP - resulting in an impressive presentation to the council’s parking team. Read the recent interview with Abdlrhman to hear how the project helped him apply design thinking in practice, build consultancy skills and gain valuable hands-on experience for his future career.
Apply for campus housing
If you have not secured your accommodation yet, it’s not too late! There are still a limited number of rooms available in University accommodation for returning students. Living on campus offers great value. Bills, insurance and Wi-Fi are all included, there is 24/7 security, helpful porters, and no travel costs to get to teaching sessions. With hundreds of returning students already living on campus, it is a really popularoption. Spaces are limited, so be quick and join the waiting list.
UK students – have you applied for your student loans?
Before you return to Sussex this autumn, do not forget to reapply for your student finance. It is quick to do online and helps cover tuition fees, living costs, and more. Apply now via GOV.UK and make sure your funding is in place before term starts at GOV.UK. You can also track your application and find further details. Comprehensive information and advice on money and finance for all students is available on the Student Hub.
Sussex Snapshot
Sunset over the Sussex campus