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Ceremony schedule for summer 2026

Summer graduation will take place from Monday 20 July 2026 until Friday 24 July 2026 in the Brighton Centre. 

Monday 20 July 2026

Ceremony 1 at 1.30pm

  • Faculty of Social Sciences
    • School of Global Studies
  • Institute of Development Studies

 

  • Video transcript

    ‘Trumpet Fanfare’ plays.

    A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enters the auditorium, walking down the aisles between the graduands and guests. They ascend the stage and take their seats. Two academics carrying ceremonial torches bow to each other and place the torches on the small raised table at the front of the stage.

    Chancellor: “I declare open this şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ graduation ceremony.

    I am delighted to welcome you formally to this graduation ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to our professional services colleagues here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes is for you, our graduands, and your family and friends who join you here today.

    And to those watching via livestream around the world, we are very pleased to have you with us.

    Graduation is one of the highlights of the university year. As you can see, we have made a bit of an effort with our gowns and bow ties. Some have even brought forward their weekly bath or invested in deodorant, all in honour of you and your fantastic achievement.

    The şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ motto is Be still and know. I hope that today you find a quiet moment to reflect on your accomplishments and the journey that brought you here.

    I know many of you have overcome challenges, balancing studies with home life, supporting children or caring for loved ones, experiencing loss or health issues, surviving on overdrafts, loans, or family help. Today is a celebration not only of your academic achievements, but of your perseverance, your focus, and of those who have helped you along the way.

    Some of you may continue with further study, but for many, today marks the end of your academic journey, one that began all those years ago with your first day at nursery or kindergarten. New people, new names, new foods, new experiences. Your journey has already been epic, and it brings us to today, your glorious day.

    Thank you to family and friends. We are humbled and honoured that you now all have a connection to Sussex.

    In a short while, your name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours, and you will take the twenty or so steps across this stage, terrified you are going to lose your hat, wondering whether the heels were a good idea, worrying whether your flies are open, and praying you do not trip over your gown and end up in someone’s lap.

    But what an array of laps we have arranged for you this afternoon.

    Seriously though, feel free to express yourselves. As long as it is within the bounds of decency and legality, we can hug, shake hands, high five, fist bump, dance. We have had the lot. You can ignore me if you want. It is your day.

    And in the interest of time, no selfies on the stage. But family and friends, this is your day too. Please have your cameras ready and make as much noise as you like as your hero crosses the stage.

    If any of you are here on your own today, I will be your family or friend if you will have me. No one is alone.

    I call upon the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation.”

    The Chancellor returns to his seat.

    Vice Chancellor: “Distinguished guests, parents, supporters, friends, colleagues, and above all, our graduands, the Sussex Class of 2026.

    It is my great honour and enormous pleasure to welcome you to this graduation ceremony.

    As our Chancellor reminds us, today is all about you, our graduands.

    This is a day of celebration for you, and of you, and of all that you have achieved during your time at Sussex.

    It is also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited, in countless tangible and less tangible ways, from the love and support of your family, guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and from the teaching and guidance of Sussex staff. And some of you have been supported by our alumni and donors, who have generously provided scholarships and bursaries.

    Graduands, if you are able, please stand up and turn to face the audience, your friends and loved ones, and offer your thanks with a big, hearty cheer and a round of applause.”

    APPLAUSE

    “Please be seated again.

    Sussex is committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment in which every member of our diverse community is able to flourish. Sussex students represent the most wonderful variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. You come each year from over 150 countries around the world.

    We have people in the audience today of many different nationalities, ethnicities, and faiths, with a huge diversity of opinion and belief about almost every matter under the sun. And that diversity of thought is a very special thing, something that Sussex seeks always to uphold and support.

    We have a foundational commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom. It is our job as a university to create an environment for learning and exploration, in which diversity of belief and opinion can be explored.

    We are living in deeply troubled times. War and conflict, terror, death, destruction of habitats, economic hardship, hunger, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation all give rise to enormous concern among Sussex students.

    Many Sussex students hold passionate opinions about the causes, consequences, and solutions to the urgent problems that face the world. And Sussex supports, and will always support, freedom of expression that is lawful and respectful of others, mindful of the humanity and diversity that is at the heart of our university community.

    Graduands, thank you for all that you have contributed to making our university a place of community, inclusion, and diversity, a warm, open, and welcoming place.

    In the three years that I have been Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, I have witnessed how Sussex students are the embodiment of energy, hope, and possibility for a better world.

    Alongside your academic work, many of you have taken part in an impressive range of other activities, as student ambassadors, representatives, organisers and leaders of societies and groups, and volunteers on and off campus. Many of you are receiving a Spirit of Sussex award today.

    I commend your commitment to your extra curricular activities. Well done on all you have achieved alongside your formal studies.

    Sussex alumni include heads of state, vice presidents, policy makers, campaigners, CEOs, writers, academics, scientists, entrepreneurs, founders, and people whose actions and relationships remake and renew the social fabric in small positive ways every day.

    Across the globe, in more than 170 countries, Sussex alumni are making the world a progressively better place. And I know you will do that too.

    Celebrate who you are today. Celebrate the commitment, the hard work, and the self belief that got you here. Celebrate those who helped you reach this moment.

    Thank you for being such brilliant Sussex students, and on behalf of the whole University, I wish you all the very best with everything that comes next.”

    She returns to her seat.

    Chancellor: “I call upon the Head of the School of Global Studies, Professor Geert De Neve.”

    The Head of School goes to the lectern on the right hand side of the platform, facing the audience, bowing to the Chancellor as he reaches the lectern.

    The Chancellor stands when the first graduand name is announced.

    Head of School: “Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology:

    Kelly Askew

    Kiana Bamsi-Yazdi

    Iyanah Bhathena

    Delores Clarke

    Grace Fensome Green (Also the recipient of the David Pocock Prize for the highest marked assessment from a dissertation module)

    Anna Germaine Chatwin

    Harry Harris

    Grace Mitchell

    Arianna Ramirez Novas

    Makenzie Rogers

    Francesca Seaborne

    Kirrin-Rae Still

    Ethan Watson.

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and History:

    Lucia Claxton

    Joseph Aaron

    Espin Solis

    Roberto Lazzarin

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and History with a study abroad year:

    Anwen Jameson

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and International Development:

    James Alison

    Eva Bianchi Burgos

    Evianne Charles

    Noor Chaudhary

    Anouska Dresser

    Jyothi Hanumantha

    Mira Knox

    Andrew Malarkey

    Minori Matsuzawa

    Georgia McIntosh

    Beth Roberts

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with French:

    Matilda Bentley

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with German:

    Emily Hickling

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with Italian:

    Alexandra Waller

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Development:

    Asfandyar Ali Khan

    Jan Andre Dela Santa

    Max Mathieson-Law

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Relations:

    Isabelle Van Wensveen

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography:

    Mariyam Jumau Ahmed

    Nadya Bertotti

    Jenny Buckland

    Ella Carlisle

    Beth Chambers

    Olivia Coggles

    Maya Culverwell

    Molly De Ritter

    Charlotte Dennis

    Sean Elliott

    Jack Fletcher

    William Hanson

    Holly Izzard

    Imogen Larsen

    Raffi Melkonian Payne

    Poppy Milner Smith

    Nathan Oliver-James

    Daisy Thompson

    Ruby Tipple-Peters

    Oscar Turner-Burgess

    Amber Verleysen

    Juno Wise

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a study abroad year:

    Arthur English

    Eleanor Hickey

    Joel Macpherson

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Anthropology:

    Anna-Ruby Grant

    Oana Laibach

    Shiqin Ong

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography and International Development:

    Isabel Callender

    Ava Collins

    Robin Hammond

    Rosie Hart

    Holly Hepburn

    Elsey Kirby

    Leif Lukic

    Louisa Papadopoulou

    Daniel Prinz

    Sebastian Ritter und Edler von Peter

    Kriti Sriram

    Theo Wells

    Fenya Wright

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography and International Development with a study abroad year:

    Daisy Palmer (Also the recipient of the Andrew Pickup thesis prize for the best International Development thesis).

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography and International Relations:

    Lacie Gigg

    Joshua Greenwood-Jona

    Lucas Guyomar

    Elias Howarth

    Tegan Morris

    Lewis Taylor

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography and International Relations with a professional placement year:

    Elizabeth Ogundeji

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography and International Relations with a study abroad year:

    Maya Coates

    Inez Zajaczkowska

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography with French:

    Naomi Hanna Kemper

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography with French with a study abroad year:

    Lucy Halsall

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography with Japanese with a study abroad year:

    Stevens Matthew

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Geography with Mandarin Chinese:

    Oscar Eatwell

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Development:

    Sayed AbdelQader Bin Ahmed AlSaqqaf

    Fara Akinkugbe

    Timothy Bond

    Barnaby Broadhead

    Catriona Cromarty (Also the recipient of the Pramit Chaudhuri Prize for the best performance in International Development)

    Charlotte Ensor

    Chaeyeon Han

    Jooyeon Han

    Rosa Patricia Hernandez Lugo

    Miles Hoppe

    Eden Inbar

    Maisie Jeffers

    Antonia Jones‑West

    Jehanzeb Khuhro

    Amelia Le Ray

    Joanna Llopis

    Alister Marsden

    Risa Matsushima

    Millie McCoy

    Melissa McIntyre

    Sasha Mehmet

    Alex Elisante Mrema

    Joy Philgona Ouko

    Gregory Paxton

    Ellen Pearce

    Oliver Rowe

    Luca Wien

    Miya Yagisawa

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Development with a study abroad year:

    Oscar Bourdillon

    Grace Broomhead

    Tobias Morgan

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Development with Arabic:

    Najia Benhamza

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Development with French with a study abroad year:

    Mia Bonn

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Development with Spanish:

    Matilde Fontana

    Johnny Welsh

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Development with Spanish with a study abroad year:

    Coco Jordan

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations:

    Jomana Mohamed Salaheldin Abbas

    Laila Khaled Azmy Abdelghany Abdelgawad

    Mohammed Zaidan Khalaf Aljabry

    Joud Mohammad Ratib Aljuneidi

    Iwan Barnett

    Dylan Caddick

    Emma Climaco Merle

    Ingrid Johanna Gismarvik

    Maia Harrison

    Taylan Hussein

    Anna Kantande

    Uliana Lysenko

    Anna Marsden

    Adelaide Matson

    Edea Mele

    Shadrack John Constantine Melkenbeek

    Ayaka Mukai

    Fatima Naanaa

    Yassine Ouerda

    Rebecca Ramos Veverines

    Harry Reynard

    Kasyful Wafii Islam Rifai

    Anna Sahura (Also the recipient of the Norman Angell prize, awarded to the student with the best essay in International Relations)

    Seow Hsien Ting Cristabel

    Quantaya Simon‑Mercer

    Anna Maximilian

    Chancellor, this concludes the first part of the presentation of graduands from the School of Global Studies.”

    The Chancellor bows his head to the Head of School in acknowledgement and sits down.

    The Head of School sits down.

    The Head of School returns to his seat.

    Vice Chancellor: “I call upon Professor Peter Taylor, to present Professor Deepak Nayyar.”

    Professor Taylor stands and walks to Professor Nayyar’s seat. He bows to Professor Nayyar. Professor Nayyar stands. They move together to the centre of the platform and bow to the Chancellor. Professor Taylor goes to the lectern on the Chancellor’s right side. Professor Nayyar stands facing the audience on the white cross on the stage.

    Professor Taylor delivers the oration, concluding:

    “Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of the University, honoris causa, Professor Deepak Nayyar.”

    The Chancellor stands. Professor Nayyar stands before him. The Chancellor shakes his right hand and says:

    “By the authority of the Senate of the University, I confer on you the degree of Doctor of the University, honoris causa.”

    Professor Nayyar bows to the Chancellor. The Chancellor sits. Professor Nayyar shakes hands with the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, who hands him the degree scroll.

    During the applause, Professor Taylor returns to his seat and sits down.

    Professor Nayyar moves to the lectern on the Chancellor’s right side. He delivers his address, beginning:

    “Chancellor…”

    After his address, Professor Nayyar returns to his seat, bowing to the Chancellor as he passes in front of him.

    Vice Chancellor: “I call upon the Head of the School of Global Studies, Professor Geert De Neve.”

    The Head of School goes to the lectern on the right‑hand side of the platform, facing the audience, bowing to the Chancellor as he reaches the lectern.

    Head of School: “Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a study abroad year:

    Isabella Barkas

    Abigail Cooke

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Anthropology

    Emily Bubb

    Stephanie Goncalves da Silva

    Freya Tunney

    Hibah Yousuf

    Michella Zoladz

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Development:

    Amina‑Amal Bello Abubakar

    Hamda Jasem Ibrahim Mansoor Almansoori

    Muhammad Nasr Azhar

    Jemma Field

    Tran Van Khanh Ha

    Hina Susanna Hayashi Westerhout

    Min‑Shiuan Hu

    Joan Joshua Jacob

    Theerapat Jaidee

    Yungyeong Kim

    Ragshidaa Krishnakumar

    Kasin Lama Rumba

    Li Kwan Lam

    Daniel Meacock

    Henry Leo Moore

    Vanisha Moothocaroopen

    Javeed Naseem

    Adam O’Reilly

    Sophie Anne Poveda-M’bale

    Yuki Ueda

    Nagi Nidhal Waled

    Xiaoyi Wu

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Development with a study abroad year:

    Joe Beer

    Bruna Pellegrino de Queiroz

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Sociology:

    Izeyor Agwaze

    Matilda Conlon

    Amy Friend

    Androniki Kali

    Niwa Patangwa

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with French:

    Marwa Saeed Salem Suroor Alfalasi

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with German:

    Tetiana Lypak

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with Japanese:

    Will Garlick

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with Mandarin Chinese:

    Dacian Archer

    Heli Tallentair

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with Mandarin Chinese with a study abroad year:

    Aleksandra Soumko‑Malanchuk

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with Spanish:

    Hoor Younis Jahangir Al Balushi

    Ahmad Abdulla Darwish Alzarooni

    Zack Busby

    Mónica Faia

    Joseph Thomasson

    Evie Wickham

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and International Development:

    Isabella Van Roosmalen

    Nijmeh Sahar Zaman

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Geography

    Florence Bristowe

    Bethany Coulton

    Luke Diamond

    Anna Freemantle

    Lily Hiatt

    Erin Hunt

    Frederick Ireland

    Tyson the dog

    Macey Jackson‑Smith

    Crystal Macklee

    Jemima Matthews

    Bella McInnes

    Isabel Medina‑King

    Freya Murphy

    Olivia Nolan

    Mira Polovinkina

    Joel Scriven

    Eddie Smith

    Catherine Urand

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Geography with a study abroad year:

    Amy Martin

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Geography, Sustainable Development and Climate Change:

    Nanako Akeroyd

    Eibhlean Collins

    Lyla Downey

    Lucy Hill

    Katie Lanigan

    Nadir Rodrigo

    Madeleine Rumm

    James Webb

    Sean Woodhouse

    For the Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations:

    Patience Chinyere Victor

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Conflict, Security and Development:

    Josh Spencer Chandler

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Environment, Development and Policy:

    Caroline Bailey

    Yasmin Bauer

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Food and Development:

    Adebimpe Rotimi Omolade

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Migration and Global Development:

    Ribka Sofie Imelda Dawir

    Vacant seat

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Social Development:

    Ana Victoria Ponce La Rosa

    For the degree of Master of Science in Climate Change, Development and Policy:

    Nestor Adegoke Akande

    Jas Cory

    Yau Mak

    For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Asad Abbasi (Dying of the Light: Electricity, Extraction and Global China in Pakistan)

    Kate Cherry (The making of neoliberal families: social Conservatism and the privatisation of housing in Britain)

    Arthur de Queiroz Campos Araujo (Regimes of Presence: Indigeneity, Military Power, and the Everyday Production of Territory in the Brazilian Amazon)

    Andrew Dickson (Religious engagement in contemporary british foreign policy: the birth of a postsecular paradigm?)

    Nico Edwards (Decarbonisation as Warfighting Opportunity: Military Climate Governance, the Green-Industrial Transition and Struggles for Socio-Ecological Justice)

    Qurratulain Faheem (Living Ethics: Organ Transplantation and the Making of Moral Subjects in Pakistan)

    Ray Filar (Two visions of hooker liberation: sex worker feminism in the UK prostitutes’ movement, 1975-2025, or, choke: a revenge fantasy)

    Alexis Hawthorne (Performing Wellness: Ghanaian Migrants, Mental Health, and Religious Belonging in the UK)

    Anahita Hosseini‑Lewis (Also the recipient of the Pears Foundation Scholarship and The politics of hegemonic rule in post-revolutionary Iran: rethinking the discourse and practice of Islamic government)

    Saba Karim Khan (IMAGINING A “NAYA PAKISTAN”: SOCIAL MEDIA, POLITICAL MOBILISATION AND CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP IN THE PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF)

    Charles MacPherson Seymour Lawrie (Fuel Fixers: Petroleum Imports and the Fragility of Grift in Contemporary Lebanon)

    Ashfiqun Nahar (Impact of working environment on health and well-being of mid-career women in the Bangladesh Civil Service)

    Samuel Parris (The Making of the ‘New World’: Examining the Role of Franco-British Geopolitical Rivalry and Settler Colonialism in US State Formation, 1606–1789)

    Paul‑Hendrik Reiman (Structural Dehumanisation: Conceptualising the Loss of Humanity and its Implication for Human Rights)

    Andrew Thrower (Modelling chalk sea cliff erosion using Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry and Leeb Hardness Rebound Impact Testing)

    Armando Van Rankin Anaya (The Making of Mexico: An International Historical Sociology of Sovereignty, State Formation and Social Property Relations (1521–1910))

    Tanja Weis (‘Family Values’ and the Anti‑Queer Transnational: The Architecture of Contemporary Resistance to LGBTQIA+ Rights in Europe; Already received certificate)

    Naimatullah Zafary (Navigating Conflict and Compromise: The Role of NGOs’ National Workers in the Implementation of Community‑Driven Development and National Solidarity Programme through foreign aid in Afghanistan (2001–2021 and beyond))

    After all have been presented, the Head of School says:

    "Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduands from the School of Global Studies.”

    The Chancellor bows his head to the Head of School in acknowledgement and sits down.

    The Head of School and the Vice‑Chancellor sit down.

    CONFERMENT OF AWARDS IN THE INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

    The Vice‑Chancellor stands and says:

    "I call upon the Director of the Institute of Development Studies, Professor Anuradha Joshi."

    The Director goes to the lectern on the right‑hand side of the platform, facing the audience, and bows to the Chancellor as she reaches the lectern.

    "Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Master of Arts in Development Studies:"

    Yejin Kang (Pronounced Yair‑jin Kang; Already received certificate)

    Jasper Woods

    “For Governance, Development and Public Policy:”

    David Christopher

    Vacant seat

    Atheerah Azmil [Atheerah Binti Mohd Azmil] (Pronounced ah‑THEE‑rah ahz‑meel; Would like Atheerah Azmil read out)

    Haddy Sowe (Pronounced Hah‑dee So)

    “For Poverty and Development:”

    Patricia Kydd

    Simone Walters

    “For Power, Participation and Social Change:”

    Alexandra Lesley Gerber Turriff

    "Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:"

    Catherine Angai (Understanding the intersection of behavioural science and power: A case study of the application of behavioural change approaches to anti‑corruption projects in Nigeria)

    Vacant seat

    Rachel Claydon (Materialising and Marketising the ‘good’ Feeding Mother: Lived Experiences of Commercial Children’s Foods amongst Mothers and other Carers in the UK)

    Chris Heitzig [Christopher Heitzig] (Pronounced Chris Height‑Zig; Would like Chris Heitzig read out; Essays on Inequality, Growth, and Development)

    Salonie Hiriyur (Domestic work & platforms in India: envisioning a new feminist data economy; Pronounced Sa‑low‑nee Hiriyur)

    Ru‑Yu Lin (Solastalgia and Transfiguration: emotional and adaptive responses of the Monpa transhumant pastoralists to climate and environmental change of the Himalayan Borderland in Western Arunachal Pradesh, India)

    Rebecca Mitchell‑Tomkins (Precarious lives: what are the barriers and enablers to accessing NHS care for asylum‑seekers and resettled refugees in the South‑East of England?; Already received certificate)

    Julian Neef (Orders in Flux: Infrastructure and the Contested Politics of Order‑Making in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo)

    Diana María Ramírez Sarmiento (Citizen Participation in Peacebuilding Programmes and Transformation Processes in a Context of Structural Violence: Experiences from Chaparral, Colombia; Pronounced Deeana María Ramírez Sarmiento)

    After all the graduands have crossed the platform, the Director says:

    "Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduands from the Institute of Development Studies.”

    The Chancellor bows his head to the presenter in acknowledgement and sits down.

    The Director and Vice‑Chancellor sit down.

    CONFERMENT OF DEGREES (AND LATE DEGREES IF REQUIRED)

    The Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Kate O’Riordan, goes to the lectern on the right‑hand side of the platform, facing the audience, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    If there are any late graduands, papers with the graduands’ names and degree titles are passed to the PVC earlier in the ceremony so that she can familiarise herself with the names.

    The PVC says:

    “Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience in the School of Life Sciences:”

    Laurence Momberg

    “For Economics and Finance in the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School:”

    Sumeet Singh 

    “For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:”

    Charles MacPherson Seymour Lawrie (Fuel fixers: Petroleum Imports and Fragility of Grift in Contemporary Lebanon)

    The Chancellor stands.

    The Chancellor remains standing as the PVC begins to read the names.

    After each name is read, the graduand crosses the platform, shakes hands with the Chancellor, leaves the platform, returns to their seat, and sits down.

    After all the graduands have been presented, the PVC says:

    “Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at this ceremony."

    The Chancellor then says:

    “So, this is the big moment

    Graduands, can you please stand again.

    And colleagues behind me, can you also please stand. [Wait for all to stand]

    By the powers invested in me by the Senate of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, I confer degrees on all those referred to by the Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor.

    Congratulations, you are now graduates of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ!”

    The PVC sits down, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    CLOSURE OF THE CONGREGATION

    The Chancellor goes to the lectern and says a few words of farewell, concluding with:

    "I now declare this ceremony closed. Please remain seated whilst the procession leaves the stage."

    The Mace bearer returns to stage, collects the mace, and bows to the Chancellor.

    The Chancellor stands and follows the Mace bearer off stage. The other members of the procession leave the stage in reverse order: the Chancellor’s procession, followed by the Academic and Professional Services Procession. 

Ceremony 2 at 4.30pm

    • Faculty of Social Sciences
      • School of Education and Social Work
      • School of Law, Politics and Sociology
        • Department of Politics 
        • Department of Sociology and Criminology

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet Fanfare plays.

    A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enters the auditorium, walking down the aisles between the graduands and guests. They ascend the stage and take their seats. Two academics carrying ceremonial torches bow to each other and place the torches on the small raised table at the front of the stage.

    The Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and says:

    "I declare open this şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ graduation ceremony."

    He says a few words of welcome, after which he says:

    “I call upon the Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation.”

    He resumes his seat.

    The Vice‑Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and delivers her speech. She then says:

    "I call upon the Head of the School of Education and Social Work, Professor Janet Boddy."

    The Head of School goes to the lectern on the right‑hand side of the platform, facing the audience, bowing to the Chancellor as she reaches the lectern.

    He says a few words of welcome, then says:

    “I call upon the Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation.”

    He resumes his seat.

    The Vice‑Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern, delivers her speech, then says:

    "I call upon the Head of the School of Education and Social Work, Professor Janet Boddy."

    The Head of School goes to the lectern on the right‑hand side of the platform, facing the audience, and bows to the Chancellor as she reaches the lectern.

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Childhood and Youth: Theory and Practice:

    Tracy Arie

    Holly Barnett

    Easton Bennett

    Jodie Collyer

    Lily Costello

    Josie Drapkin 

    Maya Hall 

    Kacey Hassell Woolford

    Isobel Iwaszko (Also the recipient of the BA Childhood & Youth Award for Outstanding Courage and Resolve)

    Jasmine Karki

    Morva Keele

    Morrow Kennedy [Culzean Kennedy] (Would like Morrow Kennedy read out)

    AJ Mayer‑Gesto [Ayesha Mayer‑Gesto] (Would like AJ Mayer‑Gesto read out)

    Zofia Newton (Pronounced Zo‑fya Newton)

    Millie Read

    Madeleine Wright

    For Education Studies – Primary and Early Years:

    Aisling French 

    Maia Thomson 

    For Primary and Early Years Education (with Qualified Teacher Status):

    Jamelia Amir

    Katie Boyles

    Esmee Cameron 

    Ulfath Choudhury

    Miranda Creagh 

    J’Mara Cumberbatch

    Zoe Duffell 

    Natalie Elmes

    Emily Goddard

    Danielle Goodman (AR)

    Zachariah Gorst 

    Lucas Salgado Gray

    Sarah Guizani Murillo 

    Caitlin Hills

    Rebecca Jordan

    Lottie Lockyer [Charlotte Lockyer] (Also the joint recipient of CIRCY Award for Outstanding BA Primary and Early Years Dissertation)

    Sophie Mitchell (Also the recipient of the MacQuitty prize awarded to the best‑performing undergraduate across all of the Humanities and Social Sciences)

    Emily Neaves‑Thomas (Also the joint recipient of CIRCY Award for Outstanding BA Primary and Early Years Dissertation)

    Niamh O’Haire 

    Emily Owen

    Amelia Pegg

    Gemma Pellegrinetti 

    Kamila Perez Acevedo 

    Emily Peyton

    Flynn Pope 

    Misha Radaza 

    John Ramonet 

    Jemma Robson

    Maria Sava 

    Emilia Sims 

    Freya Spiller

    Henry Walker 

    For Social Work:

    Paula Langrish (AR)

    For the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education:

    Mia Allen

    Cephas Simon‑Peter Dak‑Adzaklo

    Fathima Shymah Mohamed Monir 

    Rizuwana Parween

    For the Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Drama:

    Lily Moore

    For Modern Foreign Languages:

    Elsa Trouchaud

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Childhood and Youth Studies:

    Barbra Toffee Basirika 

    For Early Years Education:

    Alimot Opeyemi Durojaiye

    For Early Years Education (with Early Years Teacher Status):

    Naana Ayisha Ismail

    Jessica Nweze

    For International Education and Development:

    Amanda Nyanhongo (Already received certificate)

    For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Sayanti Banerjee (Narratives of Identity: The Lives and Experiences of Second‑Generation Bangladeshi Women in Brighton)

    Gregory Raymond John Campbell (Still learning to labour: exploring the dynamics of the construction classroom)

    Euralia Chisangano (Inclusive Education in Mainstream Secondary Schools: Meaning and Practice for Regular Teachers of Science in Zambia)

    Aditi Vijay Desai (Education policy and teacher education reforms: interrogating initial teacher education in India’s National Education Policy, 2020)

    Hannah Olle (Navigating complexity: young people’s precarious trajectories from Alternative Provision to post‑16 education, training and employment)

    Anastasia Papanastasiou (An investigation into the role of school history in students' perceptions of national identity: a case study comparison of secondary schools in England and Greece)

    Hayley Preston‑Smith (Reimagining the ‘quality interaction’ with children: early childhood practitioners' experiences pre‑ and post‑pandemic in Southeast England)

    Fezile Sibanda (Echoes of Empire: a collective story of Black Brit‑ish academics working in higher education institutions in England

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Criminology:

    Zeynep Lalehan Akgun

    Anika Akthar

    Milla Ausenda Stanford

    Ayesha Azad

    Mia Barrett‑Browne

    Le’Tia Barron

    Belle Bond

    Felix Corbin

    Sarah Creamer

    Hazel Dougan

    Milly Edwards‑Moss

    Amelia Eldridge

    Isaac Fitton

    Iris Flook

    Ashleigh Gaynor

    Alana Grice

    Anna Jones

    Bella Mullin

    Annabel Rushton

    Oliver Sewell

    Gabriel Shiels

    Nazifa Siddika

    Ruby Taylor

    For Criminology (with a study abroad year):

    Keziah Ansah

    Fleur York

    For Criminology and Sociology:

    Caitlin Aley

    Grace Ascherl

    Taslina Begum Uddin

    Gemma Harvey

    Charlotte Hockey

    Dennis Janowski

    Ruby Jaques

    Heather Keeble

    April Leckey

    Olivia Long

    Eloise Murcott

    Holly Newton

    Mia Pullan

    Brooke Somerville Ford

    Madeline Till

    For Criminology with Psychology:

    Anne‑Marie Brebinaru

    Katie Cook

    Maria Emmanuel

    Lily Grundy Blake

    Elizabeth Hall

    Georgia Pitt‑Stevens

    Ella Stevens

    Honor Vartan

    For History and Politics:

    Freya Adams

    Scott Bruce‑Reid

    Ben Chapman

    Ryu Ghedia

    Eden Hassidoff

    Albert Hicks

    Emma Hill

    [Carer]

    Lucy Mackay‑Weed

    William Martin

    Daniel Peters

    Tia Preece

    Daphnee Reid

    James Roberts

    Charlotte Florence Wilson Worley

    Maya Wood

    For History and Politics (with a professional placement year):

    Valentina Wampamba

    For History and Politics (with a study abroad year):

    Sophie Cunningham

    For History and Sociology:

    Lana Bigot

    Florence Jamieson

    Seth Kendall

    Bethany Woor

    For Politics:

    Reuben Adams

    John Bull

    Chan G Lok Fergus

    Bethany Cosser

    Benjamin Haley

    Joel Harper

    Will Hurst

    Grace Angel Isahak

    Edona Kastrati

    Dylan Lee Jin Jee

    Vladimir Lung

    Amelia Marsh

    Takudzwa Mavunga

    Callum Newman‑Smith

    Ruby Reeder

    Alice Talboys

    Quentin Taylor

    Amelie Timmis

    Phoebe Towler

    Maisie Tyzack

    Thomas Worth

    For Politics (with a study abroad year):

    Rafi Murji

    For Politics and International Relations:

    Abdulla Nasser S S Al‑Samikh

    Yasmeen H A Albaghli

    Jacob Ball

    Ben Cox

    Samuel Delaney‑Stone

    Ruby Dighton

    Kamila Hak

    Isabella Halladey

    Maximilian Harris

    Hibo Hasan

    Amelia Lecane

    Louis Lister

    Sebastian Magno

    Sophie Martin

    Maya Momodu

    Evelina Navickaite

    Lerato Neluvhola

    Finnian Rigby

    Jasmine Serieux

    Fares Ali A Shareef

    Evie Southgate

    Solomon Udu‑Smith

    For Politics and International Relations (with a study abroad year):

    James Bishop

    Abbie Brown

    Lottie Chapman

    For Politics and Philosophy:

    Oluwapelumi Adekunle

    Max Broster

    Holly‑May Fairbank Carter

    Reuben Coppuck

    Erin Dooley

    Benjamin Flynn

    Oscar Owens

    Max Prevezer

    Ines Rodrigues

    Euan Watt

    For Politics and Philosophy (with a study abroad year):

    Freya Richards

    For Politics and Sociology:

    Talia Aykurt

    Hope Belgrave

    Rebecca Chen

    Emily Dawes

    Ren Fletcher

    Mio Koyama

    Kit Pilling

    For Sociology:

    Joshua Acott

    Maisie Bayliss

    Honey Beale‑Collins

    Iris Bethell

    Rosie Bolton

    Emma Bye

    Matilda Croose

    Fizza Farishta

    Alexandreia Foster

    Mimi Gillard

    Mia Gould

    Alina Gvarjaladze

    Ethan Harvey

    Loz Higginson

    Charlotte Horn

    Isabella Jimenez‑Laiglesia Trenchard

    Andi Marrow‑Cook

    Pam Murray

    Imogen Pannett

    Imogen Prosser

    Tom Ryan

    Millie Sandford

    Hanna Schweigert

    Archie Smith

    Jake Spender

    Amelia Steijger

    Phoebe Sturgess‑Wenham

    Francesca Taylor

    Billy Tucker

    Sam Westaway

    Layne Williams

    Emily Young

    For Sociology (with a study abroad year):

    Delilah Lewis

    Theodore Smith

    For Sociology and International Development:

    Estella Corr

    Mao Ezaki

    Flora Fishburn

    Aasta Hamilton‑Wright

    Chloe Martin

    Bernice Mubiru‑Lwanga

    Kate Robinson

    Jeremi Strowger

    For Sociology with Cultural Studies (with a professional placement year):

    Louise Mitton

    For Sociology with Media Studies:

    Ertan Arda Akaltun

    Edward Haskew

    Larissa Holtl Wickens

    Nia Lamptey

    For Sociology with Media Studies (with a study abroad year):

    Poppy Payne

    For the degree of Bachelor of Laws in Law:

    Gabriel Sogoye

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Corruption and Governance:

    Razan Abdullah Altuwaijri

    Mamunur Rashid Choudhury

    Vacant seat

    Carolina Ipince Grimm

    Richard Ivie

    Emilie Palummo

    Sebastião Rocha

    Evita Situma

    For Criminology and Criminal Justice:

    Hassan Nasser A Albattat

    Daniella Harman

    For Gender Studies:

    Katinka Angel Pim

    For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Vacant seat

    Ihab A Y Maharmeh (Erasure and resistance. Everyday practices of Palestinian workers in the settler economy)

    Lena Gwenhywar Esthel Marie Raballand (Capture by a thousand cuts: Dissecting mechanisms of state capture and resilience through a case study of South Africa under President Jacob Zuma)

Tuesday 21 July 2026

Ceremony 3 at 10am

    • Faculty of Social Sciences
      • School of Law, Politics and Sociology
        • Department of Law

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet Fanfare plays.

    A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enters the auditorium, walking down the aisles between the graduands and guests. They ascend the stage and take their seats. Two academics carrying ceremonial torches bow to each other and place the torches on the small raised table at the front of the stage.

    The Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and says:

    "I declare open this şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ graduation ceremony."

    He says a few words of welcome, after which he says:

    “I call upon the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation.”

    He resumes his seat.

    The Vice-Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and delivers her speech. She then says:

    "I call upon the Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, Professor Jo Moran-Ellis."

    The Head of School goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, facing the audience, bowing to the Chancellor as she reaches the lectern.

    Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Laws in Law:

    Maryam Mohamed Hamed Abdellatif

    Izmahan Abdi

    Seif Azzam F. Abu Hweij

    Temiloluwa Adegbile

    Durotimi Samuel Adesanya

    Alfred Afolabi

    Adwoa Afriyie

    Zara Esther Akaleme

    Saif Yaarab Al‑Busaidi

    Russel Zaid Adnan Al‑Hussainy

    Luma Alharbi

    Aleena Ali

    Thomas Jackson Allen

    Khalifa Almahmoud

    Liyan Alshuaibi

    Denise Alvarez

    Teni Andre

    Kate Anunwa

    Daniela Araujo Saldanha

    Blessing Aroso

    Emilia Ascroft

    Thea Coralie Aucoin

    Emre Aygul

    Jameelah Azab

    Ahmed Baghdadi

    Luke Baldwin

    Charlotte Ballentine

    Stanley Banks

    Sameer Bardai

    Izzy Batchelor

    Mia Bateman

    Hakime Nisa Bedir

    Gabriel Brian Belore‑Gunawan

    Matilda Best

    Lillian Boden‑Thorne

    Poppy Bonner

    Nicholas Boyd

    Georgia Brookshaw

    Julia Bugajska

    Christiana Buison‑Salvador

    Ashley Dawn Burrows [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School]

    Izabel Burton

    Briana Renee Carpenter

    Ismaeel Choudhary

    Umur Dalyan

    Brody Edward Davidson

    Olivia Davies [Prize: first generation scholars achieving the highest grand means in Law]

    Liliana De Freitas Favinha

    Daki Diba

    Beatriz Dos Santos Novo

    Ella Sydney Doyle

    Ella Dye

    Valentina Osama El Kad

    Benjamin Shaul Gaborieau

    Aylin Galip

    Noemi Ghirvu

    Amelia Gibbs [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School]

    Reilly Given [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School]

    Miya Gogna

    Mihaela Golban

    Jessica Golding

    Celyn Green

    Charlotte Green

    Gurseejan Kaur Grewal

    Ellen Gunn

    Jade Haggarty

    Joshua Hamilton

    Ashley Hamshere

    Joshua Harland

    Emily Harwell

    Alana Hearn

    Jasmin Ella Holmes [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School]

    Azizah Hossen

    Evie Hughes

    Amelia Hurst

    Mia Hutchings

    Zahra Idrishi

    Heather Ali Imam

    Maryam Ishaq

    Ana Simona Isip

    Hana Islam

    Arlind Ismaili

    Elsie Iniya James [Prize: first generation scholars achieving the highest grand means in Law]

    Chloe Jeffs

    Brooke Jenner

    Flora Maria Kalogeraki [Prize: first generation scholars achieving the highest grand means in Law]

    Lauren Kelleher

    Esther Keown

    Millie Khazali

    Vaishnavvi Kulam

    Araniya Kumaraguru

    Isabel Kwofie

    Liam Lapslie

    Anthony Lawrence [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School]

    George Lea

    Owain Lehane

    Matthew Pak‑Lam Leung

    Shian Liburd

    Grace Lipki

    Sofia Lockwood

    Sydney Ellen Aislinn Maas

    Tumelo Malunga

    Manpreet Mann

    Jordan Sage Mikaela Mannell

    Summer Marshall‑Phillips

    Benton Alexander Martin

    Sophie Martin

    Neha Marwaha [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School]

    Laura McGivern

    Amber McLaren

    Ayesha Miah

    Alexander Milne

    Idris Mohammed‑Choudhry

    Ciaran Moss

    Malaika Iman Moten [Prize: top marks on the Clinical Legal Education module]

    Kimia Movahedi Yeganeh

    Daniel Munk

    Olivia Munro

    Tanvi Nanda [Prize: top marks on the Clinical Legal Education module; Best Finalist Law Student]

    Khoi Ngo

    Rachel Nguyen

    Xiaoyu Ni

    Jeneva Marie Nitsopoulos

    Jasmine Nlemadim

    Kadie Nsubuga

    Vacant seat

    Michael Douglas O’Brien

    Kasey Ojeda

    Chika Osholelumhe Okoro

    Alexandra Oursaki

    Lucy Parker

    Sofia Pasquarelli

    Roshan Patel

    Sienna Penson

    Medina Perisnaka

    Helene Pham

    Jack Pickett [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School]

    Nicole Portraite Paulo Da Silva

    Tilli Price

    Benjami Xi Rai‑Scott

    Zayaan Rashid

    Michaela Kelsey Rawlingson

    Matilda Rayner

    James Ian Robinson

    Tyra Robinson

    Megan Rodin

    Ava Rouse

    Parneet Kaur Sahil

    Luca Sarkis

    Simar Satsavia

    Jenna Serro

    Holly Shepherd

    Anna Shepherd

    Dillon Sherwood‑Olorenshaw

    Kayla Josephine Siconolfi

    Jasper Smith

    Lydia Smith

    Emma Natasha Somerville

    Katya Spencer

    Aino Kaisla Maria Summa

    Roham Tajermanshadi

    Bronwen Taylor

    Isabella Thompson

    Emily Turp

    Elif Unlu

    Eva Susan Van Etten

    Victoria Vlcek

    Tea Von Teichman Logischen [Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School; Best Overall Law Student]

    Yuqian Wang

    Olivia Ward

    Chloe Ware

    Dylan White

    Lucy Wildon

    Charlotte Willcox

    James Williams

    Ryan Wilson‑Hassan [Francis Taylor Building Prize]

    Raghad Yabroudi

    Shengjun Yi

    Anastasia Janet Zeita Young

    Sinead Yuille

    For the degree of Law (Graduate Entry):

    Mehtab Brar

    Sachal Pirzada Hussain

    For the degree of Law (with a professional placement year):

    Rania Bouzekraoui [Prize: Gazelle Twin Scholarship; Prize: enhancing the life of the Sussex Law School; Prize: first generation scholars achieving the highest grand means in Law]

    Natasha Rendell

    For the degree of Law (with a study abroad year):

    Ruth Gabrat

    Maya Henderson‑Mason

    Catherina Joseph

    Lucas Penman

    For the degree of Law with American Studies:

    Tamsin Andrews

    Oliver Bacon

    Mariama Bah

    Jada Brown

    Thomas Byrne

    Kai Eastmond Knauft [Prize: first generation scholars achieving the highest grand means in Law]

    Frankie Fabbrocini

    Erin Ferguson

    Leo Fryer

    Sandra Gajos

    Jasmine Graham [Prize: American Studies Prize for highest dissertation mark]

    Tia Kilshaw‑Seal

    Elena Ntorela Kiofiri

    Sadia Malik

    Elise Masson

    Sophia Nesbitt‑Jones

    Princess Obi‑Roberts

    Theo Parfitt

    Alan Prijish

    Sophie Purcell

    Emilia Rowland

    Samuel Threlfall

    For the degree of Law with Arabic:

    Micaiah Kennedy

    For the degree of Law with British Sign Language (with a study abroad year):

    Toluwalase Ooreoluwa Salu

    For the degree of Law with Business and Management:

    Romina Aga

    Titilayo Grace Chiamaka Agwaze

    Abieyuwa Oluwatimilehin Aigbedion

    Viktorija Bednika

    Andreea Berbece Beltrami

    Victoria Renate Beyeler

    Emre Cannur

    Joseph Clark

    Luke Coughlan

    Shwe Diri

    Artina Diznabi

    Zeynep Ekin Ercan

    Heidi Griffith

    CJ Holland [Prize: first generation scholars achieving the highest grand means in Law]

    Isha Iyer

    Arwen Mccaffer

    Adel Sherif Adel Mohamed

    Jenna Morgan

    Ali Hamza Ranjha

    Tyrell Ruby Anne Servina

    Isla Slade [Prize: top marks on the Clinical Legal Education module]

    Finley Tosunlar

    Youssef Emad Abdelfattah Zidan

    For the degree of Law with Business and Management (with a professional placement year):

    Alexandra Birch

    For the degree of Law with Business and Management (with a study abroad year):

    Shayan Valji

    For the degree of Law with Criminology:

    Leen Alarjani

    Lujain Alattas

    Juliet Atkinson

    Neduki Botheju

    Alice Bowers

    Lily Croft

    Leonida Donkor

    Katryn Gilbert

    Tobias Giraldo

    Alice Hand

    Damian Huber

    Ella Karabiber

    Gurleen Kaur

    Danielle Lambert

    Anya Lee

    Holly Malyon

    Owen Mann

    Yahla McDermott

    Skye Mcilhargey

    Minh Thu Nguyen

    Katie O’Flinn

    Esme O’Rourke‑Black

    Imogen Pitchley

    Rose Stockbridge

    For the degree of Law with Criminology (with a study abroad year):

    Jawad Khatau

    Ilayda Yagmur

    For the degree of Law with French:

    Serena Cobbinah

    Alfred McQuade‑Wolff

    For the degree of Law with French (with a study abroad year):

    Kitty Thomas

    For the degree of Law with German:

    Chloe Greenfield

    For the degree of Law with International Relations:

    Grace Cummins

    Zaineh Halasah

    Stella Hovsepyan

    Happiness Ninai Kaduma

    Matvey Kalinchin

    Isabel Ladwa

    Nadda Mahgiub

    Shifra Nesbitt

    Daisy Simpson‑Dancer

    Taisir Souissi

    Sherry Nachilima Solange Thole

    Tianna Valentine

    Lena Wielgosinska

    Tracy Cassandra Alua Yatuka

    For the degree of Law with International Relations (with a study abroad year):

    Jenna Gu

    For the degree of Law with Mandarin Chinese (with a study abroad year):

    Fletcher Goss‑Knight

    For the degree of Law with Politics:

    James Allen

    Mason Balnaves

    Ruby Dineen

    Beverley Gamor

    Nael Junejo

    Abigail Kemp

    Hani Safeeya Binti Mohammad Seffry

    Christopher Moros

    Grace Mucina

    Peter Row

    For the degree of Law with Spanish:

    Matisse Gordon‑Johnson

    Ifza Hamied

    Terri‑Leigh Maslen

    Natalia Mclelland

    For the degree of Law with Spanish (with a study abroad year):

    Alyssa Lynch

    For the degree of Master of Arts in Law:

    Millicent Ann Gerstle [Prize: Best Overall Performance on the MA]

    Finlay Mcewan

    Alexander Norwood

    For the degree of Master of Laws in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice:

    Faisal Hassan A. Alshahrani

    Madeleine Sambou

    For the degree of International Human Rights Law:

    Bilan Mohamed Hirsi

    For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Abrar Redha J. Alrehaili [Thesis: Analysing the Influence of UNCAC and G20 Membership on Anti‑Corruption Measures in Saudi Arabia’s Public Procurement Reforms (2006–2022)]

    Vacant seat

    The Head of School returns to her seat.

    The Chancellor stands and says:

    "Will all graduands please stand."

    The Chancellor says:

    "By the authority vested in me as Chancellor of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, I admit you to the degrees for which you have been presented."

    The Chancellor says:

    "Please be seated."

    The Chancellor says a few closing words.

    The Chancellor says:

    "I declare this ceremony closed."

    Trumpet Fanfare plays.

    The academic procession stands and leaves the stage, walking up the central aisle and out of the auditorium.

    Graduands and guests follow as directed by the ushers.

Ceremony 4 at 1.30pm

    • Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities
      • Art History
      • Drama
      • History including American Studies
      • Music
      • Philosophy

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet fanfare plays.

    The Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and says:

    "I declare open this şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ graduation ceremony."

    He says a few words of welcome, after which he says:

    "I call upon the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation."

    He sits.

    The Vice-Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and delivers her speech.

    The Vice-Chancellor says:

    "I call upon the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities, Professor Cornel Sandvoss"

    The Executive Dean goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, bowing to the Chancellor as he reaches the lectern.

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in American Studies:"

    Skye Dawson

    Ivy Gavin (American Studies Prize for highest ranking student)

    Cameron George (Rupert Wilkinson Award)

    Ruby Hamlyn

    Sean McCord (Rupert Wilkinson Award)

    Jacob O'Flynn

    Liberty Reason

    Evie Richardson

    "For American Studies and English:"

    Ella Breton

    Hana Peltier

    "For American Studies and Film Studies:"

    Finlay Castell

    Saffron Leggatt

    Noah Plesniak

    Laurence Woodford

    "For American Studies and History:"

    Nell Godwin

    William Hunt

    Vacant seat

    Daisy Natt

    Amy Scoble

    Freya Sherlock

    Isabella Taylor

    "For American Studies and Politics:"

    Maymie Alford

    Ava Beverton

    William Bullen

    George Carrington-Johnson

    Charlie Fletcher

    Erin Hope

    Robert Ivackovic

    Michael Kwawu

    Holly Mann

    Charlie Martin

    Evie Panvalkar

    Alexander Robertson

    Amelia Spicer

    "For Art History:"

    Lia Elisabeth Barker

    Amni Yazmeen Binti Ahmad Yari

    Esme Boardman Hoare (Maurice Howard Prize)

    Christopher Darbahani

    Ailish Donovan

    Amilia Duras

    Francisco Encarnacao Pereira

    Amelie Featherstone

    Abigail Joshua Yip

    Amy Lehane

    Mia Murnan

    Mira Natalwala

    Menna Owen

    Zoe Pemble

    Ellie Puddifoot

    Millie Reina

    Mima Semple

    Anona Sullivan

    Ella Taylor

    Catherine Verity (Art History Prize)

    Hannah Walsiyen

    Agnes Williams

    "For Art History (with a study abroad year):"

    Imogen Plumb

    "For Art History and Film Studies:"

    Jemima Biser

    Pluto Williams

    "For Drama and English:"

    Esme Chadwick (Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance Community Prize)

    Madeline Harrington-Poole

    Lucy Jolly

    Nathan McClure

    Maya Qureshi

    Cerys Skinner

    Rosie Woodgate

    "For Drama and English (with a study abroad year):"

    Evangeline Reilly

    "For Drama and Film Studies:"

    Amy Guthrie-Poole (Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance Prize for best practical performance research project)

    Abigail McDonald

    Morgan Owen

    "For Drama, Theatre and Performance:"

    Ronni Arrowsmith (Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance Community Prize)

    Poppy Dyball (Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance Community Prize)

    Elena Efstathiou

    Isabella Fernandes

    Alice Groves (Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance Prize for Highest Ranked Student)

    Katy Horton

    Isabelle Knights

    Aleks Velkov (Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance Prize for best dissertation)

    Charlotte Walker

    Laura Wells (Department of Drama, Theatre and Performance Prize for best practical performance research project)

    Lucy Westlake

    "For Economic History:"

    Paul Bennett

    "For English and Art History:"

    Tabitha Ashton-Prevett

    Emma Cruickshank

    Jasmine Donaldson

    Robert Gregson

    Freya Jones

    Lucy Robinson

    Lydia Sealey

    Finlay Torres Lyons

    Evelyn Willis

    "For English and Art History (with a study abroad year):"

    Meg Forshaw

    Holly Tarr

    "For History:"

    Leah Anderson

    Lewis Anderson

    Bailey Astbury

    Jude Atherton

    Ethan Bradstock-Tighe

    Naia Brookes

    Max Cleveland

    Max Cordery

    Daniel Cunningham

    Megan Dobbins

    Dylan Edge

    James Edwards

    Marnix Fouchard

    Tom Francis

    Madeleine Garrett

    Elliot Goode

    Ellie Grant

    Joshua Green

    Sophie Hall

    Dom Hancock

    Ivo Hill Blaske

    Alexander Huntley

    Rose Hutchinson

    Sophie Knowles

    Darcie Lawrence

    Rachel Logue

    Isabel Macdonald

    Julia Maciuszek

    Macy McIntyre

    Harrison Michael

    Callum Nazer

    Alex Norlund

    Bobby Ray

    Kristian Roberts

    Asa Romans

    Reginald Rosser

    Edward Stacey

    Oliver Standen McDougal

    Emily Sutcliffe

    Jake Sweetland

    Scarlett Vavasour

    Sienna Walton

    David Wheeler

    Darcey Williams

    Ellie Williamson

    After the final graduand has crossed the platform, the Executive Dean will then say:

    "Chancellor, this concludes the first part of the presentation of graduands from the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities."

    The Chancellor bows his head to the Executive Dean in acknowledgement and sit down.

    The Executive Dean will sit down.

    CONFERMENT OF AN HONORARY DEGREE AND ADDRESS TO THE CONGREGATION

    Dr Maria Balshaw CBE

    The Vice-Chancellor will stand and say:

    "I call upon Professor Meaghan Clarke to present Dr Maria Balshaw."

    The Vice-Chancellor sits down.

    Professor Clarke goes to Dr Balshaw’s seat. She bows to Dr Balshaw, who stands. Both move to the centre of the platform and bow to the Chancellor. Professor Clarke moves to the lectern on the Chancellor’s right side, and Dr Balshaw stands facing the audience on the Chancellor’s right, on the white cross on the stage.

    Professor Clarke delivers her oration, concluding as follows:

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of the University, honoris causa, Dr Maria Balshaw."

    The Chancellor then stands, and Dr Balshaw stands in front of him. The Chancellor shakes her right hand and says:

    "By the authority of the Senate of the University, I confer on you the degree of Doctor of the University, honoris causa."

    Dr Balshaw bows to the Chancellor, who sits down. Dr Balshaw then shakes hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, who hands the degree scroll to Dr Balshaw.

    At an appropriate moment during the applause, Professor Clarke returns to her seat and sits down.

    Dr Balshaw moves to the lectern on the Chancellor's right side. She delivers her address, commencing:

    "Chancellor..."

    After her address, Dr Balshaw returns to her seat, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    The Vice-Chancellor stands and says:

    "I call upon the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities, Professor Cornel Sandvoss"

    The Executive Dean of the Faculty goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform (facing the audience), bowing to the Chancellor as he reaches the lectern.

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in History (with a study abroad year):"

    Morven Jamieson (Maurice Hutt Prize)

    "For History and International Relations:"

    Abigail Carthy

    Eleanor Critten

    Ramona Giles

    Carman Jackson

    Jude Rosser

    George Scott

    Tomos Williams (Rose History Prize)

    Isabelle Wornell

    "For History and International Relations (with a study abroad year):"

    Joshua George

    "For History and Philosophy:"

    Matthew Baston

    Emilia Fairbrass

    Luca Hill

    "For Music:"

    Jake Cockett

    Taylor Desai

    Andrew Fitt

    Ed Hanson

    Daniel Jacoby Cohen (Music Prize for Outstanding Achievement)

    Zhuolong Jia

    Ben Macpherson

    Shreya Sriee Malligeswaran

    Natasha O'Flynn (Gazelle Twin Scholarship and Highest Ranked Student)

    Cass Westwood Flood

    "For Music Technology:"

    Basmala Aissat

    Ruben Bernard

    Archie Chapman (David Osmond Smith Music Prize)

    Jamie Clay

    Jamie Cresswell (David Osmond Smith Music Prize)

    Stanley English

    Tayler Harvey-Gibson

    Anna King (Highest Ranked Student)

    Oliver Mooney

    Miles Murray

    Jasmine Slater (David Osmond Smith Music Prize)

    Kaitlin Smith

    Lawrence Smith

    Gabriel Tramontana

    "For Philosophy:"

    Esme Anderson

    Eva Booth

    Jiaer Chen (Philosophy Prize for best dissertation)

    Harvey Collins (Philosophy Achievement Prize)

    Athena Cooper

    Frederick Fairley

    James Furness

    Freddie Guest

    Gabriel Hamston Clark

    Louis Harvey (Philosophy Prize for best dissertation)

    Star Kelly-Morrow

    Scarlett McPartland

    Tobias Mullen

    Caitlin O'Brien

    Oscar O'Gilvie

    Iola Perry

    Theo Reid-Cain

    Isaac Simpson

    Pamela Studzinska

    Molly Whitton

    Francesca Wight

    "For Philosophy (with a study abroad year):"

    Cecilia Bligaard

    Alex Williams

    "For Philosophy and English:"

    Megan Bigsby

    Lilly Cattini Collins (Department of English Prize for outstanding dissertations)

    Arlo Poulson

    "For Philosophy and Sociology:"

    Erin Arthur

    Alexander Bennett

    Millie Davey-Chandler

    Elizabeth Groombridge

    Lauryn Hill

    Maria Landon

    "For Philosophy and Sociology (with a study abroad year):"

    Finn Mcalone

    "For Philosophy, Politics and Economics:"

    Ali Acar (Philosophy Prize for Highest Ranked Student)

    Nyx Atkins

    Silvio Castellini

    Mehmet Doldur

    Sacha Jary

    Aidan Kaufman

    Tchengiz Kermanshahchi

    Isaac Long

    Mathilda McManus

    Hannah Nahami

    Ayesha Robinson Hewitt

    Blake Wood (Philosophy Prize for Highest Ranked Student)

    "For the degree of Master of Arts in Social and Political Thought:"

    Yahia Salem Cherif (Already received certificate)

    "Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:"

    Lucia Affaticati

    Chiamaka Cynthia Igboayaka

    Afshin Khaef

    Tess Nowell

    Wael Yahya A Otayf

    Timothy Pallot

    Michael Rayner

    Harry Salisbury

    After all the graduands have crossed the platform, the Executive Dean says:

    "Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduands from the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities."

    The Chancellor bows his head to the Executive Dean in acknowledgement and sits.

    The Executive Dean and the Vice-Chancellor sit.

    The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kate O’Riordan, goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    The PVC says:

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Master of Laws in International Human Rights Law in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology:"

    Bilan Mohamed Hirsi

    "For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Music:"

    Zhuolong Jia

    "For Philosophy:"

    Jiaer Chen (Philosophy Prize for best dissertation)

    The Chancellor stands.

    As the PVC reads the names, the Chancellor remains standing.

    After each name is read, the graduand crosses the platform, shakes hands with the Chancellor, and bows. They then leave the platform, return to their place and sit.

    After all the graduands have been presented, the PVC says:

    "Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at this ceremony."

    The Chancellor says:

    "So, this is the big moment

    Graduands, can you please stand again.

    And colleagues behind me, can you also please stand."

    [Wait for all to stand]

    "By the powers invested in me by the Senate of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, I confer degrees on all those referred to by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

    Congratulations, you are now graduates of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ!"

    The PVC sits, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    The Chancellor goes to the lectern and says a few words of farewell, concluding with:

    "I now declare this ceremony closed. Please remain seated whilst the procession leaves the stage."

    The Mace Bearer returns to the stage, collects the mace and bows to the Chancellor.

    The Chancellor stands and follows the Mace Bearer off stage.

    The other members of the procession leave the stage in reverse order:

    The Chancellor’s procession

    The Academic Procession

    The Professional Services Procession

    Once the procession has fully exited, ushers direct the congregation when to leave.

Ceremony 5 at 4.30pm

    • Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities
      • Cultural Studies and Journalism
      • Creative and Critical Practices
      • Department of Languages
      • English Literature including Liberal Arts
      • English Language and Linguistics
      • Film Studies
      • Media

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet fanfare plays.

    The Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and says:

    "I declare open this şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ graduation ceremony."

    He says a few words of welcome, after which he says:

    "I call upon the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation."

    He sits.

    The Vice-Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and delivers her speech.

    The Vice-Chancellor says:

    "I call upon the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities, Professor Cornel Sandvoss"

    The Executive Dean goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, bowing to the Chancellor as he reaches the lectern.

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing:"

    Alex Allen

    Matilda Barrowman

    Rebecca Ponsford

    Lauren Ralph Beales

    Ren Slade

    Teddie Thompson

    "For Digital Media and Culture:"

    Katia Ahmed Al Ramahi

    Helya Amooei

    Arden Bugaoisan Anthony

    Kate Basco

    Robert Cossey

    Vacant seat

    Lilli Heron

    Syed Rayed Jafri

    Carly Killeen

    Samantha Orquiola

    Katie Revell

    Mercygrace Samuyiwa

    Rohan Shah

    Sophie Yeates

    Evelina Zhytomirska

    "For Digital Media and Culture (with a study abroad year):"

    Charlotte Brandon

    "For English:"

    Ellie Anderson

    Emily Niamh Bascombe

    Emilija Bergelyte

    Sofia Berios

    Leah Bond

    Christopher Chetwood

    Caitlin Cleary

    Tallulah Coates

    Sam Dale

    Kate Davis

    Laila Dominic

    Kitty Edmondson

    Esme Farrant

    Emily Gilbert

    Kate Gullen

    Iman Hassan

    Livia Herbert

    James Hews

    Isabel Highmoor

    Luke Hurst

    Caitlin Kavanagh

    Olivia Kelly

    Aneta Kolodziej

    Alice Levy-Rabstein

    Constance McIntosh

    Anna Murphy

    Mia Mushtaq Thurnhill

    Oliver Nicol

    Eva Noble

    Vera Palacio

    Leah-Louisa Peace

    Florrie Petit

    Amelia Phillips

    Ava Pinches

    Molly Raymond

    Florence Rogers

    Sophie Rosenzweig

    Lydia Rosevere

    Zerda Sar

    Miranda Sheard

    Talon Alexander Shuffler

    Oliver Tonkin

    Alex Wellband

    Scarlett Wesolowski

    "For English (with a study abroad year):"

    Natasha Burch

    Natasha Connolly

    Quincy Coulter Young

    Eve Davis

    Hannah Hickman

    Freya McLaughlin

    Eleanor Seymour

    "For English and Creative Writing:"

    Jamie Birmingham

    Molly Brown

    Emily-Rose Chantrill-Cheyette

    Lucy Eland

    Jodie Fullerton

    Asa Goodman

    Ruby Imade

    Olivia Jackson

    Sadie McPherson

    Grace Saunders

    Hannah Simmonds

    Alex Ward

    Timothy Woodbridge

    "For English and Film Studies:"

    Olivia Ardiff

    Anna Babanini

    Beatrice Campbell

    Evie Daws

    Kelvin Giwa

    Louis Hawkes

    Ruby-Jean Kerr

    Isabella Mecca

    James Scott

    "For English and History:"

    Isobel Dowler

    Davina Kaler

    Ruby Stacey

    "For English and History (with a study abroad year):"

    Lily Goodman

    "For English and Media Studies:"

    Ethan Carrick-Davies

    Amelia Cobbett

    Jed Fletcher

    Bethany Foster

    Elliot Garrard

    Ella Gatehouse

    Tilly-Anne Humphrey

    Emma Morrison

    Lily Mytom

    Delphina Schwartz

    Zi-Wei Yang

    "For English and Media Studies (with a study abroad year):"

    Leila Abbott

    "For English Language and Linguistics:"

    Alice Feltham

    Amelie Houghton-Bell

    Ruby Jarvis

    Phoebe Knight

    Anna Pakes

    Zara Williams

    "For English Language and Linguistics (with TESOL):"

    Amelia Hines

    Emily Holland

    "For English Language and Literature:"

    Daniel Maraviglia

    Salma Nour

    Max O'Donovan

    Cass Purssell

    "For Film Studies:"

    Dillon Bottoni

    Ceyda Bulut

    Benjamin Burtenshaw

    Anya Commons

    Grace Courtenay

    Thomas Day

    Cara Denham

    Jemima Draper

    Rebecca Fletcher

    Jamie Gilbert

    Amelie Griffiths

    Kinga Lesniewska

    Fiona Muncaster

    Emily O'Brien

    Mai Uehara

    Daisy Vickery

    Charlotte Watson

    "For Film Studies (with a study abroad year):"

    Georgia Hunt

    The Executive Dean says:

    "Chancellor, this concludes the first part of the presentation of graduands from the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities."

    The Chancellor bows his head to the Executive Dean in acknowledgement and sits.

    The Executive Dean sits.

    Adam Sisman

    The Vice-Chancellor stands and says:

    "I call upon the Professor of Political Journalism, Ivor Gaber, to present Adam Sisman."

    The Vice-Chancellor sits.

    Professor Gaber goes to Adam Sisman’s seat. He bows to Mr Sisman, who stands. Both move to the centre of the platform and bow to the Chancellor. Professor Gaber moves to the lectern on the Chancellor’s right side, and Mr Sisman stands facing the audience on the Chancellor’s right, on the white cross on the stage.

    Professor Gaber delivers his oration, concluding:

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of the University (Literature), honoris causa, Adam Sisman."

    The Chancellor stands, and Mr Sisman stands in front of him. The Chancellor shakes his right hand and says:

    "By the authority of the Senate of the University, I confer on you the degree of Doctor of the University (Literature), honoris causa."

    Mr Sisman bows to the Chancellor, who sits. Mr Sisman then shakes hands with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, who hands the degree scroll to him.

    During the applause, Professor Gaber returns to her seat and sits.

    Mr Sisman moves to the lectern on the Chancellor’s right side. He delivers his address, commencing:

    "Chancellor..."

    After his address, Mr Sisman returns to his seat, bowing to the Chancellor as he passes in front of him.

    The Vice-Chancellor stands and says:

    "I call upon the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities, Professor Cornel Sandvoss"

    The Executive Dean goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, bowing to the Chancellor as he reaches the lectern.

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Filmmaking:"

    Kyra Ali

    Csenge Angyal

    Emma Berry

    Isobel Cartlidge

    Lukasz Cooper

    Emily Crabbe

    Mason Dilnott

    Rohan Dodd

    Bethan Evans

    Ololade Faponle-Odutayo

    Charlotte Farrell-Poulton

    Isabelle Garforth

    Grace Georgiou

    Grace Olivia Huchison

    Han Kim

    Annabel Lepore

    Asha Loon

    Cairo Matthews

    Joseph Nyagah

    Danielle O'Tola

    Adele Perrin

    Hannah Rose

    Amelie Seddon

    Thomas Spencer

    Charlie Van Den Branden

    Lucas Waugh

    Yang Yanjun

    "For Filmmaking (with a study abroad year):"

    Freddie Hornsey

    Hana Kamran

    Jack Mason

    "For Liberal Arts:"

    Blu Hanna Baker

    Jenna Barrable

    Theo Kelly

    Joshua Mason

    Aliki Michaelidou

    Tabitha Morevan

    Natalie Watford

    "For Media and Communications:"

    Lamita Badran

    Lola-Belle Carey

    Kai Long Chan

    Jiayuan Chen

    Christie Cheung

    Eleanor Davey

    Sade Espendiller e Souza

    Ruby Forbes

    Jessica Garratt

    Clark Greenwood

    Kayla Hanna

    Matthew Iveson

    Hannah Jackson

    Nikolett Kocsis

    Michaela Lamb

    Yuejia Li

    Hiu Ching Man

    Connor Maybery-Mchaffie

    Isabelle Mitchell

    Matthew Morris

    Viren Ravin Parwani

    Ella Pateman

    Daisy Pountain

    Yuxuan Qing

    Maddie Ryan

    Raania Kaiser Waheed

    Madison Williamson

    Po Wong

    Hiu Ching Yip

    "For Media and Communications (with a professional placement year):"

    Jemimah Kayode

    Samara McFarlane

    "For Media and Communications (with a study abroad year):"

    Olivia Barnard

    Hannah Chen

    Noah St Cyr

    "For Media and Journalism:"

    Noa Alimo

    Cleo Badrock

    Dominic Batchelor

    Daniel Ezimah

    Ruby Foley

    Jun Hu

    Milly Jones

    Phoebe Paine

    Huilin Piao

    Jake Stothard

    Sun August

    Gemma Wilson

    Isis Wilson

    Xinjie Wu

    "For Media Production:"

    Stan Brown

    Kin Lok Chan

    Nonny Corbett

    Natalie Davies

    Reece Dawson

    Liyao Ding

    Teonie Drummonds

    Joseph Evans

    Frederick Forber

    Prisha Haresh Hingorani

    Ming Hei Adrian Ho

    Olivia Jephson

    Peiwen Jia

    Yutong Jiang

    Akbar Khan

    Chin To Kwok

    Vacant seat

    Zhiyuan Liu

    Max McCabe

    Louis Miles

    Hana-Sky Morishita Nicholas

    Mylo Aleha Nicholls

    Eman Owais

    Arabella Pinney

    Kitty Prince

    Cicely Robinson

    Oliver Skippings

    Chenjingyi Wang

    Hin Yeung Wong

    Cici Xu

    Vacant seat

    "For Media Production (with a professional placement year):"

    Chau Giang Nguyen Thi

    "For the degree of Master of Arts in Digital Media:"

    Julide Es

    "For Film Studies:"

    Niamh Kelly

    "For Gender and Media:"

    Alannah Van Engeland

    "For Journalism and Media Studies:"

    Lethiwe Mdluli

    "For Media and Cultural Studies:"

    Yewande Oluwakemisola Ifarinde

    Alara Nazli Yilmaz

    "For Media Practice for Development and Social Change:"

    Hestin Kezia Octalina Klaas

    "For Media, Ethics and Social Change:"

    Obada Jarbi

    Anna Kiss

    Madeleine Jade Patten

    "For Sexual Dissidence:"

    Georgia Bennetts

    Katie Marshall

    "Chancellor, I now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:"

    Eman Salem A Alatawi

    Asma Ahmad Asiri

    Seval Erkul

    Li Xiaozhou

    Ha Nuei Min

    Mariangela Paone

    Mitchel Pass

    Alison Ramsey

    Ellie Turner-Kilburn

    Ecem Yucel

    Jack Zeniewski

    After all the graduands have crossed the platform, the Executive Dean says:

    "Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduands from the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities."

    The Chancellor bows his head to the presenter in acknowledgement and sits.

    The Executive Dean and the Vice-Chancellor sit.

    The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kate O’Riordan, goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    The PVC says:

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Economics in the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School:"

    Jack Friesner

    "For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Filmmaking:"

    Ololade Faponle-Odutayo

    The Chancellor stands.

    The Chancellor stands.

    As the PVC reads the names, the Chancellor remains standing.

    After each name is read, the graduand crosses the platform, shakes hands with the Chancellor, and bows. They then leave the platform, return to their place and sit.

    After all the graduands have been presented, the PVC says:

    "Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at this ceremony."

    The Chancellor says:

    "So, this is the big moment

    Graduands, can you please stand again.

    And colleagues behind me, can you also please stand."

    [Wait for all to stand]

    "By the powers invested in me by the Senate of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, I confer degrees on all those referred to by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

    Congratulations, you are now graduates of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ!"

    The PVC sits, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    The Chancellor goes to the lectern and says a few words of farewell, concluding with:

    "I now declare this ceremony closed. Please remain seated whilst the procession leaves the stage."

    The Mace Bearer returns to the stage, collects the mace and bows to the Chancellor.

    The Chancellor stands and follows the Mace Bearer off stage.

    The other members of the procession leave the stage in reverse order:

    The Chancellor’s procession

    The Academic Procession

    The Professional Services Procession

    Once the procession has fully exited, ushers direct the congregation when to leave.

Wednesday 22 July 2026

Ceremony 6 at 10am

    • şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School
      • SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit)
      • Department of Strategy and Marketing

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet fanfare plays.

    The Chancellor stands, goes to the lectern and says:

    "I declare open this şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ graduation ceremony."

    He says a few words of welcome, after which he says:

    "I call upon the Provost, Professor Michael Luck, to address the congregation."

    He sits.

    The Provost stands, goes to the lectern and delivers his speech.

    The Provost says:

    "I call upon the Associate Dean for Education and Students in the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School, Dr Rashaad Shabab."

    The Associate Dean goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, bowing to the Chancellor as he reaches the lectern.

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in International Business:"

    Abdul Ahad

    Zain Mohammad Rafiq Al-Shaikh Ali

    Bora Biterge

    Giulia Boulos Gergis

    Felipe Brito

    Selin Caglayan

    Giovanna Capasso

    Casper Clark

    Tehya Dempster

    Mohamed Elnggar

    Marina Farag

    Jevantae Freckleton

    Dilpreet Kaur Grewal

    Louis Hardcastle

    Hamza Mohamed Salaheldin Hassanein

    Ezra Hill

    Tassilo Issa

    Yazdan Ameer Kazmi

    Josha Kowlessur

    Mason James Leach

    Muhammad Hamzah Leghari

    Matthew Llong

    Nassima Magbour

    Toby Mann

    Areg Matikyan

    Tabassum Jubaida Namira

    Nabeel Samer Nabeel Naser

    Athaya Kenzie Nugroho

    Queen Religioso

    Ana Beatriz Salles Salomao

    Gemma Smith

    Charlie Soar-Wyatt

    Shehryar Hussain Shah Syed

    Muhammad Mustafa Adnan Tabani

    Osman Emre Tez

    Madeline Unsworth-Rojas

    Liam Watfeh

    Yuqi Zou

    "For International Business (with a professional placement year):"

    Hriday Agarwal

    Thomas Da Graça Barlow

    Chauni Cameron

    Poppy Cowan

    Bruno D'Orta

    Thomas Kenny

    Olivia Misquitta

    Daniel Newbold

    Oliver Parnis England

    Luca Steer

    "For International Business (with a study abroad year):"

    Maliq Cranwell

    Benjamin Devlin

    Mikaeel Kahoul

    Lila Keene

    Ananya Shetty

    "For Marketing and Management:"

    Aymen Abdalla

    Jerusalem Abebe

    Miral Abu El Hija

    Mai Akiyama

    Yusur Al-Naseri

    Abdulmajeed Alammari

    Ahmed Algahdari

    Noah Ali Shah

    Yousaf Ali

    Remas B M A Alotaibi

    Moad Amar

    Isabella Anderson

    Abdelrahman Osama Abdellah Awad

    Abdullah Awais

    Priscilla Bailey

    Daniel Baker

    Cameron Barker

    Mae Birdsall

    Sebastien Byrom

    Alisa Cakoni

    Amy Coleman

    Zara Currie

    Layth A H Dahadha

    Diora David

    Charlotte Davidson

    Denis Djemal

    Jamie Dunn

    Kebina Dura

    Walid Khalid Durra

    Annah Dyett-Meade

    Goodness Egede

    Abdelrahman Moetaz Nasreldin Fathalla

    Lerkai Fearon-Bennett

    Stanley Ferszt

    Syafira Amalia Firdausy

    Ryan Forozan

    Mia Frape

    Charlotte Gibbons

    Maia Goalen

    Millie Greensted

    Asmae Harrak

    Noah Hinkson

    Zoheb Hussain

    Victoria Hyland

    Libby Johnson

    Alexis Jones

    Asma Katun

    Abdullah Khurram

    Dareks Knospe

    Anastasia Kushnareva

    Veronika Kuznetsova

    Chuang Li

    Jie Liao

    Tianchen Luo

    Louis Luong

    Finlay McCabe

    Gabrielle McCarthy

    Esha Miah

    Auguste Mockute

    Eltigani Haitham Eltigani Mohamed

    Nailah Morgan-Jones

    Tomoya Nihei

    Princelynne Noka Mapuku

    Brooklyn Oduro

    Sidharth Karthik Rajaratnam

    Hussain Raza

    Kamil Raza

    Madalena Ribeiro Dos Santos

    Lily Robinson-Green

    Lily Rose

    Eryn Russell

    Suzuka Saito

    David Nabil Yousif Salama

    Morolake Salami

    Lily Scheib

    Jia Su

    Ahmed Suliman

    Isabelle Thomeret

    Abbie Thompson

    Lama Alaaeldin Abdelaziz Torky

    Minelle Van Heusden-Mirza

    Erin Voller

    William Wallis

    Ziyang Wang

    Michelle Wern

    Ghalia Zureikat

    "For Marketing and Management (with a professional placement year):"

    Sakina Asad

    Louis Bader

    Alfie Ballard

    Morgan Conington

    Catherine Cook

    Lydia Edmonds

    Samuel Ellyatt

    Grace Ewing

    Amelia Hayter

    Elena Khamitova

    Anniel Nkwantabisa

    "For Marketing and Management (with a study abroad year):"

    Remy Bantick

    "For Marketing and Management with Psychology:"

    Becca Abbott

    Sophie Ackerman

    Zaina Kamal M Al Yahya

    Sai Battalapally

    Sarah Bokor-Ingram

    Leea Bragaru

    Nathan Brown

    Bui Trong Minh Viet

    Yousef Bushnaq

    Halima Choudhry

    Louisa Clare

    Evie Cuthbert

    Jess Davis

    Elena De Pellegrino Farrugia

    Omnia El Bawab

    Katherine Graves

    Nathania Hidayat

    Libby Howells

    Hazem Mohamed G A Raafat Ibrahim

    Alex Kent

    Prisha Kunda

    Chelsy Lamptey

    Lola McCormick

    Yousef Menyawi

    Gergo Molnar

    Elia Moss

    Bethel Mukunga

    Alexandra Orr

    Ozden Nila Ozsahin

    Marta Parkinson

    Anna Pavlova

    Skye Phillips

    Dev Puduppully Ajeesh

    Arun Ram Kissun

    Owen Reed

    Rosie Russell

    Zachary Ryan-Hosier

    Zara Scanlon

    Joseph Swarbrick

    Rose Taylor

    Nicolae Vasilica

    Natasha Kay Vincent

    Jasviena Vishnukanthan

    Gwyneth Whitehouse

    Heidi Wraige

    Grace Wright

    Oliver Wright

    Raymond Zhuo

    Polina Zograf

    "For Marketing and Management with Psychology (with a professional placement year):"

    Dylan Baker

    Shiraz Fanibanda

    Anna Hartley

    Alissa Levi Finz

    Ana Pirenack Marrs

    "For Marketing and Management with Psychology (with a study abroad year):"

    Sofia Augsburger-Salmen

    Jago West

    "For the degree of Master of Science in Energy Policy:"

    Kruthika Anastasia Bala

    Vacant seat

    Norbert Otieno

    Cristina Ullastre Zaragoza

    "For Entrepreneurship and Innovation:"

    Eslam Khalil Ahmed Mahmoud Ghazaly

    "For Global Supply Chain Management:"

    Zaina Bani-Issa

    Lauren Brockwell

    Azahara Corroto Mantas

    Jana Koch

    Padmaja Bhimsen Kulkarni

    Michael Otukwu

    Stella Prawito

    Swati Tiwari

    "For International Management:"

    Sahil Rajesh Athawale

    "For International Marketing:"

    Andreea Brailasu-Popa

    Jan Morissette Pante Gernale

    Natalya Jefferies

    Penelope Lerato Legoabe

    Anastasia Melet

    Mohammed Mousseda

    Suzannah Povey-White

    Selbin Taghizade

    Missa Andreea Vogl

    "For Marketing and Consumer Psychology:"

    Emma Solimeno

    "For Project Management:"

    Ihuoma Kate Ogechi Dike

    Chijioke Ahamefula Emenike

    Samuel Njoroge Mwaura

    Sabina Nwadimkpa Oduaran

    "For Science and Technology Policy:"

    Jacqueline Anowie

    Vacant seat

    "For Strategic Marketing:""

    Mamta Madhukar Kerkar

    "For Sustainable Development:"

    Dina Abdulrazzaq

    Pramila Acharya Rijal

    Vacant seat

    Latifa Alali

    Yahia Alkubaisy

    Adewunmi Samiat Ambali

    Alaa Assaf

    Aruna Salieu Bangura

    Sahil Bharmal

    Francesca Boni

    Christian Chin

    Sara Collins

    Stephanie Currie

    Edwin Farquhar

    Katya Fialkova

    Padraig Foreman

    Dariana Garcia Serra

    Nathaniel Edward Gill

    Saniya Giniatullina

    Maria Goetsch

    Magdalena Howitt

    Nana Imai

    Hanan Isleem

    Eka Iswahyuni

    Accalia Khan

    Gavrielle Kirk-Cohen

    Vacant seat

    Lea Lavergne

    Fatima Alejandra Lopez Solana

    Shirley Malespín Bendaña

    Jonathan Martin

    David Mathew

    Alison Mbugua

    Loise Mburu

    Sara Mccown

    Nuria Mshare

    Vacant seat

    Ratu Selema Navoti

    Annika Ottmann

    Somi Park

    Ksenia Portnova

    Danijela Rajkov

    Nadia Santibanez Santibanez

    Naomi Scott

    Yuki Tatsumi

    Ramakatu Abey Tau

    Djamilla Toure

    Miriam Trinker

    Gyulnas Vaklinova

    Anthony Walkington

    Erica Wang

    Daniel Williams

    Bee Ting Yap

    "Chancellor, I now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:"

    Asli Ates

    Yongyuan Huang

    Nora Ndege

    Marie Ting

    The Associate Dean says:

    "Chancellor, today we honour Vedika Raajkumar Sunder by awarding her a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Management with Psychology. The award is accepted on her behalf by her sister, Aarika."

    After all have been presented, the Associate Dean says:

    "Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduands from the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School."

    The Chancellor bows his head to the Associate Dean in acknowledgement and sits.

    The Associate Dean and the Provost sit.

    The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Maria Fasli, goes to the lectern on the right-hand side of the platform, bowing to the Chancellor as she passes in front of him.

    The PVC says:

    "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in International Business:"

    Felipe Brito

    Dilpreet Kaur Grewal

    "For International Business (with a study abroad year):"

    Ananya Shetty

    "For Marketing and Management:"

    Hussain Raza

    "For Marketing and Management with Psychology:"

    Yousef Menyawi

    "For the degree of Master of Science in Energy Policy:"

    Cristina Ullastre Zaragoza

    "For Science and Technology Policy:"

    Jacqueline Anowie

    "For Sustainable Development:"

    Daniel Williams

    The Chancellor stands.

    The Chancellor remains standing as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor reads the names.

    After each name is read, the graduand crosses the platform, shakes hands with the Chancellor, bows, and leaves the platform. They return to their seat and sit.

    After all late graduands have crossed the platform, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor says:

    "Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony, including those who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia."

    The Chancellor says:

    "Graduands, please stand."

    [Wait for all graduands to stand]

    "By the authority of the Senate of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, I formally confer degrees on all those presented to me today.

    Congratulations — you are now graduates of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ."

    The Pro-Vice-Chancellor bows to the Chancellor and sits.

    The Chancellor goes to the lectern and gives a short closing address.

    He concludes:

    "I now declare this ceremony closed. Please remain seated while the procession leaves the stage."

    The Mace Bearer enters, collects the mace, and bows to the Chancellor.

    The Chancellor stands and follows the Mace Bearer off stage.

    The remaining members of the platform party leave in reverse order:

    The Chancellor’s Procession

    The Academic Procession

    The Professional Services Procession

    Once the procession has exited, ushers direct the congregation when to leave.

Ceremony 7 at 1.30pm

  • şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School
    • Department of Accounting and Finance

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet Fanfare plays.

    A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enters the auditorium, walking down the aisles between the graduands and guests. They ascend the stage and take their seats. Two academics carrying ceremonial torches bow to each other and place the torches on the small raised table at the front of the stage.

    Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar: "I declare open this congregation of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. I'm delighted, as Chancellor, to welcome you formally to this graduation ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our graduands, and your family and friends who join you here today, and to those who couldn't make it here in person and may be watching this via live video stream around the world.

    Graduation is one of the highlights of the university year, and as such, as you can see up on the stage here, we've made a bit of an effort dressing up with our gowns and everything. And a few people here have even brought forward their weekly baths, so. And I understand that a few have also invested in deodorant as well. And this is all in honour of you and our pride in your achievements.

    The şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ motto is “Be still and know,” and I hope that at some point today you can find a quiet moment to reflect on your accomplishments and the journey that brought you here. I know that many of you have had to overcome challenges on that journey to get to this day, struggling to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children or supporting loved ones, experiencing loss and health issues, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help.

    So today isn't just a celebration of your academic achievements, but also of your perseverance, your focus, and of those that have helped you along the way.

    Some of you may be continuing with further academic study, but for many of you, today will mark the end of that academic journey. A journey that started all those years ago with your first day at nursery or kindergarten. The trauma of suddenly being thrust from the familiar environment of home into a place full of new people, new foods, new names, new clothes. Being introduced to the fun worlds of playtime, reading time, nap time, nits, and chickenpox.

    Then all the ups and downs of the school years. Best friends, bullies, great teachers, horrible teachers, PE in the rain, school trips, school dinners, prizes, detentions, being in the school team, being picked last for sport, losing your PE top, losing your trousers, losing your pants, tests, homework, mocks, choices, more mocks, predictions, disappointment, joy, UCAS, all of which brought you to Sussex. New people, new names, new foods, new experiences. You see, I think your journeys have already been epic.

    Which brings us to today, your glorious day. And thank you, family and friends. I know from experience how much you've sacrificed and supported for your graduand to be here. We're humbled and honoured that you now all have a connection to the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    So graduands, in a short while, a name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours, and you will take the 20 or so steps across this stage, terrified you're going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea after all, worried that your flies are open, and trying not to trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone in the front row. If you do decide to do that this afternoon, what an array of laps we've arranged for you. Check those out. Look at that. It's like Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey meets the Antique Roadshow.

    I'm beholden to tell you or remind you if you've been up here before, that you haven't actually got your degrees yet, and you getting your degree may just depend on how much love you show me when you come up here. No love for the chancellor, no degree. Seriously, feel free to express yourselves when you cross this stage in whatever way you want. I'll go with it, as long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality.

    Already in the ceremony so far, we've had lots of hugs, we've had handshakes, we've had fist bumps, dabs, dancing, we've had a bit of dancing. Rock, paper, scissors has also happened. We've had the lot over the years. Listen, you can ignore me if you want. It's your day. If you do decide to do press-ups, you're doing them on your own. I can get down there. I don't know if I can get up again.

    And family and friends, this is your day, too. So when the time comes, please have your cameras ready and feel free to make as much noise as you can when your superhero crosses the stage. Just as a gauge, family and friends, could you give me an idea of the amount of noise you can make?

    Pretty impressive. Pretty impressive. Okay. The bar has been set.

    If any of you graduands are here on your own today, then I'll be your family or friends if you have me. So no one's here by themselves.

    Have a great ceremony. I call upon the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Michael Luck, to address the congregation."

    Deputy Vice Chancellor, Michael Luck: "Madam Mayor, distinguished guests, parents, supporters, friends, colleagues, and above all, our graduands, Sussex Class of 2026.

    As Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, it is my great honour and enormous pleasure to welcome you to this graduation ceremony.

    As our chancellor has just reminded us, today is all about you, our graduands. This is a day of celebration for you and of you, and of all that you have achieved during your time at Sussex.

    It's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited in countless tangible and less tangible ways from the love and support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of Sussex staff. And some of you have been supported by our alumni and donors who have generously provided scholarships and bursaries.

    Graduands, if you're able, would you please stand up and turn to face the audience, your friends and loved ones, and offer your thanks with a big, hearty cheer and a round of applause.

    Thank you. Please be seated again.

    As a university, we at Sussex are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment in which every member of our diverse community is able to flourish. Sussex students represent the most wonderful variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. You come each year from over 150 countries around the world.

    So we have people in the audience today of many different nationalities, ethnicities, and faiths, with a huge diversity of opinion and belief about almost every matter under the sun. And that diversity of thought is a very special thing, something that Sussex seeks always to uphold and support.

    We have a foundational commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom. It's our job as a university to create an environment for learning and exploration in which diversity of belief and opinion can be explored. It's our job to nurture the conditions under which our students and staff can respectfully discuss and debate difficult ideas, where propositions can be tested, analysis undertaken, theories developed, and where minds can be expanded and changed.

    We're living in deeply troubled times. War and conflict, terror, death, and the destruction of habitats, economic hardship, hunger, and inequality, as well as climate change and environmental degradation, all quite rightly giving rise to enormous concern among Sussex students.

    Many Sussex students hold passionate opinions about the causes, consequences, and solutions to the urgent problems that face the world. And Sussex supports and will always support freedom of expression that is lawful and respectful of others, mindful of the humanity and diversity that is at the heart of our university community, and that binds us together across nations and faiths as a global community.

    So, Sussex graduands, I'd like to thank you for all that you have contributed to making our university a place of community, inclusion, and diversity, a warm, open, and welcoming place.

    In the three years that I've been Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, I've witnessed how Sussex students are the very embodiment of energy, hope, and possibility for a better world. Alongside your academic work, many of you have taken part in an impressive range of other activities. As student ambassadors and student representatives, organizing and leading student societies and groups, and volunteering on and off campus. And so many of you are today receiving a Spirit of Sussex Award for your positive contributions to our community.

    I commend your commitment to your extracurricular activities. Well done on all you've achieved alongside your formal studies.

    As Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, I have had the great privilege of meeting many hundreds of Sussex alumni from across the world, and I've been overwhelmed by the depth of their love for their alma mater, by their appreciation of their time at Sussex, and how it has fundamentally shaped their lives, their careers, and their characters.

    Alumni have repeatedly told me about encountering new ideas and ways of thinking at Sussex that transformed their worldview, as well as making lasting friendships and building networks that have accompanied them ever since. I sincerely hope that you, today's graduands, will feel the same in the years to come.

    Whether you already have a job or are looking for one, or are taking time to explore the world, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, equipped to think critically and creatively, to adapt and evolve in a fast-changing world, and to understand the importance of a global perspective, so that you're able to exercise your agency as a citizen of the world with the power to shape your own future, and indeed, to change for the better what the future might bring for others.

    You've been taught by academics who are internationally recognized for their research, which has directly informed your education. And Sussex has much to be proud of as a research-intensive university and as a founding member of ResearchPlus, the new collaborative of research universities committed to working for the public good.

    For the 10th consecutive year, together with our campus partner, the Institute for Development Studies, Sussex has been ranked first in the world for development studies. We are one of only 24 universities in the world to have a number one subject ranking in the QS World University Rankings. This is an outstanding achievement by our academics and everyone who supports their work.

    Development studies, which seeks understandings of and progress towards global equity, social justice, and sustainability, is very much at the heart of what Sussex is about.

    In addition, Sussex this year has nine subjects in the top 100 globally, up from six last year, and we continue to be ranked in the top 100 in the world for sustainability. We were also named first in the UK and sixth globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2026 for peace, justice, and strong institutions.

    The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings measure universities around the world based on their contributions to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our top position for SDG 16, peace, justice, and strong institutions, reflects the very particular character of our university and what matters to our academic community.

    Meanwhile, our Department of Physics and Astronomy is this year ranked first in the world for research impact in the Shanghai Rankings. And for the past four years, the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School has been ranked first of all business schools in the UK for research income as our academics research urgent issues of global trade and tariffs, energy demand and climate change policy, AI and the future of work, and much more.

    All this means that Sussex research is breaking new ground in scientific knowledge and understanding, improving the lives of people around the world, advancing technology, influencing the policies of governments, and making a real difference to the protection of our natural environment.

    Now, I know that many of you graduating today have had difficult life journeys so far. Some of you have struggled with your mental or physical health. Some of you have faced loss and family disruption. Each of you has had a unique route to Sussex and through your time here.

    But whatever your Sussex story, I hope that when you look back, you feel that your studies were intellectually challenging, that you were stretched, stimulated, and supported to achieve your best, that you're leaving with knowledge, skills, and personal resources that will stand you in good stead, and that you made friendships that will stay with you long into the future.

    You'll now take many different paths as you join our community of more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. Sussex alumni include heads of state and vice presidents, policymakers and grassroots campaigners, chief executives of national and multinational organizations, garlanded writers and creative practitioners, leading academics and scientists, entrepreneurs and founders of businesses and charities, and those with less high profile but no less significant lives and careers, people whose actions and relationships remake and renew the social fabric in small, positive ways every day.

    Across the globe, in more than 170 countries, and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience to make the world a progressively better place. And I know that you'll do that, too.

    So, graduands, celebrate who you are today. Celebrate the commitment, the hard work, and the self-belief that got you here. Celebrate those who helped you reach this moment and those who have been on the journey with you. Together, celebrate your wonderful achievements.

    Thank you for being such brilliant Sussex students. And on behalf of the whole university, I wish you all the very best of luck with everything that comes next.

    I call upon the head of the Department of Accounting and Finance in the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School, Professor Gonul Colak."

    Professor Gonul Colak: "Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance:

    Hamza Abdulazim
    Ahmed Abdulwali
    Oday Yasser Jaber Abu Jaber
    Yahya AbuKar
    Ameenn Alaka
    Kareem Salem Ahmad AlKhazaleh
    Jasser Heshem Almadani
    Mohammed Al Subaey
    Fady Osama William Hanna Attia
    Sami Bailey
    Oliver Broadbent
    Thomas Clifton
    Georgia Coles
    Dylan Colyer
    Luke Cooling
    Daniel Corbett
    Joseph Davison-Poltock
    Christian Easy
    Dorina Gashi
    Andreas Georgiadis
    James Grimwood
    Nitrika Gurung
    Samuel Hartley
    Zawad Hassan
    Valentina Jaramillo-Moyano
    Anya Jonathan
    Dylan Jones
    Arjun Juneya
    Victoria Mizuki Kay
    Yashica Kumar
    Matthew Lee (Also one of the recipients of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BSc Accounting and Finance)
    Joshua Lewis
    Zhuoying Lin
    Sean Mackenzie
    Mikolaj Mikolajczyk
    Jonathan Noonan
    Harvey O'Neill
    Adam Oberlander
    Daniel Olukokun
    Aleksandra Panzer
    Lan Peng
    Harry Ruffe
    Samuel Sawyer
    Nia Simpson-Young
    Ethan Stead
    Sebastian Streeter
    Thu Ta
    Ahmad Akram Ahmad Tamari
    Thomas Taylor
    Louise Tennent (Also one of the recipients of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BSc Accounting and Finance)
    Min Thiha
    Ramah Ali M Trombi
    Sara Yankova
    Eren Yilmaz
    Dhureen Zakhariah
    Ainur Zhumatova
    Daniel Zitouni

    For Accounting and Finance (with a Professional Placement Year):

    Danyal Asad
    Frederick Band
    Reynard Anushan Baskaran
    Divine Cemte
    Callum Chand
    Louis Chesters
    Alexander Evans
    Milena Hakobyan
    Alex Loizou
    Isabella Mathews
    Rahib Miah
    Joshua Palmer
    Zara Vincent

    For Banking and Digital Finance:

    Sadeem Luay B Angawi
    Shaun Arun
    Maximillian Bream
    Hashim Iqbal Choudhri
    Izzet Efe Durmaz
    Casey Ewart
    Alexander Ford
    Dominic Gardner
    Nadim Hashisho
    Harry Hopkins
    Hasan Jamal
    Hao Jiang
    Angelos Kapnidis
    Varun Krishna
    Zimo Li
    Ding Thai Duong Nguyen
    Yashvardhan Singh Panwar
    Jacob Parry
    Ethan Rebello
    Joel Sempala-Ntege
    Mohammed Shokeh
    Zachary Simpson
    Roneesha Sheeran Uranie
    Yishuang Xue
    Zaid Zalloum

    For Banking and Digital Finance (with a Professional Placement Year):

    Muneera Al Shamlan
    Yousif Karashi
    Nishant Mathew

    For Finance and Business:

    Abdel Rahman F Z Alawamleh
    Eloise Barber
    Sarah Biyouk
    Oliver Burchett
    Ronak Chopra
    Harry Davis
    Abdelvahab Osama Elahrash
    Eyad Elchoubassi
    Hashem Elhaggan (Also one of the recipients of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BSc Finance and Business)
    Rafaela Elmazi
    Jessica Finn
    Daniel Garcia Bornholt
    Saifallah Modar T Hafiz
    Kyaw Lin Hein
    Jude Hennesey
    Nyi Zay Yar Hlaing
    Hin Cheung Ho
    Daniel Houten
    Isa Tareq Abdullatif Jasim Kanoo
    Sahil Khan
    Marina Kriticou
    Will Latham
    Shuhan Li
    Charles Long
    Isabella Lovell (Also one of the recipients of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BSc Finance and Business)
    Kai Matsushita
    Onalenna Mejelo
    Freddie Mellon‑Hendry
    Jingbo Miao
    Mutahhar Mahmood Moin
    Youssef Nasser
    Thomas Phipps
    Mi Pann Ei Phyu
    Yamen Qasem
    Hussein Ali Hussein Hosny Rageh
    Rodrigo Reyes Diaz
    Malak Sherif Shalash
    Charlie Sheppard
    Santiago Sixt
    Maya Mohamed Amin Sayed Soliman
    Farouk Taha Sayed Ahmed Hanafy Taha
    Sakura Takabatake
    Yehia Ehab Hussein Tantawy
    Youyi Tu
    William Van Namen
    Maximilian Völcker
    Kai Wang
    Jonathan Ward

    For Finance and Business (with a Professional Placement Year):

    Mohamed Abdulghani Al Hayki
    Lewis Briscoe
    Irene Demiri
    Owen Lockey
    Damini Manjunath
    Mehar Nayar
    Elliott Simmonds
    Ekta Thakrar
    Rosie Woolger

    For Finance and Technology:

    Akasa Swarga Abighair (Also the recipient of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BSc Finance and Technology)
    Mohammed Ali S S Al‑Samikh
    Ahmad Nasser Mohi Alden Almassri
    Saeed Mubarak S J Alnaemi
    Khaled Adel A Altelmesani
    Bashar J Aqrabawi
    Mohamed Emad Nuri Baryun
    Chi Hin Joshua Cheung
    Irvin Dias
    Senam Dzotsi
    Ahmed Mohamed Ali Elmoseilhy
    Scott Emson
    Sanish Gautam
    Daniel Guneratne
    Jaafar Talal Jaafar Abdulnabi Hasan
    Rhys Hicks
    Christopher Jolly (Also the recipient of the prize for Best Research Project in Accounting and Finance)
    Fouad Khalil
    Seen Hean Kuek
    Youssef Abdullah F Kuhail
    Tsz Ming Arthur Law
    Ralph Liubertas
    Chit Lun Mak
    Abdulrhman Khalid Makki
    Layan Khalid Makki
    Shahriar Malique
    Leon Mansell
    Ali Mayet
    Nathan Michael
    Mohamed Mohamed
    Daniella Oputu
    Cole Pattinson
    Ayodele Pearce
    Raed Qoussous
    Emily Scott
    Hyogyeong Shin
    Landhule Inacio Simbine
    Ali Sobhy
    Alizeh Zeeshan
    Nada Raed Khaled Zueter

    For Banking and Finance:

    Olaoluwakitan Oluwasegun Otubanjo
    Kyi Thar Khin Zaw

    For Fintech, Risk and Investment Analysis:

    Abdulrahman Saleh O. Abahusain

    For Sustainable Finance and Accounting:

    Aleena Kareem

    Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Norah Al Mousa (Three essays on evaluating the efficacy of Saudi Vision 2030: accounting perspectives on board dynamics in corporate governance)
    Anthony Ede (The systemic risk of climate change)
    Changzhi Wang (Three essays in private equity‑backed initial public offerings)

    Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduates from the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School.

    Professor Maria Fasli: "Chancellor, I now present to you those graduates who were unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony.

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance:

    Abdullah Alqout

    For Finance and Business:

    Muhammad Ammar Kamran

    For Finance and Technology:

    Hongquan Chen
    Minyu Zhang

    For the degree of Master of Science in Accounting and Finance:

    Bright John Udo

    Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony, and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at this ceremony."

    Chancellor: "Graduands, if you are able to, if you wouldn't mind standing.

    You're going to have to clap even louder in a second.

    By the authority vested in me by the Senate of the University, it gives me enormous pleasure to confer formally on you all degrees and those mentioned just now. Congratulations, graduates.

    Thank you very much. Please take a seat.

    Congratulations again. Everyone, actually.

    Those graduating, you all looked great. Some of you smelled great. And no one forgot their trousers. So a big success all around. And family and friends as well. Family and friends.

    That was really impressive. Some of it was, “This is Sparta” levels of noise. So congratulations and well done to you guys as well.

    Graduates, we hope that you'll keep Sussex in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and to each other as alumni.

    The Chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom.

    Really, look at this face. Come on. I'm not qualified to give anyone advice. I'm still seeking wisdom myself. But here's some thoughts that I've had that you're free to use or ignore, or even better, improve upon, and then let me know.

    It strikes me that graduation particularly is a moment when people think about the future and planning for it. And planning and taking decisions are now it seems more anxiety driven, as we're bombarded by uncertainties of wars, politics, climate, identity, inequality, and that's 24 hours a day from both rolling news. But especially now, billions of unqualified opinions by people on social media.

    How many times have you heard someone saying the source of their anxiety was something that they read on Facebook or some guy on YouTube said? And then the algorithm just feeds you more of the same, and so hence doom scrolling.

    When we're overwhelmed by anything, grief, anger, anxiety, love, beauty, we lose perspective. Sometimes momentarily. But if in that moment we have to make a decision, it may not be the same decision we would make with a calm mind.

    So I think it's important to feel everything, but it's even more important to get centered as soon as possible and then to find some or any positivity.

    So how do we find stability? Well, we're all individuals, of course, and so everyone will have their own way of getting to it. And each of you in this room, each of you is utterly unique. There has never been another you in history.

    But here are some of the ways that I use to try to get to positivity.

    My mum, who's the nicest person I've ever met, told me that all those things that make up positivity, love, compassion, hope, humor, empathy, if you think of those as streams that are running behind you, invisible streams that are running behind you all the time. And she said, “They don't stop those streams so you can go off and be overwhelmed, so you can go off and be grieving or angry or anxious or whatever.” They're always running, but we forget in those moments that we can reach out for those as well.

    Or sometimes we're told we're not allowed. How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, I shouldn't be laughing.” Because what? Those are streams that are going along all the time. So I try to remind myself to reach out for those things, or at least find people who practice those things. Because speaking to a kind, calm person is the quickest way to get perspective back.

    I've also realized that gratitude is the healthiest place to be in because gratitude makes you feel lucky, and feeling lucky is like a powerful protective force field. I feel lucky all the time. It's not comparative. I'm not lucky because someone else is unlucky. It's not competitive. I never think, well, I'm luckier than you. And it doesn't depend on anything specifically that happened today or yesterday or at any point.

    What it is, it's an awareness of all the good fortune I've ever had since I was a child, the kind of family I've been born into, the kind of friends I've had, experiences I've had, places I've visited. All of that makes me feel grateful and therefore lucky.

    So across my life, that's a lot. And every day I feel something which has gratitude to it. It just adds to that huge mass. So that's always growing. So if anything doesn't go my way today or tomorrow, it's not going to take down that huge mass I've always had. So that's why I'm always in a state of gratitude and feeling luck.

    And positivity for me isn't thinking everything's going to be great. For me, it's that when things are crap, it's not going to last. It can change.

    I also try to practice radical empathy, to try to see something or to understand someone through their eyes. And sometimes that's difficult. If it's with somebody whose opinions I find awful and abhorrent, it is tricky, but I try. And I'm not trying because I'm going to change their mind or because of any outcome. I try because it's a reminder to me of who I am.

    Whoever that person is, good, bad, or indifferent, I am the person, I am me, and I'm going to try to empathize. Because I'm hardwired to find common ground, what unites us rather than what divides us.

    Because listen to this: disagreeing after agreeing with somebody feels very, very different to agreeing with someone after you've disagreed with them. In one situation, you're reluctant, and in the other one, you're keen to find connections.

    And finding solutions, I'm about that. Who's to blame? That could be useful later. But first, get to the other side of the problem. And there's a better chance if we're working together, right?

    Diversity of experiences and opinions. Maslow, famous for his hierarchy of needs, said, “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.”

    So if there's a problem that needs resolving, I don't want to be in a room with 10 people like me. I mean, we'll get on, obviously. We'll be hilarious. But we'll all have the same experiences and the same options and the same skills. So if there's a problem that needs resolving, put me in a room with 10 people who are totally different from me and to each other. That's when we're going to have the widest array of experiences and skills. And to go back to Maslow, now I've got a full toolkit, not just a hammer.

    Now, planning. Just a word on planning. Planning, obviously, very useful. You see and build steps towards a goal. People say, “In five years' time after graduating, in five years' time, I'd like to be in management. I'd like to have my own company. I'd like to be in research. I'd like to put down a deposit on a flat.” All those things.

    I never hear people say, “and happy.” Why? It's not mutually exclusive. And also, if you say, “Yeah, my aim is to be happy,” then surely your conscious and subconscious will work towards that as well.

    So the other thing about planning is it's linear, right? It's one step, two, three, four, five, six, and then your goal. And life isn't. Life is a disruptor, right? It's full of curve balls and the unexpected and weird coincidences and WTFs. That's World Tennis Federation for little children and old people.

    So be okay with your plan and be okay when it's disrupted. That's normal. That is life. All you have to do is decide what your next option is, your next choice. Because who you are always is your next decision. That defines who you are, not what just happened to you.

    Seneca said, “He who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than is necessary.”

    And also for me, I have to tell you, I can't fail, right? I just can't. It's because I haven't given myself the option. I can succeed or I can learn, or I can do both. Failure just does not come into it.

    But if I do experience something that somebody thinks is a setback, I think, “Do you know what? I don't know what's coming next. I don't know where this is leading to. The story isn't over yet.” And I've got two lived experiences of this.

    You may be aware that Sussex Uni was my first choice when I was applying years ago. And I didn't want to go anywhere else. And I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough, and so I took my business elsewhere. And I waited for 25 years until all those people who were responsible for me not getting in had either retired, been deported, were in prison, or just became plain dead, and I got back in as chancellor. So, hey. Take that linear planning.

    And also, the second one is I've wanted to act and write since I was five years old. And I know this because when I was five years old, an uncle came to our house and said to me, as a five year old, “Well, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up?” And I said, “Actor.” And my dad said, “It's pronounced doctor.” Unfortunately, that is true.

    So, it was just a daydream, and then when I was just past 30 years old, I sued the last company I was working for. I did business and marketing as a degree, by the way. I sued them for breach of contract, and the litigation ran for two years before it was settled, and I couldn't get a job during that time. And I thought, “Do you know what? 32. I always wanted to do this. Let me have a go. I'll have a go. I don't want to be 80 years old and regretting this.” And I couldn't have foreseen, and no one could have foreseen, that within two years of that, I'd be in a TV comedy sketch show that did quite well and would lead to, oh, thank you very much. That's really very sweet and generous of you.

    But it's lots of chances and disruptions and the rest of it, and this is the thing: disruptions don't need to be negative. You can have disruptions into positive as well, but always the story is not over.

    At the end of the day, I think the one thing we could really give each other, all of us, is compassion, acknowledgement, being seen, being genuinely heard, and understanding. And the thing with compassion is the more we give, the more we have. It's a self replenishing well. You never run out.

    Regrets, we know, are pointless because you can't change the past, but it struck me that the only reason you would want to change the past is because you've learned something. Right? So take the learning and move forward with that and leave regrets where they should be.

    I said at the beginning that your journeys are already epic, and it struck me that our ancestors, all of us, they faced the same existential worries about their future. They had and lived through times that were difficult and challenging, and they didn't know what was going to happen next. But they survived. That's why we are all here.

    And so it's useful to remember sometimes when you're going through difficult and challenging times that survival is in our DNA. We're genetically connected to survival. So just remember that and don't get too despondent.

    We are present custodians of a much bigger story. We are this bit of the story, but you include our ancestors and thousands of years old.

    So, I feel like I should give you some sort of advice. Okay. You know when you cook vegetables, right? Don't throw away the water. Maybe use it as stock or for a soup. Anyway.

    I wish you all happiness, good health, and kindness in everything you do. Well done. We are super proud. Feel lucky. Go and be the best you. I officially declare this graduation closed.”

     

Ceremony 8 at 4.30pm

  • şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School
    • Department of Economics
    • Department of Management

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet Fanfare plays.

    A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enters the auditorium, walking down the aisles between the graduands and guests. They ascend the stage and take their seats. Two academics carrying ceremonial torches bow to each other and place the torches on the small raised table at the front of the stage.

    Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar: “Well, well, here we are. Well, here you are. I am unfortunately somewhere else, but here in spirit and in admiration. Apologies for gate crashing your day, but I just couldn't help crowbarring myself in to your celebrations. I wanted to add my warm welcome to all of you, graduands, families, and friends, and to those like me who may be following the ceremony remotely.

    Sussex graduations have been known over the last 15 years or so for being a festival, a bit of a party, and it's a tradition that I hope you'll continue today. This is your day, so express your joy and positivity when you cross the stage. Skip, dance, strike a pose, anything as long as it's within the bounds of decency and legality.

    I know many of you may have waited a long time for this moment, so really enjoy it. And friends and family, this is your day, too. So take a moment to be prepared with your cameras for the moment your superstar crosses the stage, and make as much noise as you want when they do so. They've embarrassed you enough times in the past, so this is payback time. Have a great ceremony, and I'll catch you on the other side."

    Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Michael Luck: "Distinguished guests, parents, supporters, friends, colleagues, and above all, our graduands, Sussex Class of 2026. As Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, it's my great honour and enormous pleasure to welcome you to this graduation ceremony.

    As our Chancellor has just reminded us, today is all about you, our graduands. This is a day of celebration for you and of you, and of all that you have achieved during your time at Sussex. It's also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited in countless tangible and less tangible ways from the love and support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of Sussex staff. And some of you have been supported by our alumni and donors who have generously provided scholarships and bursaries.

    So I'm now going to ask for some participation from you. Graduands, if you are able, would you please stand up and turn to face the audience, your friends and loved ones, and offer your thanks with a big, hearty cheer and a round of applause? Please be seated again. Thank you.

    As a university, we at Sussex are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment in which every member of our diverse community is able to flourish. Sussex students represent the most wonderful variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. You come each year from over 150 countries around the world. So we have people in the audience today of many different nationalities, ethnicities, and faiths, with a huge diversity of opinion and belief about almost every matter under the sun.

    And that diversity of thought is a very special thing, something that Sussex seeks always to uphold and support. We have a foundational commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom. It's our job as a university to create an environment for learning and exploration in which diversity of belief and opinion can be explored. It's our job to nurture the conditions under which our students and staff can respectfully discuss and debate difficult ideas, where propositions can be tested, analysis undertaken, theories developed, and where minds can be expanded and changed.

    We're living in deeply troubled times. War and conflict, terror, death, and the destruction of habitats, economic hardship, hunger, and inequality, as well as climate change and environmental degradation, all quite rightly giving rise to enormous concern among Sussex students. Many Sussex students hold passionate opinions about the causes, consequences, and solutions to the urgent problems that face the world. And Sussex supports and will always support freedom of expression that is lawful and respectful of others, mindful of the humanity and diversity that is at the heart of our university community, and that binds us together across nations and faiths as a global community.

    So, Sussex graduands, I'd like to thank you for all that you have contributed to making our university a place of community, inclusion, and diversity, a warm, open, and welcoming place. In the three years that I've been Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, I've witnessed how Sussex students are the very embodiment of energy, hope, and possibility for a better world.

    Alongside your academic work, many of you have taken part in an impressive range of other activities as student ambassadors and student representatives, organizing and leading student societies and groups, and volunteering on and off campus. And so many of you are today receiving a Spirit of Sussex Award for your positive contributions to our community. I commend your commitment to your extracurricular activities. Well done on all you've achieved alongside your formal studies.

    As Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, I've had the great privilege of meeting many hundreds of Sussex alumni from across the world, and I've been overwhelmed by the depth of their love for their alma mater, by their appreciation of their time at Sussex, and how it has fundamentally shaped their lives, their careers, and their characters. Alumni have repeatedly told me about encountering new ideas and ways of thinking at Sussex that transformed their worldview, as well as making lasting friendships and building networks that have accompanied them ever since. I sincerely hope that you, today's graduands, will feel the same in the years to come.

    Whether you already have a job, or are looking for one, or are taking time to explore the world, you can be confident that you're leaving a university with a global reputation, equipped to think critically and creatively, to adapt and evolve in a fast-changing world, and to understand the importance of a global perspective so that you're able to exercise your agency as a citizen of the world with the power to shape your own future, and indeed, to change for the better what the future might bring for others.

    You've been taught by academics who are internationally recognized for their research, which has directly informed your education. And Sussex has much to be proud of as a research-intensive university and as a founding member of ResearchPlus, the new collaborative of research universities committed to working for the public good.

    For the 10th consecutive year, together with our campus partner, the Institute for Development Studies, Sussex has been ranked first in the world for development studies. We're one of only 24 universities in the world to have a number one subject ranking in the QS World University Rankings. This is an outstanding achievement by our academics and everyone who supports their work. Development studies, which seeks understandings of and progress towards global equity, social justice, and sustainability, is very much at the heart of what Sussex is about.

    In addition, Sussex this year has nine subjects in the top 100 globally, up from six last year, and we continue to be ranked in the top 100 in the world for sustainability. We were also named first in the UK, and sixth globally, in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2026 for peace, justice, and strong institutions. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings measure universities around the world based on their contributions to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our top position for SDG 16, peace, justice, and strong institutions, reflects the very particular character of our university and what matters to our academic community.

    And meanwhile, our Department of Physics and Astronomy is this year ranked first in the world for research impact in the Shanghai Rankings. And for the past four years, the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School has been ranked first of all business schools in the UK for research income as our academics research urgent issues of global trade and tariffs, energy demand and climate change policy, AI and the future of work, and much more.

    All this means that Sussex research is breaking new ground in scientific knowledge and understanding, improving the lives of people around the world, advancing technology, influencing the policies of governments, and making a real difference to the protection of our natural environment.

    Now, I know that many of you graduating today have had difficult life journeys so far. Some of you have struggled with your mental or physical health. Some of you have faced loss and family disruption. Each of you has had a unique route to Sussex and through your time here. But whatever your Sussex story, I hope that when you look back, you feel that your studies were intellectually challenging, that you were stretched, stimulated, and supported to achieve your best, that you're leaving with knowledge, skills, and personal resources that will stand you in good stead, and that you made friendships that will stay with you long into the future.

    You'll now take many different paths as you join our community of more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. Sussex alumni include heads of state and vice presidents, policymakers and grassroots campaigners, chief executives of national and multinational organizations, garlanded writers and creative practitioners, leading academics and scientists, entrepreneurs and founders of businesses and charities, and those with less high profile but no less significant lives and careers—people whose actions and relationships remake and renew the social fabric in small, positive ways every day.

    Across the globe, in more than 170 countries, and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience to make the world a progressively better place. And I know that you will do that, too.

    So, graduands, celebrate who you are today. Celebrate the commitment, the hard work, and the self-belief that got you here. Celebrate those who helped you reach this moment and those who have been on the journey with you. Together, celebrate your wonderful achievements.

    Thank you for being such brilliant Sussex students. And on behalf of the whole university, I wish you all the very best of luck with everything that comes next.

    I call upon the Head of Department of Economics in the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School, Professor Sambit Bhattacharyya."

    Professor Sambit Bhattacharyya: "Provost, I present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics:

    David Agiri
    Volkan Arif
    Lucas Ball
    Tykhon Berlizov
    Wilf Braddock
    Freddy Caple
    Shakirah Dahlab
    Jude Dashwood
    Olivia Dyett
    Amelie Eastaugh
    Charles Eisner Brennan
    Luke Frost
    Billy Gardner
    Tracy Kihika
    Daniel Mangueira
    Noah Marron
    Nia Mutuma
    Ruben Price
    Sam Spender
    Jet Spiller
    Alexander Tissier Arista
    Xu Wang
    Parth Yajnik
    James Yaxley
    Yusihui Zhang

    For Economics (with a professional placement year):

    Tom Cornwell
    Gabriel Trevett-Gantivar
    Silas Urwin (Also the recipient of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BA Economics)

    For Economics with a study abroad year:

    Benjamin Barrs
    Vincent Comer

    For Economics and International Development:

    Meshaile Alarrak
    Samuel Hopkins
    Isobel Jenner (Also the recipient of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BA Economics and International Development)
    Lorna Lyria

    For Economics and International Relations:

    Jamie Bollington

    For Economics and Politics:

    Emily Ball (Also the recipient of the Molestane Monyake Prize for Best Dissertation in Political Corruption)
    Felix Edwards
    Emily Jameson
    Carmen Roots
    Negin Valizadehmehrabani (Also the recipient of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BA Economics and Politics)

    For Economics and Politics (with a professional placement year):

    Philippa Rice

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Management Studies:

    Muhammad Abbas
    Saifeldin Abdelaziz Abdelmaguid
    Kya Adomako
    Corban Ahir
    Umnia Ahmad
    Ayaan Ahmed
    Zain Ali Ahmed
    Layth Al‑Sharjabi
    Freya Appleton
    Raflyco Christian Heskia Arry Pasaribu
    Shin Aye Mya Aung
    Muhammad Ayyan
    Pelin Baran
    Finn Barden
    Marley Bartlett (Also the recipient of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BSc Business and Management Studies)
    George Beaven
    Daria Biela
    Tuncay Bolat
    Alex Botting
    Ameer Boyo
    Keeley Buckley
    Ronaldo Bunga
    Marlon Campbell Costa
    Filippo Cappelli
    Kristy Charleston
    Louise Cheung
    Bibusa Chifwanakeni
    Chabisha Chifwanakeni
    George Clifford
    Daniel Codd
    Clement Nicolas Collet
    Finlay Collis
    Emerald Creagh
    Alfred Davies
    Monica Deakin
    Orla Dowling
    Alphonse Elazegui
    Zeynep Erdem
    Kristina Eriksen
    Benjamin Foreman
    Dominic Forward
    Ottavia Franklin
    Leandro Garcia
    Rhea Gautam
    Daniel Gleeson
    Razak Gomes
    Taylor Goodall
    Shunta Goto
    Elia Haddou
    Karim Ayed (Moh'D Shareef) Halawa
    Emily Hall
    Saif Mohammad Abed Alhameed Hammoudeh
    Toe Aung Hein
    Isobel Hopkins
    Nikoleta Hristova
    Yudie Hu
    Chloe Huang
    Christian Jamison
    Kenneth Jin
    Reece Jones
    Bulut Kahraman
    Maria Kalinova
    Arsam Kavianpour
    Krishn Kedia
    Michael Kenyon
    Dylan Kershaw
    Labib Khalik
    Rana Faateh Rauf Khan
    Sarah Dastgir Khan
    Mohammed Abir Khanani
    Sharon Konthiyaparampl Abraham
    Dheeraj Kumar
    Igor Kupinski
    Ellen Lambourne
    James Laniado
    Joseph Large
    Giorgio Ignacio Lembono
    Chrisian Lewin
    Binhe Liu
    Ruiyang Ma
    Diego Macaya Gamboa
    Min Mao
    Amelia Mitford
    Hashim Mohsin
    Thafsir Moktadir
    Christopher Moumtzis
    Olivia Muca
    Mollie Murphy
    Sam Nestor
    Leah Newby
    Freya Newson
    Zaineh Khaldoun Noran
    Conor O’Neill‑Espejo
    Maya Odunsi
    Sebla Oyat
    Serena Pia
    Nella Pierre
    Denzel Pinamang
    Zaid Qassim
    Georgia‑Bethany Read
    Isabel Rowland
    Yohann Wayne Sequeira
    Eoin Sherry
    Oliver Shields
    Ben Singh
    Katie Smith
    William Smith
    Flavio Soares Ingles
    Neha Soman
    Dimitrios Sotovikis
    Harvey Standen
    Alexander Subramaniam
    Xinchang Sun
    Shao‑Yu Tai
    William Talbot
    Ting Tang
    Amalia Tarabuta
    Bethel Tekle
    Bayleigh Thomas
    Kaung Si Thu
    Owen Cheuk Yin Tsui
    Conor Tully
    Sotiris Valassis
    William Walton
    Yixiang Wang
    Wang Yuan
    Olivia Wann
    Billy Ward
    Luke Warren
    Harvey Wild
    Jamie Winstanley
    Yu Zuobin
    Jie Yuan
    Sofia Zacharia
    Hashim Zarea
    Danish Armani Bin Zuraimi

    Business and Management Studies (with a professional placement year):

    Bethany Ainsworth
    Cameran Bennett Khan
    Samuel Blake
    Yaroslava Bogacheva
    Oscar Brooks
    Charles Cooper
    Jayden Duberry
    Grace Fawcett
    Joe Flower
    Scott Hallett
    Laura Harris
    Britney Lingham
    Rhianna Major
    Isabel Murphy
    Hannah Murray
    Martin O’Donnell
    Elana Paz
    Reva Sharma
    Megan Stentiford
    Reece Walker‑Djondo
    Finley Wear
    Matthew Whiteley
    Darcy Willmott Joyce

    Business and Management Studies (with a study abroad year):

    Hannah Dearman
    Zoe Kendall
    Edoardo Terziyski
    Kamala Zambrano Vargas

    Business and Management Studies (with a venture creation year):

    Caine Morris
    Aatish Vara (Also the recipient of the prize for Best Research Project in Management)

    For Economics:

    Fatima Ahmadzada
    Fatima Al‑Najjar
    Sinan Ali Haider
    Christian Arman
    Elliot Atkins
    Oliver Batten
    Katie Beirne
    Alastair Brindley
    Charlotte Brooke
    Marie Ims Carlsen
    Jack Case
    Joshua Clark
    Patrick Dunne
    Noah Englishby‑Allen
    Ryan Griffin
    Fintan Hall
    Thomas Harrison
    Luke Howard
    Wenjing Hu
    Mylan Kumar
    Tasneem Malique
    Jonathan Miles
    Hari Moonsie James
    Preetysh Raj
    Anthony Reynolds
    Daniel Robson
    Claudia Saidaroos
    Lakshya Saxena
    Jamie Scott
    Samuel Shreeve
    Jake Stammers
    Ashmi Wilson

    For Economics (with a professional placement year):

    Tilly Baker
    Lukas Di Matteo
    Louis Dyer
    Suzanna Kumar
    Hans Loik

    For Economics and Finance:

    Ben Aubrey
    Aman Aujla
    Patrick Bacon
    James Berrill
    Daniel Bishop
    Charlie Bloom
    Jake Cross
    Rhys Davies
    Robert Davis
    Khai Dinh
    Rana Dogan
    Salma Eldawy Eissa
    Khadiga Elgohary
    Yassin Mohamed Kadry Elshahawy
    Joshua Ewer
    Feezan Imran
    Soren Jesset
    Dylan Khima
    George Kimber
    Logrith Loganathan
    Toby Loud
    Kian Maloney
    Alexandru Micu
    Christmas Nantiya
    Faisal Sha'ban
    Malakai Shaffer
    Declan Sharp
    Oliver Shepherd
    Seleyna Teke
    Jessica Weeks

    For Economics and Finance (with a professional placement year):

    Kian Bilimoria
    Shaan Kahai
    Vidita Sachdeva

    For Economics and Finance (with a study abroad year):

    Khadim Williams

    For Economics and Management Studies:

    Olayinka Akingbade
    Yousef Altabtabaei
    Videl Amartey
    Angel Asilo
    Denize Gizela Hipolito Filipe
    Hannah Ghosh
    Hassan Hassan‑Ibrahim
    Parisa Ho
    Raphaela Jewell
    Harri Jones
    Bea Ludwig
    Thrisha Parthasarathy
    Lydia Spaans
    Wuraola Suleiman (Also the recipient of the Best Student Prize for the highest grand mean across BSc Economics and Management Studies)
    Louis Venni
    Santiago Samuel Villalobos Mora

    Fo Economics and Management Studies (with a professional placement year):

    Sophia Abbasi
    Sophie Gill
    Emma Marshall
    Shadha Muneer

    For Economics and Management Studies (with a study abroad year):

    Kobe Mullin

    For Marketing and Management:

    Shengdou Jin
    Kaixuan Li
    Zichen Yang

    For the degree of Master of Business Administration:

    Richard Black
    Ganiat Adetoun Gaji
    Giovanni Leonardi

    For the degree of Master of Science in Development Economics:

    Kashaf Bucha
    Xinyue Feng
    Gillian Kasirye

    For Global Supply Chain Management:

    Gia Thanh Cong Nguyen

    For Human Resource Management:

    Amandu Chinonyerem Ndubuisi

    For Occupational and Organisational Psychology:

    Fauzia Ahmed
    Tia Maalouf

    For Master of Philosophy:
    Kevin Farmer

    Provost, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Anuja Bajaj (Three Essays on Conflict, Social Bias, and Racial Discrimination)
    Esther Bartl (Three essays on migration, crime, and labour markets in development economics)
    Nigel Brownbill (Climate Change and holding major shareholders to account: a critical, socio‑legal analysis under US law)
    Deepali Dmello (Taking back digital control: Four key strategies as resources to effectively manage work‑related ICT)
    Violeta Fernandez Mesa (Kinship norms and household behaviour: insights for development programmes)
    Taufik Hidayat (Three essays on health economics in Indonesia)
    Yuki Kimura (Exploration of the formation and impact of non‑cognitive skills. Aspirations and non-cognitive skills evidence from Ethiopia and Indonesia)
    Lorraine Mackenzie (Essays on technological change and labour market concentration in the UK)
    Lehlohonolo Mantsi (Three essays on education reform and academic performance in Lesotho)
    Mercy Masaeli (The Diffusion of Business Models for sustainability in MNEs)
    Paul Krishna Poornan (The history of the animal feed industry in the UK: 1840 to 1918)
    Shiqianbao Shi (Mission, markets, mandates: Mission statements in a shifting socio-economic environment)
    Tianqi Yu (From digital platforms to social impact: exploring digital platform-powered social enterprises in marginalised communities)

    Provost, this concludes the list of graduands from the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School.

    Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, I now present to you those graduands who were unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony.

    For the degree of Economics and Management Studies:

    Danny O'Donnell

    For the degree of Master of Business Administration:

    Zaki Babar

    For the degree of Master of Science in International Business Economics:

    Bekir Okan Hacioglu

    For Occupational and Organisational Psychology:

    Pearl Sunny Elenwor

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Management Studies:

    Tanessa Charlery

    Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony, and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at this ceremony.

    Professor Michael Luck: So this is the big moment. Graduands, if you're able, can you please stand again? And colleagues behind me, can you also please stand?

    By the powers invested in me by the Senate of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, I confer degrees on all those referred to by the Pro Vice Chancellor.

    Congratulations, you are now graduates of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ."

    Chancellor: "Hello. Congratulations, graduates. It’s me again talking to you from the big screen. This is actually life-size. My head really is this big.

    Traditionally, the chancellor is supposed to leave you with some parting words of wisdom, but I know after a long ceremony, you'll want to get on with your day, so I'll keep it brief. La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. That’s it.

    Honestly, I don't think there's anything I can tell you that you don't instinctively already know. And your instincts, that inner voice, are always right, by the way, but they speak with the same vocabulary, cadence, inflection, and grammar as your fears, anxieties, and doubts. So how to tell the difference? Well, your instincts always come from a place of love.

    So check in with yourself and make sure your choices, your responses, are always coming from a place of kindness and love towards yourself and the world around you. I know sometimes that can be a challenge, but the more you do it, the easier it gets, until eventually it's habit and just who you are.

    And present days and, in fact, the last few years have been as anxiety-driven as I can remember, so good mental health is more important than ever. It's understandable looking at the world not to get drawn into a pretty despondent place. The feeling that you can't do anything about it, that to change the world you have to somehow be in a position of power or influence.

    We can easily end up in a rage at so-called leaders or politicians or self-appointed media commentators or even some egg with a self-righteous handle on social media as they express their incompetence, lack of accountability, or revel in their absence of any kind of compassion or humanity.

    Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Basically, start with yourself. If you want to see a more compassionate world, you be more compassionate. You want to see more accountability, then you be more accountable. If you make a mistake, then fess up, modify your opinion, and grow.

    Making mistakes is one of the most human things of all, but people seem now to be less forgiving if you do make one. How are we supposed to improve if we don't make mistakes and then learn from them? Now, I can't make other people be more forgiving of me, but I can certainly be more forgiving of them. I can't change anyone. That's up to them, but I can change me.

    So don't be afraid of making mistakes. Just make sure that each mistake you make is a new one. Someone who keeps making the same mistake over and over is a perfect definition of an idiot.

    And don't be defined by a bad day or a bad week, a bad month, or even a bad year. I had a bad decade once, but I came out of it. All things will pass.

    If you honestly want to know who you really are, it's your next decision, always. If your last decision didn't work out, learn from it and move on. It's not who you are anymore. Every day, you have the opportunity to be a better you.

    I give myself two choices: enjoy or learn. That's it. Therefore, I can't ever fail. If I'm not enjoying something, then what am I learning from it? If I'm not enjoying or learning, then why am I doing it? Stop. Take a different path.

    Actually, obviously, there is a third option. The best one, in fact: enjoy and learn.

    It's fundamentally why I love meeting people. The sheer fact that I can sit down with any of you here today and we together could come up with an idea that I could never have come up with on my own is magical to me. A small and seemingly insignificant experience that you've had or an opinion you hold, not necessarily one I even agree with, could be the one unexpected key that is going to unlock a part of me through ideas, thoughts, and actions.

    But that essential bit of information I need, I will only hear if I'm genuinely going to listen. How tragic to miss that life-changing moment because I wasn't prepared to hear you out, or if one of us was being a bit of a… not very nice.

    We are already powerful. Each of us has the ability to make or break someone's day, to inspire or destroy, to encourage or to put down. Our empathy and positivity towards someone else in that ripple-effect kind of way can absolutely change your world, their world, and by logic, the wider world too.

    So remember that even at your lowest point, you have the power to express kindness. You also, of course, have the power to disagree, say no, call out bad behavior. Just have all of it come from a kind place, and don't let anyone take that power away from you.

    Happiness without gratitude is empty. Success without humility is arrogance. Compassion that is selective is only half-baked. Love without expression is just an idea. And dancing without using your arms is just weird. Unless it's Irish dancing, Riverdance style, in which case, that's fine.

    I hope we meet in person at some point, in which case, feel free to come up and say, “I'm a Sussex graduate, and you owe me a hug,” or a handshake, or a high five, or ignore me if you want. In every case, I wish you all success in everything you do next.

    Take your compassion, your kindness, and your power, and express it to the world. Good luck.

    I now declare this ceremony closed."

Thursday 23 July 2026

Ceremony 9 at 10am

    • Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine
      • School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
      • School of Psychology
        • Psychology with Business and Management – including YAB & PPY
        • Psychology with Cognitive Science – including YAB & PPY
        • Psychology with Criminology- including YAB & PPY
        • Psychology with Criminal Approaches- including YAB & PPY
        • Psychology with Economics- including YAB & PPY
        • Psychology with Education- including YAB & PPY
        • Psychology with Neuroscience- including YAB & PPY
        • All postgraduate taught and research courses

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet Fanfare plays.

    A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enters the auditorium, walking down the aisles between the graduands and guests. They ascend the stage and take their seats. Two academics carrying ceremonial torches bow to each other and place the torches on the small raised table at the front of the stage.

    Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar: "I declare open this congregation of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. I’m delighted, as Chancellor, to welcome you formally to this graduation ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our graduands, and your family and friends who join you here today, and to those who couldn’t make it in person and may be watching this via live video stream around the world.

    Graduation is one of the highlights of the university year. As such, as you can see up here on the stage, we’ve made a bit of effort with our gowns and dressing up. Some have even brought forward their weekly baths and/or invested in deodorant. This is all in honour of you and our pride in your achievements.

    The şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ motto is “Be still and know,” and I hope at some point today you can find a quiet moment to reflect on your accomplishments and the journey that brought you here. And I know that many of you have had to overcome challenges on that journey to get to this day. Struggling to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children or supporting loved ones, experiencing loss and health issues, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help. So today isn’t just a celebration of your academic accomplishments, but also of your focus and your perseverance and of those that have helped you along the way.

    Some of you may be continuing with further academic study, but for many of you, today will mark the end of your academic journey. A journey that started all those years ago with your first day at nursery or kindergarten. The trauma back then of suddenly being thrust from a familiar home environment into a place full of new people, new foods, new names, being introduced to the fun worlds of playtime and reading time, nap time, nits, and chickenpox.

    And then all the ups and downs of the school years. Best friends, bullies, great teachers, horrible teachers, PE in the rain, school trips, school dinners, prizes, detentions, being in the school team, being picked last for sport, losing your PE top, losing your trousers, losing your pants. Tests, homework, mocks, choices, more mocks, predictions, disappointment, joy, UCAS, all of which brought you to Sussex. New people, new names, new foods, new experiences. You see, I think your journeys have already been epic.

    Which brings us to today, your glorious day. And thank you family and friends. I know from experience how much you would’ve sacrificed and supported for your graduand to be here, and we are humbled and honoured that you all now have a connection to the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    So graduands, in a short while, a name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours, and you will walk the 20 or so steps across this stage, terrified you’re going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea after all, worried that your flies might be open, and really concerned that you might trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone in the front row. If you do decide to do that, what an array of laps we’ve arranged for you this morning. Look at that. It’s like Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” meets “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

    I am beholden to tell you or to remind you if you’ve been up here before, that you haven’t actually got your degrees yet, and you getting your degrees may just depend on how much love you show me when you come up here. No love for the chancellor, no degree. Seriously, feel free to express yourselves when you cross this stage. It’s your day. And I’ll go with whatever you want, as long as it’s within the bounds of decency and legality.

    But already this week, we’ve had lots of hugs. We’ve had handshakes, of course, high fives, fist bumps, bit of dancing happened as well. Some rock, paper, scissors, I remember on a couple of occasions. But we’ve had the lot over the years. Listen, you can ignore me if you want. It’s your day. If you do decide to do press-ups, though, you’re doing them on your own. At my age, I can get down there. I’m not sure I can get back up again.

    And family and friends, this is your day, too. So, when the moment comes, please have your cameras ready and feel free to make as much noise as you can when your superhero crosses the stage. And just as a gauge, actually, family and friends, could you just give me an idea of how much noise you can make? That’s really impressive. That is a kind of “We are Sparta” moment. Very impressive. Okay, remember that. You’ve set a high bar for yourselves.

    If you’re here on your own, then I’ll be your family and friend if you’ll have me. So no one’s here by themselves. Have a great ceremony. I call upon the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation."

    Vice Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil: "Distinguished guests, parents, supporters, friends, colleagues, and above all, our graduands, Sussex Class of 2026. As Vice Chancellor and President of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, it’s my great honour and enormous pleasure to welcome you to this graduation ceremony. As our chancellor has just reminded us, today is all about you, our graduands. This is the day of celebration for you and of you and of all that you’ve achieved during your time at Sussex.

    It’s also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited in countless tangible and less tangible ways from the love and support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of Sussex staff. And some of you have been supported by our alumni and donors who’ve generously provided scholarships and bursaries.

    So I’m now going to ask for some participation from you. If you can, would you mind standing and turning and facing your audience behind you and giving them a huge cheer and round of applause? Wonderful. Please do be seated again.

    As a university, we at Sussex are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment in which every member of our diverse community is able to flourish. Sussex students represent the most wonderful variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. You come each year from over 150 countries around the world. So we have people in the audience today of many different nationalities, ethnicities, and faiths, with a huge diversity of opinion about almost every matter under the sun. And that diversity of thought is a very special thing, something that Sussex seeks always to uphold.

    We have a foundational commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom. It’s our job to create an environment for learning in which diversity of belief and opinion can be explored and to nurture the conditions under which our students and staff can respectfully discuss and debate difficult ideas, where propositions can be tested, analysis undertaken, theories developed, and where minds can be expanded and changed.

    We’re living in deeply troubled times. War and conflict, terror, death, and the destruction of habitats, economic hardship, hunger, and inequality, as well as climate change and environmental degradation, all quite rightly give rise to enormous concerns amongst Sussex students. Many Sussex students hold passionate beliefs about the causes and consequences and solutions to the urgent problems that face the world. And Sussex supports and will always support freedom of expression that is lawful and respectful of others, mindful of the humanity and diversity that’s at the heart of our university community and that binds us together across nations and faiths as a global community.

    So, Sussex graduands, I would like to thank you all for all that you’ve done to make our university a place of community, inclusion, and diversity, a warm, open, and welcoming place. In the four years that I’ve been vice chancellor, I’ve witnessed how Sussex students are the very embodiment of energy, hope, and possibility for a better world.

    Alongside your academic work, many of you have taken part in an impressive range of other activities as student ambassadors and student representatives, organizing and leading student societies and groups, volunteering on and off campus. And so many of you are today receiving a Spirit of Sussex award for your positive contributions to our community. I commend that commitment to your extracurricular activities. Well done on everything you’ve achieved alongside your formal studies.

    As Vice-Chancellor, I’ve had the great privilege of meeting many hundreds of Sussex alumni from across the world, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the depth of their love for their alma mater, by their appreciation of their time at Sussex, and how it fundamentally shaped their lives, their careers, and their characters. Alumni have repeatedly told me about encountering new ideas and ways of thinking at Sussex that transformed their worldview, as well as making lasting friendships and building networks that have accompanied them ever since. I sincerely hope that you, today’s graduands, will feel the same in the years to come.

    Whether you already have a job or are looking for one, or are taking time to explore the world, you can be confident that you’re leaving a university with a global reputation, equipped to think critically and creatively, to adapt and evolve in a fast-changing world, and to understand the importance of a global perspective, so that you’re able to exercise your agency as a citizen of the world with the power to shape your own future, and indeed, to change for the better what the future might bring for others.

    You’ve been taught by academics who are internationally recognized for their research, which has directly informed your education. And Sussex has much to be proud of as a research-intensive university, and as a founding member of ResearchPlus, the new collaborative of research universities committed to working for the public good.

    For the 10th consecutive year, we’ve been ranked first in the world at Sussex for development studies together with our campus partner, the Institute of Development Studies. We’re only one of 24 universities in the world to have a number one subject ranking in the QS World University Rankings. This is an outstanding achievement by our academics and everyone who supports their work. Development studies, which seeks understandings of and progress towards global equity, social justice, and sustainability, is very much at the heart of what Sussex is about.

    And in total this year, Sussex has nine subjects in the top 100 globally, up from six last year, and we continue to be ranked in the top 100 in the world for sustainability. We were also named first in the UK and sixth globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2026 for peace, justice, and strong institutions. Meanwhile, our Department of Physics and Astronomy is this year ranked first in the world for research impact in the Shanghai Rankings. And for the past four years, the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School has been ranked first of all business schools in the UK for research income.

    All this means that Sussex research is breaking new ground in scientific knowledge and cultural understanding, improving the lives of people around the world, advancing technology, influencing the policies of governments, and making a real difference to the protection of the natural world.

    Now, I know that many of you graduating today have had difficult life journeys so far. Some of you have struggled with your mental or physical health. Some of you have faced loss and family disruption. Each of you had a unique route to Sussex and through your time here. But whatever your Sussex story, I hope that when you look back, you’ll feel that your studies were intellectually challenging, that you were stretched, stimulated, and supported to achieve your best. That you’re leaving with knowledge, skills, and personal resources that will stand you in good stead, and that you made friendships that will stay with you long into the future.

    You’ll now take many different paths as you join our community of more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. And Sussex alumni include heads of state and vice presidents, policymakers and grassroots campaigners, chief executives of national and multinational organizations, garlanded writers and creative practitioners, leading academics and scientists, entrepreneurs and founders of businesses and charities, and those with less high profile but no less significant lives and careers, people whose actions and relationships remake and renew the social fabric in small, positive ways every day.

    Across the globe, in more than 170 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience to make the world a progressively better place, and I know that you will do that too.

    So graduands, celebrate who you are today. Celebrate the commitment, the hard work, and the self-belief that got you here. Celebrate those who helped you reach this moment and those who’ve been on the journey with you. Together, celebrate your fantastic achievements. Thank you for being such brilliant Sussex students, and on behalf of the whole university, I wish you all the very best of luck with everything that comes next.

    I call upon Peter Giesel, Professor of Mathematics in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences."

    Peter Gisel: "Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mathematics:

    Jessica Anderton
    Gabriella Bentley
    Dylan Boniface
    Ethan Bryan
    Isabelle Dark
    Maikel Fakhori
    Teddy Gray
    Jennifer Harris
    Guy Harrison
    Callum Holmes
    Fawwaz Khan
    Reuben Maclaren
    Brooke Nicholls
    Zoe Peters
    Finley Poole (And the recipient of the prize for the outstanding MMath Project)
    Chin Tam
    Scott Waddington
    Hayden Watson
    Joe Willett (And the recipient of the prize for outstanding performance on the BSc degree course in Mathematics, and the prize of a paid one‑year membership of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications in recognition of their results)
    Jiahe Zhong

    For Mathematics with Economics:

    Calum Broadhurst
    John Youssef

    For Mathematics with Finance:

    Eleanor Meek

    For Physics:

    Shayan Afsharian
    Bree Bailey
    Keziah Bayes
    Curtis Bridge
    Dylan Gardner
    Finley Johnson
    Amy Lister
    Daniel Lorenzo Estevez
    Ng Pang Yu
    Thorin Paige
    Charlie Veale (And the recipient of the Andrew John Symonds Memorial Prize for outstanding performance in Physics and/or Astrophysics BSc)

    For Physics with Astrophysics:

    Tanveer Atwal
    Jessica Brignall
    George Carlier
    Cameron Carr (And the recipient of the prize for the outstanding BSc Project in Physics & Astronomy)
    Alice Chapman
    William Clark
    James Cleworth
    Joseph Cole
    Christianna Davis (And the recipient of the Civic Engagement Prize)
    Dan Ellis
    Fidan Samit Qizi Hamidova
    Daniel Harris
    Natacha Hartnett (And the recipient of the Dr John Birch Music Scholarship)
    Adeoluwa David Ijishakin (And the recipient of the Dr John Birch Music Scholarship and the David Axon Prize for outstanding achievement)
    Amanda Jackson
    Phoebe‑Louise Kamfer
    Georgia Kruger
    Abbernna Kulendran
    Sophie Rowland
    Fadi Tadros
    Luke Thomson

    For Physics with Astrophysics (with an industrial placement year):

    Harriet Copeman

    For Theoretical Physics:

    Harry Shrimpton
    Aaron Turnquest

    For the degree of Master of Mathematics in Mathematics:

    Charlotte Dickenson (And the recipient of the Civic Engagement Prize)
    Sara Ishak (And one of the recipients of the prize for the outstanding MMath Project)

    For Mathematics (research placement):

    Tommy Ilgunas (And the recipient of the prize for outstanding performance on the MMath degree course)
    Ruby Keily‑Thurstain (And the recipient of the George and Edith Hirschfeld Prize for the highest achieving student in Mathematics; the Civic Engagement Prize; and the prize of a paid one‑year membership of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications in recognition of their results)

    For Mathematics with Economics:

    Oscar Perrotton

    For the degree of Master of Physics in Astrophysics:

    Nathanael Kemp

    For Physics:

    Charlie Barr
    Joseph Rea (And the recipient of the Roger Tayler Prize for outstanding performance on MPhys degree courses, Physics & Astronomy; and the Peter Thomas Prize for the outstanding MPhys Project)

    For Physics (research placement):

    Wallace Collins

    For Physics with Astrophysics:

    Lee Sandford
    Grace Scopp

    For Theoretical Physics:

    Max Short (And the recipient of the Roger Tayler Prize for outstanding performance on MPhys degree courses, Physics & Astronomy)

    For Data Science:

    Oladimeji Afeez Azeez
    Iriagbonse Doris Egberanmwen

    For Data Science (with an industrial placement year):

    Oluwademilade Adebayo
    Aravindhan Selvam

    For Financial Data Analytics:

    Ebenezer Mensah

    For Mathematics:

    Evan Perkins

    For Particle Physics:

    Lucy Glyn

    For Physics:

    Meet Manishkumar Vala

    For Quantum Technology Applications and Management:

    Martin Barrow
    Victor Gabriel Vergara Canizales

    For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Safaa Ayish A Alnafaie (Blow‑up for nonlinear parabolic problems)
    Yaqoub Zaben H Alotaibi (Mathematical modeling of mosaic disease dynamics and biodiesel production in jatropha curcas plantations)
    Stanislav Biryukov (Measurement of the rare B(s) → μâş μâ» decay properties with full run 2 ATLAS data)
    Daniel James Gillies (Higher order effects in the SMEFT analysis of WâşWâ» production)
    Leigh Page (Optically pumped magnetometry for flow monitoring)
    Katie Piper (Search for heavy neutral leptons in decays of W bosons using prompt signatures)
    Ahmed Nahzaan Riyaz (Fixed points and conformal windows of Gauge‑Yukawa theories)
    Mathew Fraser Robertson (Higher order lensing of the cosmic microwave background)
    Louise Teng‑Yu Cheh Seeyave (Galaxy formation and evolution in the early universe)
    Harry Simpson (A search for vector‑like leptons in multileptonic final states using the ATLAS detector)

    Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduands from the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

    I call upon Geoff Hartnell, Professor of Physics, to present Professor Mark Thompson.

    Geoff Hartnell: "Chancellor, today we honor a scientist whose career has combined intellectual distinction with a sustained commitment to advancing knowledge and strengthening the global scientific enterprise.

    Professor Mark Thompson, Director General of CERN, one of the world's most significant physics laboratories, stands among the leading figures in experimental particle physics of his generation.

    Since completing his doctorate at the University of Oxford, Mark has devoted his career to exploring the most fundamental questions about the universe.

    His early work at CERN, as part of the OPAL experiment at the Large Electron–Positron Collider, focused on precisely characterizing the W and Z bosons, fundamental particles that govern how matter behaves. His research helped to confirm and refine the standard model, our best description of how the fundamental building blocks of the universe interact.

    In the decades that followed, he has remained at the forefront of discovery. At CERN's Large Hadron Collider, he has been a member of the Atlas collaboration, contributing to detector upgrades that have enabled physicists to study the Higgs boson with increasing precision.

    In the United States, he has played a leading role in neutrino physics, serving as co-spokesperson for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, DUNE, a global collaboration of more than 1,000 scientists seeking to unlock the mysteries of one of nature's most elusive particles.

    Alongside these achievements, Professor Thompson has helped shape the future of the field through major contributions to the design of the detectors for next-generation particle colliders.

    Yet what truly distinguishes Mark Thompson is the breadth of his leadership. As Executive Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, he guided the UK's national investment in large-scale science and innovation. Under his stewardship, major facilities, including the National Satellite Test Facility and the National Quantum Computing Centre, were established.

    It is especially fitting that he now leads CERN, an institution founded after the Second World War to bring nations together through the shared pursuit of knowledge. Today, that ideal remains at its heart.

    As Director General, Professor Thompson carries that legacy forward. He leads one of the world's most remarkable scientific institutions, bringing together thousands of researchers in a common endeavor. In doing so, he demonstrates how science can be a force for international partnership and shared progress.

    His influence extends to education. His textbook, "Modern Particle Physics," has shaped how the next generation of physicists understands the subject.

    It is particularly fitting that we recognize someone with strong connections to the local region. Mark was educated in Worthing, and his journey from Sussex classrooms to the leadership of CERN is both remarkable and inspiring.

    We are also proud that Professor Thompson has longstanding connections with colleagues here at the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. Indeed, I first worked with Mark when I was a doctoral student, and he was an important mentor to me. I can speak not only to his scientific leadership, but also to his generosity in supporting others.

    Mark Thompson's career reminds us that science is a collective endeavor, one that demands precision, imagination, and collaboration. Through his work, he has expanded our understanding of the universe and strengthened the institutions that make such discovery possible.

    Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, Professor Mark Thompson.

    I have a few formal words. This is for you, Geoff. Thank you. By the authority of the Senate of the university, it gives me great pleasure to confer upon you the degree Doctor of Science, honoris causa. Many congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations.

    Professor Mark Thompson: "Thank you. Thank you, Geoff. That was quite embarrassing.

    It's a real pleasure to be here today in the wonderful Brighton Center. The last time I was here, it was to see The Police. The band, by the way, not anything nefarious.

    I spent my first 18 years just 10 miles along the coast in sunny Worthing, as it's known. So the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ is in many ways my local university. My journey here has been a long one, starting in West Worthing. Last night, I stayed with my mother in East Worthing, but in between I did other things.

    When I was 13, reading a popular book on particle physics, it inspired me to study physics. At that time, no one from my family had attended university. My first taste of university life was a three-day residential physics course here at the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. This great experience, and it was a great experience, reaffirmed my commitment and desire to study for a degree in physics. Although, I have to say I'm sorry I ended up in Oxford, but that's another story.

    After completing my doctorate, I headed to CERN for the first time. And when I returned to the UK in 2000, I established a new group at the University of Cambridge to study these mysterious particles called neutrinos. These ghostly particles wander throughout the universe, wander at the speed of light, albeit. They're almost massless, very peculiar. They have a very, very strange property that they can transform from one type to another type. We call this neutrino oscillations.

    This provides a very powerful fundamental probe of quantum mechanics and particle physics. This was actually my first deep collaboration with the academics in the particle physics group at the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. We, including Geoff, worked on an experiment at Fermilab, near Chicago, called MINOS, that studied those oscillations. It did so by firing a beam just 700 kilometers through the Earth and then trying to detect them down a mine. Very exciting, great fun, as was working with the brilliant scientists from around the world, including scientists and others from the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    So like neutrinos, my career has oscillated between collider physics at CERN, to neutrino physics in Fermilab, and the design of advanced detectors for future colliders. And I have to say, in every case, I've had the immense pleasure of working with academics at the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, so thank you all.

    I stand here six months into my term as director general of CERN. CERN is the most remarkable place. It's a wonderful place. Built on 70 years of deep collaboration, international collaboration, CERN is the world's pre-eminent particle physics laboratory. Our mission is really simple. We're out there to understand how the universe works at the most fundamental level. The mission is simple. Saying it is simple. Doing it is somewhat more complicated.

    The jewel in the crown at CERN, we have a 27-kilometer superconducting collider called the Large Hadron Collider. It's a masterpiece of technology and engineering. The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 represents one of the most significant fundamental discoveries, deep, profound discoveries of the last 50 years. This discovery of a completely new form of matter changed our view of the universe. It was a global collaborative effort with scientists from universities and institutes around the world, and scientists at the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ played key roles in that discovery.

    Before closing, I want to reflect on the importance of particle physics and astronomy beyond the science itself. The science is incredibly amazing, very rich, very deep, but I firmly believe our quest as humanity to understand the universe that we all live in is of cultural value, not just scientific value. This incredible mission of fundamental exploration is also a very powerful force in inspiring the next generation to study science, and in particular physics. This happened for me when I was 13, reading about particle physics, as it happened at CERN.

    I've had the pleasure of working closely with many colleagues at the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, my home university, so it's a huge honor to accept this degree today. And thank you to all involved.

    I call upon the head of the School of Psychology, Professor Alison Pike."

    Professor Alison Pike "Chancellor, I will now present to you for the Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Cognitive Science:

    Elisa Leimgruber

    For Psychology with Business Management:

    Hannah Dent
    Nils Devynck
    Maria Dimitrova
    Zain Ghokhshaw
    Niamh James‑Thomas
    Josie Parfrey
    Louis Seager
    Ravisha Thuduwage

    For Psychology with Business Management (with a professional placement year):

    Flora Hegarty
    Abigail Luff
    Bridget Proctor
    Matthew Thompson

    For Psychology with Criminology:

    Imogen Balley
    Tilly Braun
    Lily Christinger
    Lucy Cox
    Maisy Downes
    Milena Driscoll
    Mia Ferris
    Lucy Greenwood
    Kiera Gurr
    Skye Hicks (And the recipient of the Undergraduate Enrichment Award)
    Abbi Irons
    Chloe Lafileuse
    Eve Lawrence
    Shee Lee
    Isabelle Leijnse
    Yingqian Liu
    Alice Mallinder
    Jessica Massingale
    Luana Mülli
    Rohan Okebu
    Alanna Omar
    Lauren Pell
    Bea Powell‑Harper
    Ruta Terentjeva
    Sydney Wilkins

    For Psychology with Criminology (with a professional placement year):

    Michalina Malgorzata Basinska
    Purnima Lamchhane Gurung
    Oceana‑Mali Welch
    Patrycja Zalewska

    For Psychology with Neuroscience:

    Leah Allen
    Max Ashley
    Bethan Bradshaw Levy
    Evie Brown
    Milly Bruce
    Luke Cobb
    Zara Da Silva
    Archie Evans
    Patrycja Hafner
    Maria Hoogewerf
    Imaan Ijaz
    Zara Jasper
    Ezra John
    Lauren Kirsop
    Ana Maestre
    Federica Naní
    Alfred Nightingale
    Michaela‑Tharreni Nikolaou
    Ayela Nodder
    Nina Peel
    Lily Phillips
    Saskia Rabin
    Anika Rajanthan
    Arhaan Rizvi
    Malaika Sabimana
    Shanaya Sharma
    Judy Ibrahim Mohammad Shehadeh
    Sophie Shrimpton
    Jasmin Stanbury
    Abigail Topcott
    Olsa Veliu
    Jessica Vincent
    Angeli Walder
    Natasha Woodward
    Hannah Wright

    For Psychology with Neuroscience (with a professional placement year):

    Summer‑Lili Cloke
    Tugce Filiz Erten
    Libby Hart
    Lucy Hinton
    Alina Kashif
    Amanda McFarlane

    For the Postgraduate Certificate in Mental Health Wellbeing Practice:

    Ellen Elizabeth Barry
    Dana Barthorpe (And the recipient of the prize for Best Performance on the PGCert Mental Health Wellbeing Practice)
    Emma Jane Marie Buchan
    Ophelia Gann
    Natalia Mendes da Silva Marchetti
    Joseph Twist

    For the Postgraduate Diploma in Children’s Wellbeing Practice:

    Chloe Day
    Rachel Suzanne Gardner
    Megan Neilly
    Eloise Williamson

    For Education Mental Health Practice:

    Katie Vermundsen

    For Psychological Therapy:

    Abeni Louis‑Luken

    For the degree of Master of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience:

    Sandra Elizabeth Buenfil Martínez
    Sakeena Naqvi‑Jukes

    For Foundations of Clinical Psychology and Mental Health:

    Retal Abdullah A Alghamdi
    Alex Chan
    Milly Saunders

    For Psychology (conversion):

    Syni Stamouli

    For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Isaac Duncan‑Cross (From emotion to action: the relationship between affect regulation and help seeking for dementia)
    Eilidh Grant (Improving detection for, and treatment of, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD))
    Phoebe Gray (Promoting positive body image in the personal training setting)
    Melisa Parlak (Exploring and harnessing social identity processes to enhance international students’ mental health in the United Kingdom)
    Nathan Pond (Cognitive biases of attention and interpretation in high worriers…)
    Jemima Scrase (Following the elder: the role of age and matriarchs on leadership in African savanna elephants)
    Claire Vella (Exploring social connectedness for young people’s mental health)
    Yue Ting Woo (A Mixed‑Methods Exploration of the Motivations and Barriers of Allyship: Introducing the COINE model)

    Chancellor, I now present to you those graduands who were unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony.

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Criminology:

    Ayub Rudolph

    For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Ryad Chems Maarif (What is Mindfulness? The Conceptualization and Measurement of Mindfulness in Psychological Science)

    Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony, and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at the ceremony.

    Graduands, if you're able to, if you wouldn't mind standing.

    By the authority vested in me by the Senate of the University, I formally confer degrees on all those aforementioned. Congratulations, graduates.

    Please take a seat.

    Chancellor: "Well, congratulations again, everyone, including our honoris causa, Dr. Professor Thompson. You all looked great. Can I just say that? Most of you smelled great as well, it has to be said. And no one forgot their trousers. Pants, I'm not so sure about. I don't want to know.

    We hope that you will keep Sussex in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and to each other as alumni.

    A chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. But honestly, look at this face. I'm not qualified to give anyone advice or wisdom, but here's some thoughts that I've had that you're free to use, ignore, or preferably improve upon.

    It strikes me that graduation is particularly a moment where people think about the future and planning for it. And planning and decision-making now, it seems more anxiety-driven as we're bombarded by uncertainties because of wars, politics, climate, identity, inequality, 24 hours a day from rolling news, and especially billions of unqualified opinions by people on social media. How many times have you heard the source of someone's worry being, "I read it on Facebook," or, "I saw a guy on YouTube who said..." And then the algorithm just feeds you more of the same, and hence doom scrolling.

    Because I feel that when we're overwhelmed by anything, grief, anger, anxiety, love, beauty, we lose perspective, even momentarily. And if we have to make a choice in that headspace, it may not be the choice we would make with a calmer mind. So I think it's important to feel everything, but even more important to get centered again as swiftly as possible and to find and look for positivity.

    So how do we find that stability? Well, we're all individuals. You're the only you that's ever existed, so you're utterly unique, as we all are. And so everyone will have their own path to it, but here are some of the ways that I try.

    My mum, who's the nicest person I've ever met, said to me once that to think of positivity as streams, the invisible streams that are running alongside you all the time, and those streams are made up of love and hope and compassion, humor, empathy. They don't stop while we go off and be overwhelmed with grief or anger or anxiety or anything. They're always running, but we forget that they're there, so we don't reach out for them. And sometimes we're told not to reach out for them. Those moments where somebody says, "Well, we shouldn't be laughing," but you go, why not? If it's funny, it's funny, right?

    So I try to remind myself to reach out for them or at least find people who practice those traits because speaking to a kind, calm person is the quickest way to get perspective back.

    And the other thing that I've kind of realized is gratitude is the healthiest state to be in because gratitude makes you feel lucky, and feeling lucky is like a kind of powerful protective force field around you. I feel lucky all the time. It's not comparative. It's not I'm lucky because someone isn't. It's not competitive. I'm not saying I'm luckier than you are or anyone. It's a feeling, and it doesn't depend on anything that happened to me specifically today, yesterday, or will happen tomorrow.

    It's an awareness of all the amazing experiences I've ever had, people I've met, places I've been to, things I've seen, music I've loved. Everything. Everything that makes me feel grateful makes me feel lucky. And so over the years, that's huge. That's a huge mass. And so if something doesn't go my way today, it's not going to take down that entire kind of mass of luck that I've had. And then everything that makes me feel grateful just adds to it. This ceremony, sharing these moments with you has made me feel really grateful and really lucky.

    And positivity for me is not thinking, "Oh, everything's going to turn out great." It's knowing that when things aren't great, when they're a bit crap, that that's not going to last, that it does change.

    I also try to practice radical empathy to try and understand and see something through someone else's eyes. Not because I think I'm going to change their minds or anything. And it is difficult with someone whose opinions I really can't stand, but I make the effort. I make the effort, not because I'm going to change something, but because it's a reminder to me of who I am. They can be whoever they want to be. I'm the person that will attempt empathy.

    I'm hardwired to find common ground, what unites us rather than divides us. Because if you think about it, disagreeing with someone after agreeing with them feels very different to agreeing with someone after disagreeing with them. One is reluctant and one is much more active.

    And also, I'm about finding solutions. Blame and stuff, can we leave that till later? Can we get past the problem first? And there's a better chance if we're working together, obviously.

    Maslow, famous for his hierarchy of needs, said that, "If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." So what you want to be in solving a problem is to have a diversity of opinions and experiences. If there's a problem that needs solving, I don't want to be in a room with 10 people like me. We'll really get on. We'll be hilarious. But we'll all have the same experiences and the same skill set. To solve a problem, I want 10 people who are completely unlike me and unlike each other, because that's going to be the broadest diversity of experiences and skills that we need. In Maslow's terms, I want a full toolkit.

    Planning. Just a word about planning. Planning's great, obviously, very useful. You see and build steps towards a goal. And a lot of people say after graduation, "Where do you see yourself in five years' time?" And people say, "I'd be in management or research. I'd like to be in a position to put down a deposit on a flat," or whatever that may be. And so what happens is that your conscious and subconscious then start working towards that. That's how these things work.

    I very rarely hear people say, "And be happy." It's not mutually exclusive. And surely if you say, "Yeah, I plan to be happy," your conscious and subconscious will work towards that as well.

    But planning is linear, right? It's steps of a ladder. You go one, two, three, four. That's how planning works. Life is the exact opposite. Life is a disruptor. Life is full of curve balls, unexpected coincidences, the WTFs, World Tennis Federation for the little children and very old people.

    So be happy with your plan, but if it gets disrupted, be fine with that. That is absolutely normal. All you have to do is decide what your next step is. Who you are is always, always your next decision. That's who you are. It's not what just happened to you.

    Seneca said, "He who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary," which is kind of obvious. If I experience anything that people might describe as a setback, my reaction is, "I don't know where this is leading. The story isn't over yet." And I've got lived experiences of these.

    So some of you may or may not know that many years ago, when I was applying to universities, Sussex was my first choice. I didn't want to go anywhere else. This was my first choice, and I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough. So I took my business elsewhere, and I waited for 25 years until all those people who were responsible for me not getting in had either retired, had been deported, were in prison, or just become plain dead, and I came back in as chancellor. So there, linear planning.

    All the disruptors. Disruption doesn't necessarily mean bad. It can mean good sometimes. I wanted to act and write since I was five years old, and I know this because when I was five, we had an uncle that came to the house that said to me, to a five-year-old, "Well, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." Unfortunately, it is true.

    And so a career that I daydreamed about remained a daydream. And when I was just after 30 years old, I had to sue the last company I was working for for breach of contract, and that litigation took a couple of years. I couldn't get a job during that time. And so I thought, 32, I'll have a go. I've always wanted to act and write and I can't work anyway. And I could not have foreseen, and neither could anyone else, that within two years I'd be in a successful TV show and that would be the start of a career. And again, where was linear planning in all of that?

    So at the end of the day, I think what we can really give to each other, all of us, is compassion, acknowledgment, understanding, to be seen, to be heard. And the thing with compassion is the more you give, the more you have. It's a self-replenishing well. You never, ever run out of it.

    Regrets, they are pointless, can't change the past. But it struck me that the only reason that you'd want to change the past is because you've learned something. So take the learning and move forward with it, and leave regrets where they should be.

    I said at the beginning that your journeys are already epic, and it struck me that for all of us, our ancestors, going back as far as you want, they all experienced that existential crisis of why are we here. They all faced challenges in their time, things that overwhelmed them, but they survived. It's why we're all here. It's because they survived. And so all of us have survival genes in our DNA. So at any point when you're going through a rough period, just remember that. You're part of a history, an ancestry of surviving, and you will too.

    See, I told you your stories were more epic than maybe you thought.

    Anyway, I feel like I should give you some advice. Gosh. Okay. So, you know when you cook vegetables with the water, don't throw it away. Maybe use it as stock or the basis of a soup.

    I wish you all happiness, good health, and kindness in everything you do. Well done. We're super proud. Feel lucky. Go and be the best you.

    I officially declare this graduation closed."

Ceremony 10 at 1.30pm

    • Fcaulty of Science, Engineering and Medicine
      • School of Psychology
        • Psychology – including YAB & PPY
        • Psychology with Clinical Approaches – including YAB & PPY

 

  • Video transcript

    Chancellor: "I declare open this congregation of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. I’m delighted, as Chancellor, to welcome you formally to this graduation ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our graduands, and your family and friends who join you here today, and to those who couldn’t make it in person and may be watching this via live video stream around the world.

    Graduation is one of the highlights of the university year. As such, as you can see up here on the stage, we’ve made a bit of effort with our gowns and dressing up. Some have even brought forward their weekly baths and/or invested in deodorant. This is all in honour of you and our pride in your achievements.

    The şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ motto is “Be still and know,” and I hope at some point today you can find a quiet moment to reflect on your accomplishments and the journey that brought you here. And I know that many of you have had to overcome challenges on that journey to get to this day. Struggling to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children or supporting loved ones, experiencing loss and health issues, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help. So today isn’t just a celebration of your academic accomplishments, but also of your focus and your perseverance and of those that have helped you along the way.

    Some of you may be continuing with further academic study, but for many of you, today will mark the end of your academic journey. A journey that started all those years ago with your first day at nursery or kindergarten. The trauma back then of suddenly being thrust from a familiar home environment into a place full of new people, new foods, new names, being introduced to the fun worlds of playtime and reading time, nap time, nits, and chickenpox.

    And then all the ups and downs of the school years. Best friends, bullies, great teachers, horrible teachers, PE in the rain, school trips, school dinners, prizes, detentions, being in the school team, being picked last for sport, losing your PE top, losing your trousers, losing your pants. Tests, homework, mocks, choices, more mocks, predictions, disappointment, joy, UCAS, all of which brought you to Sussex. New people, new names, new foods, new experiences. You see, I think your journeys have already been epic.

    Which brings us to today, your glorious day. And thank you family and friends. I know from experience how much you would’ve sacrificed and supported for your graduand to be here, and we are humbled and honoured that you all now have a connection to the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    So graduands, in a short while, a name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours, and you will walk the 20 or so steps across this stage, terrified you’re going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea after all, worried that your flies might be open, and really concerned that you might trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone in the front row. If you do decide to do that, what an array of laps we’ve arranged for you this morning. Look at that. It’s like Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” meets “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

    I am beholden to tell you or to remind you if you’ve been up here before, that you haven’t actually got your degrees yet, and you getting your degrees may just depend on how much love you show me when you come up here. No love for the chancellor, no degree. Seriously, feel free to express yourselves when you cross this stage. It’s your day. And I’ll go with whatever you want, as long as it’s within the bounds of decency and legality.

    But already this week, we’ve had lots of hugs. We’ve had handshakes, of course, high fives, fist bumps, bit of dancing happened as well. Some rock, paper, scissors, I remember on a couple of occasions. But we’ve had the lot over the years. Listen, you can ignore me if you want. It’s your day. If you do decide to do press-ups, though, you’re doing them on your own. At my age, I can get down there. I’m not sure I can get back up again.

    And family and friends, this is your day, too. So, when the moment comes, please have your cameras ready and feel free to make as much noise as you can when your superhero crosses the stage. And just as a gauge, actually, family and friends, could you just give me an idea of how much noise you can make? That’s really impressive. That is a kind of “We are Sparta” moment. Very impressive. Okay, remember that. You’ve set a high bar for yourselves.

    If you’re here on your own, then I’ll be your family and friend if you’ll have me. So no one’s here by themselves. Have a great ceremony. I call upon the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation."

    Professor Sasha Roseneil: "Distinguished guests, parents, supporters, friends, colleagues, and above all, our graduands, Sussex Class of 2026. As Vice Chancellor and President of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, it’s my great honor and enormous pleasure to welcome you to this graduation ceremony. As our chancellor has just reminded us, today is all about you, our graduands. This is the day of celebration for you and of you and of all that you’ve achieved during your time at Sussex.

    It’s also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited in countless tangible and less tangible ways from the love and support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of Sussex staff. And some of you have been supported by our alumni and donors who’ve generously provided scholarships and bursaries.

    So I’m now going to ask for some participation from you. If you can, would you mind standing and turning and facing your audience behind you and giving them a huge cheer and round of applause? Wonderful. Please do be seated again.

    As a university, we at Sussex are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment in which every member of our diverse community is able to flourish. Sussex students represent the most wonderful variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. You come each year from over 150 countries around the world. So we have people in the audience today of many different nationalities, ethnicities, and faiths, with a huge diversity of opinion about almost every matter under the sun. And that diversity of thought is a very special thing, something that Sussex seeks always to uphold.

    We have a foundational commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom. It’s our job to create an environment for learning in which diversity of belief and opinion can be explored and to nurture the conditions under which our students and staff can respectfully discuss and debate difficult ideas, where propositions can be tested, analysis undertaken, theories developed, and where minds can be expanded and changed.

    We’re living in deeply troubled times. War and conflict, terror, death, and the destruction of habitats, economic hardship, hunger, and inequality, as well as climate change and environmental degradation, all quite rightly give rise to enormous concerns amongst Sussex students. Many Sussex students hold passionate beliefs about the causes and consequences and solutions to the urgent problems that face the world. And Sussex supports and will always support freedom of expression that is lawful and respectful of others, mindful of the humanity and diversity that’s at the heart of our university community and that binds us together across nations and faiths as a global community.

    So, Sussex graduands, I would like to thank you all for all that you’ve done to make our university a place of community, inclusion, and diversity, a warm, open, and welcoming place. In the four years that I’ve been vice chancellor, I’ve witnessed how Sussex students are the very embodiment of energy, hope, and possibility for a better world.

    Alongside your academic work, many of you have taken part in an impressive range of other activities as student ambassadors and student representatives, organizing and leading student societies and groups, volunteering on and off campus. And so many of you are today receiving a Spirit of Sussex award for your positive contributions to our community. I commend that commitment to your extracurricular activities. Well done on everything you’ve achieved alongside your formal studies.

    As Vice-Chancellor, I’ve had the great privilege of meeting many hundreds of Sussex alumni from across the world, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the depth of their love for their alma mater, by their appreciation of their time at Sussex, and how it fundamentally shaped their lives, their careers, and their characters. Alumni have repeatedly told me about encountering new ideas and ways of thinking at Sussex that transformed their worldview, as well as making lasting friendships and building networks that have accompanied them ever since. I sincerely hope that you, today’s graduands, will feel the same in the years to come.

    Whether you already have a job or are looking for one, or are taking time to explore the world, you can be confident that you’re leaving a university with a global reputation, equipped to think critically and creatively, to adapt and evolve in a fast-changing world, and to understand the importance of a global perspective, so that you’re able to exercise your agency as a citizen of the world with the power to shape your own future, and indeed, to change for the better what the future might bring for others.

    You’ve been taught by academics who are internationally recognized for their research, which has directly informed your education. And Sussex has much to be proud of as a research-intensive university, and as a founding member of ResearchPlus, the new collaborative of research universities committed to working for the public good.

    For the 10th consecutive year, we’ve been ranked first in the world at Sussex for development studies together with our campus partner, the Institute of Development Studies. We’re only one of 24 universities in the world to have a number one subject ranking in the QS World University Rankings. This is an outstanding achievement by our academics and everyone who supports their work. Development studies, which seeks understandings of and progress towards global equity, social justice, and sustainability, is very much at the heart of what Sussex is about.

    And in total this year, Sussex has nine subjects in the top 100 globally, up from six last year, and we continue to be ranked in the top 100 in the world for sustainability. We were also named first in the UK and sixth globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2026 for peace, justice, and strong institutions. Meanwhile, our Department of Physics and Astronomy is this year ranked first in the world for research impact in the Shanghai Rankings. And for the past four years, the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School has been ranked first of all business schools in the UK for research income.

    All this means that Sussex research is breaking new ground in scientific knowledge and cultural understanding, improving the lives of people around the world, advancing technology, influencing the policies of governments, and making a real difference to the protection of the natural world.

    Now, I know that many of you graduating today have had difficult life journeys so far. Some of you have struggled with your mental or physical health. Some of you have faced loss and family disruption. Each of you had a unique route to Sussex and through your time here. But whatever your Sussex story, I hope that when you look back, you’ll feel that your studies were intellectually challenging, that you were stretched, stimulated, and supported to achieve your best. That you’re leaving with knowledge, skills, and personal resources that will stand you in good stead, and that you made friendships that will stay with you long into the future.

    You’ll now take many different paths as you join our community of more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. And Sussex alumni include heads of state and vice presidents, policymakers and grassroots campaigners, chief executives of national and multinational organizations, garlanded writers and creative practitioners, leading academics and scientists, entrepreneurs and founders of businesses and charities, and those with less high profile but no less significant lives and careers, people whose actions and relationships remake and renew the social fabric in small, positive ways every day.

    Across the globe, in more than 170 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience to make the world a progressively better place, and I know that you will do that too.

    So graduands, celebrate who you are today. Celebrate the commitment, the hard work, and the self-belief that got you here. Celebrate those who helped you reach this moment and those who’ve been on the journey with you. Together, celebrate your fantastic achievements. Thank you for being such brilliant Sussex students, and on behalf of the whole university, I wish you all the very best of luck with everything that comes next.

    I call upon the Head of the School of Psychology, Professor Alison Pike.”

    Professor Alison Pike: “Chancellor, I will now present to you for the Bachelor of Science in Psychology:

    Mehnaj Ahmed
    Lilas Jasim Al Kashash
    Annalia Albrecht
    Melisa Altug
    Oluwanifemi Aluko
    Emily Anderson
    Saikhannorov Ariuntsetseg
    Esther Ashman
    Emma Atkinson
    Nyx‑Molly Baker
    Natasha Barnard
    Freya Barnes
    Cale Bartley
    Jenefan Bavananthan
    Holly Beattie
    Eleanor Beckley
    Sofiya Benidir
    Ieva Biliunaite
    Jessica Black
    Amelie Block
    Charlotte Blundell
    Linus Bowen
    Jessica Brace
    Amelie Bright
    Mia Brown
    Emily Burridge
    Abbey Campbell
    Lavinia Capello
    Fabian Carter
    Wren Carver
    Megan Cavaliere
    Paula Celiesiute
    Tara Chakraborty
    Aurora Chand
    Kaitlin Charlton
    Nicole Chinamo
    Ming Shao Chong
    Xanthia Christodoulou
    Sophie Clark
    Maddie Clements
    Hannah Cole
    Abbie Coles
    Abigail Collins
    Amelie Combe
    Libby Costello
    Harriet Cronk‑Hill
    Megan Curran
    Mia Deeprose
    Bianca Delizo
    Klaudia Derda
    Poppy Dimery
    Lucy Divall
    Georgia Doyle
    Neha Duffadar
    Georgina Duncan
    Poppy Duval‑Johnston
    Melissa Dyson
    Cemal Egemen
    Malak Fahmy
    Evie Fairbrother
    Heather Farrow
    Rose Feilden
    Phebe Liesl Kate Filipponi
    Holly Fraser
    Piper Lily Freeman
    Jonathon Frost
    Luca Fynn
    Charlotte Gaffney
    Savannah Gardner‑Reed
    Molly Gayton
    Abigail Gill
    Emily Goddard
    Ruby Goemans
    Ella Goodwin
    Minerva Govett
    Amilia Griffiths
    Finn Guise
    Isla Hamilton
    Ada Hands
    Friederike Hartung
    Sidney Harwood‑Matthews
    Nadia Helm
    Kirsty Hiscox
    Ben Hodgkiss
    Alysia Hopkins
    Megan Hunt
    Clara Hutchinson
    Esme Jacquest
    Diana Kablukova
    Arshia Kamali
    Felix Kellow
    Florence Kerr‑Elliott
    Felix Khalil
    Zeina Khashan
    Ava Kitson
    Katherine Kogan
    Angelina Krunic
    Liette Lamberti
    Rory Langdell
    Aarun Leung Siu Kei
    Isabella Levenhagen
    Ningwa Limbu
    Nicole Lizakowska
    Eve Oziomachi Grace Louis
    Scobie Mackinnon
    Leila Macpherson
    Grace Maher
    Rebecca Malski
    Jasmine Marsh
    Kathleen Marsh
    Isabella Marshall
    Max Martinson
    Caira Mayers
    Oscar McDonald
    Jade McGrath
    Louise McLaren
    Sonho Melwani
    Samara Miller
    Viola Moglia
    Jasmine Moore
    Daisy Morris
    Patrick Mullen
    Freya Murchison
    Ella Neal
    Samuel Nicholson
    Ria Nijjar
    Neve O’Grady
    Lily Ologhlen
    Caitlin Otto
    Gheed Ownallah
    Ellie Parris
    Arun Patel
    Jenna Patel
    Anna Pattemore
    Connie Pattenden
    Melissa Patterson
    Ella Pender
    Hollie Pendrigh
    Matilda Perei
    Jessica Perrott
    Jasmine Perry
    Barney Power
    Daria Predojevic
    Emilia Prypkhan
    Remi Rabey
    Samuel Raine
    Finley Ransley
    Dan Rawlins
    Kate Ribbons
    Megan Rochester
    Sarah Liv Emelie Rock
    Megan Rose
    Libby Sage
    Saaleha Sajid
    Lisa Sanders
    Arran Sandu Hutchinson
    Rebecca Lily Scott
    Amy Seed
    Pandora Seymour
    Joseph Shaerf‑Wakelin
    Emily Shaw
    Henry Sheehan
    Tyler Sherlock
    Becky Shields
    Vivienne Shorto Xavier
    Amy Smalley
    Amelie Smith
    Bethany Smith
    Grace Smith
    Shian Sood
    Blossom Sowden
    Mikey Sprules
    Jasmine Spurr
    Emily Stacey
    Christina Stamataki
    Shannon Stephens
    Oliver Such
    Lauren Summers
    Mia Surman
    Lila Taphouse
    Lea Tesfai‑Coates
    Eloise Thompson
    Alfie Turner
    Thomas Vettraino
    Valentina Vitiello
    Ella Wainwright
    India Whitehall
    Ora Wildman‑Green
    Indigo Willsmore
    Sasha Wilson
    Mykel Charles Yin
    Zahia Yousfi
    Klaudia Zakrzewska
    Yasmina Zarrouk
    Sadya Zoha
    Abigail Zwartouw

    For Psychology (with a professional placement year):

    Savera Ahmed
    Yomn Al Khazaali
    Taiwo Alimi
    Willow Archer‑Martin
    Danait Arefaine
    Stephen Aruwajoye
    Luke Azaredo
    Riehana Aziz
    Emma Benn (And the recipient of the SAGE Publications Prize for Outstanding Application of Statistical Methods)
    Maisie Bennett
    Shae Bergin
    Arden Boucher
    KJ Brazier
    Amelie Burns
    Charlotte Bush
    Isabel Cage
    Imogen Campling
    Valerie Chadwick
    Sophie Clayton (And the recipient of the Mike Scaife Prize in Cognition, Learning and Innovative Technology)
    Kate Collins
    Lucy Collis
    Tasha Crawley‑Boevey
    Lily Dufficy‑Rope
    Tamanna Ferdaws
    Zoe Flaskett
    Amy Halls
    Isobel Hamer (And the recipient of the British Psychological Society Undergraduate Award for Overall Degree Performance)
    Freya Jarvis
    Alabama Jenns
    Hannah Jones
    Frankie Joyce
    Shivani Kapoor
    Jessica Kelly
    William Knowles
    Maxim Konas
    Erin Linnane
    Kirsty Love
    Georgia Martínez Wolley Dod (And the recipient of the Tony Gale Memorial Prize (BPS Wessex Branch) for the Best Third Year Project)
    Rosie Matthews
    Alexandra Medintu
    Sophie Moon
    Carol Naiova
    Macy Nixon
    Claudia Potter
    Julia Pustelnik
    Kiara‑Enia Reinhardt
    Abi Richers
    Zahra Saifar
    Charlotte Samuels
    Abigail Sanders
    Miahoney Sando
    Skye Seaman
    Jada Shallow
    Augusta Sibayan
    Posy Stewart
    Kaz Sweetnam
    Amelie Wheeler
    Olivia Whitworth
    Niamh Wilson

    For Psychology (with a study abroad year):

    Maaike Casey
    Yoana Dimitrova
    Joseph Goodwin
    Lucy Hijmans
    Daisy Kinsey
    Sophia Lanisek
    Aislinn McGahan
    Evie Tandy‑Key

    For Psychology with Clinical Approaches:

    Katie Alexander
    Nia Bair
    Harnima Balarajan
    Lucy Beresford Knight
    Beatrice Bergman Eriksson
    Disha Bhaskara
    Esther Blurton
    Tyler Bowyer
    Em Brocklesby
    Tabatha Broome
    Lottie Bruce
    Aidan Bryant
    Georgia Cabrera Suárez
    Kirsty Campbell
    Adela Chrascinova (And the recipient of the George Butterworth Prize in Developmental Science)
    Kitty Cooke
    Hannah Davis
    Diana Dobritoiu
    Sofia Fleischerova
    Zara Xenia Ghassemi
    Anjeza Gjoca
    Octavia Goward
    Danielle Grove
    Victoria Howard
    Louisalee Hyslop
    Madeha Khan
    Isabella Maccariello‑Knight (And the recipient of the Peter B. Smith Prize in Social and Applied Psychology)
    Melissa Marsden
    Finlay McDowall
    Zeena Husam Nayef Musharbash
    Maya Nistala
    Oliwia Pelc
    Abbie Pez
    Connor Purcell
    Holly Rawlings‑Taylor (And the recipient of the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Award for an Outstanding Project on Mental Health or Wellbeing)
    Iona Reid
    Alex Sherman
    Maisie Sivers
    Kimuthu Tennekoon
    Agata Zamroczynska

    For Psychology with Clinical Approaches (with a professional placement year):

    Haajira Amjath
    Flora Beazley
    Naila Nihar Kayes
    Alonso Rodríguez Fábrega
    Oliver Schmidtberg

    For Psychology with Clinical Approaches (with a study abroad year):

    Hester Stewart

    For Psychology with Neuroscience:

    Madison Allday

    For Psychology with Neuroscience (with a professional placement year):

    Emily Ball

    Chancellor, this concludes the list of graduands from the School of Psychology."

    Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robin Banerjee: "Chancellor, I now present to you those graduands who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony

    Chancellor, I present to you for the Bachelor of Science in Psychology:

    Savannah Gardner-Reed
    Clara Hutchinson

    Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony, and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at the ceremony."

    Chancellor: "Graduands, if you're able to, if you wouldn't mind standing.

    By the authority vested in me by the Senate of the University, I formally confer degrees on all those aforementioned. Congratulations, graduates.

    Please take a seat.

    Well, congratulations again, everyone, including our honoris causa, Dr. Professor Thompson. You all looked great. Can I just say that? Most of you smelled great as well, it has to be said. And no one forgot their trousers. Pants, I'm not so sure about. I don't want to know.

    We hope that you will keep Sussex in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and to each other as alumni.

    A chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. But honestly, look at this face. I'm not qualified to give anyone advice or wisdom, but here's some thoughts that I've had that you're free to use, ignore, or preferably improve upon.

    It strikes me that graduation is particularly a moment where people think about the future and planning for it. And planning and decision-making now, it seems more anxiety-driven as we're bombarded by uncertainties because of wars, politics, climate, identity, inequality, 24 hours a day from rolling news, and especially billions of unqualified opinions by people on social media. How many times have you heard the source of someone's worry being, "I read it on Facebook," or, "I saw a guy on YouTube who said..." And then the algorithm just feeds you more of the same, and hence doom scrolling.

    Because I feel that when we're overwhelmed by anything, grief, anger, anxiety, love, beauty, we lose perspective, even momentarily. And if we have to make a choice in that headspace, it may not be the choice we would make with a calmer mind. So I think it's important to feel everything, but even more important to get centered again as swiftly as possible and to find and look for positivity.

    So how do we find that stability? Well, we're all individuals. You're the only you that's ever existed, so you're utterly unique, as we all are. And so everyone will have their own path to it, but here are some of the ways that I try.

    My mum, who's the nicest person I've ever met, said to me once that to think of positivity as streams, the invisible streams that are running alongside you all the time, and those streams are made up of love and hope and compassion, humor, empathy. They don't stop while we go off and be overwhelmed with grief or anger or anxiety or anything. They're always running, but we forget that they're there, so we don't reach out for them. And sometimes we're told not to reach out for them. Those moments where somebody says, "Well, we shouldn't be laughing," but you go, why not? If it's funny, it's funny, right?

    So I try to remind myself to reach out for them or at least find people who practice those traits because speaking to a kind, calm person is the quickest way to get perspective back.

    And the other thing that I've kind of realized is gratitude is the healthiest state to be in because gratitude makes you feel lucky, and feeling lucky is like a kind of powerful protective force field around you. I feel lucky all the time. It's not comparative. It's not I'm lucky because someone isn't. It's not competitive. I'm not saying I'm luckier than you are or anyone. It's a feeling, and it doesn't depend on anything that happened to me specifically today, yesterday, or will happen tomorrow.

    It's an awareness of all the amazing experiences I've ever had, people I've met, places I've been to, things I've seen, music I've loved. Everything. Everything that makes me feel grateful makes me feel lucky. And so over the years, that's huge. That's a huge mass. And so if something doesn't go my way today, it's not going to take down that entire kind of mass of luck that I've had. And then everything that makes me feel grateful just adds to it. This ceremony, sharing these moments with you has made me feel really grateful and really lucky.

    And positivity for me is not thinking, "Oh, everything's going to turn out great." It's knowing that when things aren't great, when they're a bit crap, that that's not going to last, that it does change.

    I also try to practice radical empathy to try and understand and see something through someone else's eyes. Not because I think I'm going to change their minds or anything. And it is difficult with someone whose opinions I really can't stand, but I make the effort. I make the effort, not because I'm going to change something, but because it's a reminder to me of who I am. They can be whoever they want to be. I'm the person that will attempt empathy.

    I'm hardwired to find common ground, what unites us rather than divides us. Because if you think about it, disagreeing with someone after agreeing with them feels very different to agreeing with someone after disagreeing with them. One is reluctant and one is much more active.

    And also, I'm about finding solutions. Blame and stuff, can we leave that till later? Can we get past the problem first? And there's a better chance if we're working together, obviously.

    Maslow, famous for his hierarchy of needs, said that, "If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." So what you want to be in solving a problem is to have a diversity of opinions and experiences. If there's a problem that needs solving, I don't want to be in a room with 10 people like me. We'll really get on. We'll be hilarious. But we'll all have the same experiences and the same skill set. To solve a problem, I want 10 people who are completely unlike me and unlike each other, because that's going to be the broadest diversity of experiences and skills that we need. In Maslow's terms, I want a full toolkit.

    Planning. Just a word about planning. Planning's great, obviously, very useful. You see and build steps towards a goal. And a lot of people say after graduation, "Where do you see yourself in five years' time?" And people say, "I'd be in management or research. I'd like to be in a position to put down a deposit on a flat," or whatever that may be. And so what happens is that your conscious and subconscious then start working towards that. That's how these things work.

    I very rarely hear people say, "And be happy." It's not mutually exclusive. And surely if you say, "Yeah, I plan to be happy," your conscious and subconscious will work towards that as well.

    But planning is linear, right? It's steps of a ladder. You go one, two, three, four. That's how planning works. Life is the exact opposite. Life is a disruptor. Life is full of curve balls, unexpected coincidences, the WTFs, World Tennis Federation for the little children and very old people.

    So be happy with your plan, but if it gets disrupted, be fine with that. That is absolutely normal. All you have to do is decide what your next step is. Who you are is always, always your next decision. That's who you are. It's not what just happened to you.

    Seneca said, "He who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary," which is kind of obvious. If I experience anything that people might describe as a setback, my reaction is, "I don't know where this is leading. The story isn't over yet." And I've got lived experiences of these.

    So some of you may or may not know that many years ago, when I was applying to universities, Sussex was my first choice. I didn't want to go anywhere else. This was my first choice, and I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough. So I took my business elsewhere, and I waited for 25 years until all those people who were responsible for me not getting in had either retired, had been deported, were in prison, or just become plain dead, and I came back in as chancellor. So there, linear planning.

    All the disruptors. Disruption doesn't necessarily mean bad. It can mean good sometimes. I wanted to act and write since I was five years old, and I know this because when I was five, we had an uncle that came to the house that said to me, to a five-year-old, "Well, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." Unfortunately, it is true.

    And so a career that I daydreamed about remained a daydream. And when I was just after 30 years old, I had to sue the last company I was working for for breach of contract, and that litigation took a couple of years. I couldn't get a job during that time. And so I thought, 32, I'll have a go. I've always wanted to act and write and I can't work anyway. And I could not have foreseen, and neither could anyone else, that within two years I'd be in a successful TV show and that would be the start of a career. And again, where was linear planning in all of that?

    So at the end of the day, I think what we can really give to each other, all of us, is compassion, acknowledgment, understanding, to be seen, to be heard. And the thing with compassion is the more you give, the more you have. It's a self-replenishing well. You never, ever run out of it.

    Regrets, they are pointless, can't change the past. But it struck me that the only reason that you'd want to change the past is because you've learned something. So take the learning and move forward with it, and leave regrets where they should be.

    I said at the beginning that your journeys are already epic, and it struck me that for all of us, our ancestors, going back as far as you want, they all experienced that existential crisis of why are we here. They all faced challenges in their time, things that overwhelmed them, but they survived. It's why we're all here. It's because they survived. And so all of us have survival genes in our DNA. So at any point when you're going through a rough period, just remember that. You're part of a history, an ancestry of surviving, and you will too.

    See, I told you your stories were more epic than maybe you thought.

    Anyway, I feel like I should give you some advice. Gosh. Okay. So, you know when you cook vegetables with the water, don't throw it away. Maybe use it as stock or the basis of a soup.

    I wish you all happiness, good health, and kindness in everything you do. Well done. We're super proud. Feel lucky. Go and be the best you.

    I officially declare this graduation closed."

Friday 24 July 2026

Ceremony 11 at 10am

  • Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine
    • School of Engineering and Informatics

 

  • Video transcript

    Trumpet Fanfare plays.

    A procession of University senior academics and staff in ceremonial robes enters the auditorium, walking down the aisles between the graduands and guests. They ascend the stage and take their seats. Two academics carrying ceremonial torches bow to each other and place the torches on the small raised table at the front of the stage.

    Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar: "I declare open this congregation of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. I’m delighted, as Chancellor, to welcome you formally to this graduation ceremony. A warm welcome to our honoured guests, our distinguished faculty members, and to those of the professional services here at Sussex. But the warmest of welcomes are for you, our graduands, and your family and friends who join you here today, and to those who couldn’t make it in person and may be watching this via live video stream around the world.

    Graduation is one of the highlights of the university year. As such, as you can see up here on the stage, we’ve made a bit of effort with our gowns and dressing up. Some have even brought forward their weekly baths and/or invested in deodorant. This is all in honour of you and our pride in your achievements.

    The şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ motto is “Be still and know,” and I hope at some point today you can find a quiet moment to reflect on your accomplishments and the journey that brought you here. And I know that many of you have had to overcome challenges on that journey to get to this day. Struggling to balance your studies with home life, in some cases whilst raising children or supporting loved ones, experiencing loss and health issues, trying to survive on overdrafts, loans, or family help. So today isn’t just a celebration of your academic accomplishments, but also of your focus and your perseverance and of those that have helped you along the way.

    Some of you may be continuing with further academic study, but for many of you, today will mark the end of your academic journey. A journey that started all those years ago with your first day at nursery or kindergarten. The trauma back then of suddenly being thrust from a familiar home environment into a place full of new people, new foods, new names, being introduced to the fun worlds of playtime and reading time, nap time, nits, and chickenpox.

    And then all the ups and downs of the school years. Best friends, bullies, great teachers, horrible teachers, PE in the rain, school trips, school dinners, prizes, detentions, being in the school team, being picked last for sport, losing your PE top, losing your trousers, losing your pants. Tests, homework, mocks, choices, more mocks, predictions, disappointment, joy, UCAS, all of which brought you to Sussex. New people, new names, new foods, new experiences. You see, I think your journeys have already been epic.

    Which brings us to today, your glorious day. And thank you family and friends. I know from experience how much you would’ve sacrificed and supported for your graduand to be here, and we are humbled and honoured that you all now have a connection to the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ.

    So graduands, in a short while, a name will be read out, hopefully approximating to yours, and you will walk the 20 or so steps across this stage, terrified you’re going to lose your hat or your mortarboard, wondering whether the heels were such a good idea after all, worried that your flies might be open, and really concerned that you might trip over your gown and land in the lap of someone in the front row. If you do decide to do that, what an array of laps we’ve arranged for you this morning. Look at that. It’s like Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” meets “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

    I am beholden to tell you or to remind you if you’ve been up here before, that you haven’t actually got your degrees yet, and you getting your degrees may just depend on how much love you show me when you come up here. No love for the chancellor, no degree. Seriously, feel free to express yourselves when you cross this stage. It’s your day. And I’ll go with whatever you want, as long as it’s within the bounds of decency and legality.

    But already this week, we’ve had lots of hugs. We’ve had handshakes, of course, high fives, fist bumps, bit of dancing happened as well. Some rock, paper, scissors, I remember on a couple of occasions. But we’ve had the lot over the years. Listen, you can ignore me if you want. It’s your day. If you do decide to do press-ups, though, you’re doing them on your own. At my age, I can get down there. I’m not sure I can get back up again.

    And family and friends, this is your day, too. So, when the moment comes, please have your cameras ready and feel free to make as much noise as you can when your superhero crosses the stage. And just as a gauge, actually, family and friends, could you just give me an idea of how much noise you can make? That’s really impressive. That is a kind of “We are Sparta” moment. Very impressive. Okay, remember that. You’ve set a high bar for yourselves.

    If you’re here on your own, then I’ll be your family and friend if you’ll have me. So no one’s here by themselves. Have a great ceremony. I call upon the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, to address the congregation."

    Vice Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil: "Distinguished guests, parents, supporters, friends, colleagues, and above all, our graduands, Sussex Class of 2026. As Vice Chancellor and President of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ, it’s my great honour and enormous pleasure to welcome you to this graduation ceremony. As our chancellor has just reminded us, today is all about you, our graduands. This is the day of celebration for you and of you and of all that you’ve achieved during your time at Sussex.

    It’s also a moment to acknowledge that many of you have benefited in countless tangible and less tangible ways from the love and support of your family or guardians and carers, from the encouragement of your friends, and of course, from the teaching and guidance of Sussex staff. And some of you have been supported by our alumni and donors who’ve generously provided scholarships and bursaries.

    So I’m now going to ask for some participation from you. If you can, would you mind standing and turning and facing your audience behind you and giving them a huge cheer and round of applause? Wonderful. Please do be seated again.

    As a university, we at Sussex are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment in which every member of our diverse community is able to flourish. Sussex students represent the most wonderful variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. You come each year from over 150 countries around the world. So we have people in the audience today of many different nationalities, ethnicities, and faiths, with a huge diversity of opinion about almost every matter under the sun. And that diversity of thought is a very special thing, something that Sussex seeks always to uphold.

    We have a foundational commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom. It’s our job to create an environment for learning in which diversity of belief and opinion can be explored and to nurture the conditions under which our students and staff can respectfully discuss and debate difficult ideas, where propositions can be tested, analysis undertaken, theories developed, and where minds can be expanded and changed.

    We’re living in deeply troubled times. War and conflict, terror, death, and the destruction of habitats, economic hardship, hunger, and inequality, as well as climate change and environmental degradation, all quite rightly give rise to enormous concerns amongst Sussex students. Many Sussex students hold passionate beliefs about the causes and consequences and solutions to the urgent problems that face the world. And Sussex supports and will always support freedom of expression that is lawful and respectful of others, mindful of the humanity and diversity that’s at the heart of our university community and that binds us together across nations and faiths as a global community.

    So, Sussex graduands, I would like to thank you all for all that you’ve done to make our university a place of community, inclusion, and diversity, a warm, open, and welcoming place. In the four years that I’ve been vice chancellor, I’ve witnessed how Sussex students are the very embodiment of energy, hope, and possibility for a better world.

    Alongside your academic work, many of you have taken part in an impressive range of other activities as student ambassadors and student representatives, organizing and leading student societies and groups, volunteering on and off campus. And so many of you are today receiving a Spirit of Sussex award for your positive contributions to our community. I commend that commitment to your extracurricular activities. Well done on everything you’ve achieved alongside your formal studies.

    As Vice-Chancellor, I’ve had the great privilege of meeting many hundreds of Sussex alumni from across the world, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the depth of their love for their alma mater, by their appreciation of their time at Sussex, and how it fundamentally shaped their lives, their careers, and their characters. Alumni have repeatedly told me about encountering new ideas and ways of thinking at Sussex that transformed their worldview, as well as making lasting friendships and building networks that have accompanied them ever since. I sincerely hope that you, today’s graduands, will feel the same in the years to come.

    Whether you already have a job or are looking for one, or are taking time to explore the world, you can be confident that you’re leaving a university with a global reputation, equipped to think critically and creatively, to adapt and evolve in a fast-changing world, and to understand the importance of a global perspective, so that you’re able to exercise your agency as a citizen of the world with the power to shape your own future, and indeed, to change for the better what the future might bring for others.

    You’ve been taught by academics who are internationally recognized for their research, which has directly informed your education. And Sussex has much to be proud of as a research-intensive university, and as a founding member of ResearchPlus, the new collaborative of research universities committed to working for the public good.

    For the 10th consecutive year, we’ve been ranked first in the world at Sussex for development studies together with our campus partner, the Institute of Development Studies. We’re only one of 24 universities in the world to have a number one subject ranking in the QS World University Rankings. This is an outstanding achievement by our academics and everyone who supports their work. Development studies, which seeks understandings of and progress towards global equity, social justice, and sustainability, is very much at the heart of what Sussex is about.

    And in total this year, Sussex has nine subjects in the top 100 globally, up from six last year, and we continue to be ranked in the top 100 in the world for sustainability. We were also named first in the UK and sixth globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2026 for peace, justice, and strong institutions. Meanwhile, our Department of Physics and Astronomy is this year ranked first in the world for research impact in the Shanghai Rankings. And for the past four years, the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ Business School has been ranked first of all business schools in the UK for research income.

    All this means that Sussex research is breaking new ground in scientific knowledge and cultural understanding, improving the lives of people around the world, advancing technology, influencing the policies of governments, and making a real difference to the protection of the natural world.

    Now, I know that many of you graduating today have had difficult life journeys so far. Some of you have struggled with your mental or physical health. Some of you have faced loss and family disruption. Each of you had a unique route to Sussex and through your time here. But whatever your Sussex story, I hope that when you look back, you’ll feel that your studies were intellectually challenging, that you were stretched, stimulated, and supported to achieve your best. That you’re leaving with knowledge, skills, and personal resources that will stand you in good stead, and that you made friendships that will stay with you long into the future.

    You’ll now take many different paths as you join our community of more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. And Sussex alumni include heads of state and vice presidents, policymakers and grassroots campaigners, chief executives of national and multinational organizations, garlanded writers and creative practitioners, leading academics and scientists, entrepreneurs and founders of businesses and charities, and those with less high profile but no less significant lives and careers, people whose actions and relationships remake and renew the social fabric in small, positive ways every day.

    Across the globe, in more than 170 countries and in all walks of life, our alumni are sharing the benefits of their Sussex experience to make the world a progressively better place, and I know that you will do that too.

    So graduands, celebrate who you are today. Celebrate the commitment, the hard work, and the self-belief that got you here. Celebrate those who helped you reach this moment and those who’ve been on the journey with you. Together, celebrate your fantastic achievements. Thank you for being such brilliant Sussex students, and on behalf of the whole university, I wish you all the very best of luck with everything that comes next.

    I call upon the Head of the School of Engineering and Informatics, Professor George Parisis."

    Professor George Parisis: "Chancellor, I will now present to you for the Certificate in Higher Education

    Juneyda Juneydi

    For the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Product Design:

    Elfa Abele
    Gabriel Christmas
    Matthew John
    Leila Shakibi

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science:

    Adarsh Krishnan
    Folasade Adegoke
    Azizullah Adelyar
    Bashirah Adongo
    Bilal Ahmed
    Fatima Alaraji
    Abdulrahman Alkandari
    Jack Appleby
    Parth Arora
    Stuart Baker
    Shane Barrett
    Archie Bean
    Milly Bright
    Max Burson
    Christian Campbell
    Demetri Chan
    Jin Xuan Chan
    Zhia Chen
    Matthew Collick
    Yehudah Collins Stewart
    Juliette Da Cunha
    Ervin Derveni
    Jacob Essessien
    Beck Ewins
    Mert Figenli
    Ronnie Finlayson
    Josh Keerat Singh Gill
    Caleb Golding
    Ali Gunem
    Weijie Guo
    Omar Hassanein
    Louis Henry
    Kavindu Herath
    Jaiden Hewitt‑Taylor
    Finley Hudson
    Rohan Hugh
    Jude James
    Manuela Jude Kirupakaran
    Thomas Jungschleger
    Johnson Kambang
    Anik Kazi
    Alexander Kissell
    James Knowles
    Brad Kruger
    Yash Kumar
    Conor Lagden
    Faisal Khalid Ibrahim Lashko
    Chloe Lipscomb
    Gabrielle Lolu
    Sitao Lu
    Edward Lynch
    Ferrier Mackay‑James
    Tariq Samir Mohammad Khaldon Masri
    Vadivel Moutou
    Evelyn Munro
    Kit Nelson
    Kirill Nevzorov
    Zaki Parkar
    Edward Pavett
    Halitcan Polatdemir
    Robin Pollington
    Miles Ribbans
    Gibou Sagnia
    Pablo Rogerio Samo Gudo
    Ben Sharp
    Finley Sherwell
    Sahil Sachin Shindgikar
    Vasil Skiaou
    Mathilde Bu Skjeggstad
    Daniel Szaniszlo
    Philip Tagoe Jr
    Roman Taibzadah
    William Timothy Tin‑O
    Eduard Tomovici
    William Walker
    Oliver Walter
    Gabriel Whalin
    Kyle Whelan
    Harrison Wood

    For Computer Science (with a study abroad year):

    Sabir Abdulla
    Maxwell Swinburn

    For Computer Science (with an industrial placement year):

    David Thomas Colorado
    David Frommont
    Euan Mills
    Charlie Mortimer (And the recipient of the InCrowdSports Prize for an Outstanding Computer Science Project)
    Morne Nemdil
    Sam Reed

    For Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence:

    Nazi Abdul
    Ali Hamad A M Al‑Qayed
    Naser Yousef S Alghanem
    Abdulla Hasan Abdulrahman Alhammadi
    Yazan Alhowidy
    Mohammed Ahmed S H Almohannadi
    Ahmed Ali K Almoutiry
    Khalid Alawi A Alsaiari
    Dana Alyousef
    Oleksii Artemiev
    Arsene Baidoo
    Baihelamu Ailiyasi
    Pavan Bakhshi
    Ella Bennison
    Chardonnay Brewster
    Maya Muftah M Buatig
    Hufsa Chaudry
    Alexander Cunningham‑Rojas
    Nelly Ichtare Djedidi
    Manal El Arassi
    Adam Elbossati
    Marlow Eliot
    Dareen Elsokary
    Lauren Fender
    Emel Gildir
    Caitlin Glover
    Govinda Jesswani
    Mohammed Hadji
    Mohammad Ali Mohammad Hajaj
    Abrar Abdulkarim Ismaeel Ahmed Hasan
    Salem Mohammed Hetail
    Noah Hillman‑Gailer
    Gabriel Huke‑Jenner
    Cosmo Hurwitz
    Hamza Ahmed Kamal Abdelgayed Ibrahim
    Karim Ayman Hassan Abd El Aziz Ismail
    Misha Jairamani
    Julie Majdi Hanna Jammalieh
    Chenshou Liu
    Hong Ching Liu
    Jake Lowy
    Dominik Machnowski
    Irtaza Malik
    Mohammad Malik
    Adam Ramy Farouk Hassan Marey
    Mazen Sherif Hassan Sadek Metwally
    Charles Myers
    Tin Cheung Ng
    Hyun Sung Oh
    Nicole Onyia
    Ronald Ossai
    Zhan Paterson
    Omar Sayed Mohamed Rayan
    Omar Rafat Samara Rizeq
    Abdullah Salman
    Kyran Scott
    Alex Seidel
    Syed Hasnain Abbas Hamdani Shah
    Jakob Sharpe
    Joseph Short
    Abdallah Ali Yousef Siyam
    Bassil Rabia Sleit
    Caitlyn Smith
    Thomas Standring
    Xiaocen Sun
    Mohamed Hani Mohamed Fouad Tawfeek
    Jack Teague
    Min Phone Thant
    Cheuk Him Noah To
    Keisuke Tsujie
    Ben Wallace (And the recipient of the BCS Chartered Institute for IT Prize for an Outstanding Computer Science or IT Project)
    Sherlock Wong
    Peter Yeates

    For Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (with a study abroad year):

    Richerd Joseph

    For Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (with an industrial placement year):

    Nathaniel Bates
    Lukas Hastings
    Pierre Khoury (And the recipient of the Crazy Catz Inc. Prize for an Outstanding Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Project)
    Omar Ayman

    For Computing for Business and Management:

    Gerald Amankwah
    Syeda Marina Kirmani
    Sara Sunil Mahale
    Ruben Sappal
    Saleh Mohammed S M Shareef
    Aly Ashraf Adel Aly Soliman
    Lauren Valentine
    James Waters

    For Computing for Business and Management (with an industrial placement year):

    Adith Gourneni

    For Computing for Digital Media and Games:

    Chin Chan
    Eva Gilson
    Lin Moe Hein
    Callum Hemsley
    Tevy Ho
    Lewis Hunt
    Lily Ingham
    Iok Lei
    Emma Nazareth
    Emmanuel Nwankwo
    Hafiza Rahman
    Tiger‑Lily Avery Sands
    Cammie Slutskin‑Benac
    Po Cheung Sum
    Gabriel Vasile
    Aaron Wilson‑Gokce

    For Engineering:

    Gabriel Gandi Goesantoso
    Amaan Kapoor

    For Product Design:

    Adam Allcorn
    Henry Gould
    Charlotte Harrison
    Zaki Hussain
    Milena Aleksandra Karwat (And the recipient of the IED Award for Best Final Year Student Project)
    Aimie McDaniel
    Alexander Moore
    William Northern
    Eli Tinapp (And the recipient of the Product Design Team Award for Most Circular Final Year Project)

    For Product Design (with an industrial placement year):

    Joshua Bragg (And the recipient of the Ben Miller Elevate Award 2026, the IED Award for Best Final Year Student Project, and the Product Design Team Award for Most Professional Conduct in the Final Year)
    Oliver Olsen
    Odysseas Rounis

    For the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Automotive Engineering (with an industrial placement year):

    Kieran Hayter
    Anushan Sureshkumar

    For Electrical and Electronic Engineering:

    Abdulla Salem A A Al‑Muhannadi
    Alhanouf Salman J M Al‑Musalmani
    Mashthal Hamza Ali
    Salem Hamad Salem Rashad Aljneibi
    Adam Crane
    Mohamed Ahmed Hashem Selim Makram
    Leon Render

    For Electrical and Electronic Engineering (with an industrial placement year):

    Josh Knight (And the recipient of the IET Prize 2026 for Best Student)

    For Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Robotics (with an industrial placement year):

    Conor Casey

    For Mechanical Engineering:

    Basir Abril‑Hernandez
    Ahmad Mohamed J S Al‑Jaber
    Hannah Alladina
    Jad Awada
    Yusuf Bhuiyan
    Louis Bonello
    Liv Camacho Wejbrandt (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Mechanical Engineering BEng Finalist Student)
    Alvin Cavaree
    Luke Daniel (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Mechanical Engineering BEng Project)
    Marios Djionis
    Jack Elson
    Mohammed Abdullah Ibrahim Fadhli
    Harrison Freear
    Josh Galibov
    Amelia Gilfoyle
    Jayden Griffin (And the recipient of the IMechE Institution Project Award for Best Project)
    Daniel Joyce
    Andro Kaldas
    Avinash Khiani
    Sunay Lenton
    Tolu Magbagbeola
    Konstantinos Moraitis
    Anna Mori
    Benjamin Moy
    Sasha Parakhnevich
    Wojciech Pietryka
    William Prescott
    Ben Pyne
    Fraser Randall
    Paige Roberts
    Melvin Rubio
    Nicolas Salas‑Shirley
    Ibrahim Saleh
    Dan Shafi
    Scharenyaa Shanmugeswaran
    Jack Smith
    Liam Snell
    Tyler Stoakley
    Umair Tariq
    Harry Tomlinson
    Alejandro Warren Sanchez

    For Mechanical Engineering (with an industrial placement year):

    Harry Beadle
    Omar Black
    Sky‑Reef Bollom
    Dan Everett
    Sam Grant (And the recipient of the MacQuitty Prize for best‑performing undergraduate across all Sciences; the IMechE Frederic Barnes Waldon Prize for Best Student; and an Outstanding BEng Finalist)
    Ben Haigh
    Giuseppe Montesanto
    Larisa‑Alexandra Vatafu

    For Mechanical Engineering with Robotics:

    Ata Kaplan
    Albie Sharman
    Michael Weddell (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Mechanical Engineering with Robotics BEng Project)

    For Mechanical Engineering with Robotics (with an industrial placement year):

    Isabella Cirigottis
    Mark Labib (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Mechanical Engineering with Robotics BEng Finalist Student)
    Aung Kaung Myat

    For Robotic and Mechatronic Engineering:

    Farah Aly
    Jack Brydon
    Yannick Filipe Teixeira Pires Delgado
    Omar Eldakrouy
    Mohamed AlMustafa Husham
    Mamoun Sabir
    Mahmoud Sadeq Mahmoud Sadeq
    Ahmed Zaytoon

    For Sustainable Automotive Engineering:

    Tudor Corinda
    Abhimanyu Gupta
    Ismah Irsalina Binti Irwandy (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Sustainable Automotive Engineering BEng Project)
    Mugdh Sangwan
    Mikail Zeeshan

    For the degree of Master of Engineering in Automotive Engineering:

    Oliver Wills (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Automotive Engineering MEng Finalist Student)

    For Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Robotics (with an industrial placement year):

    Yusif Al‑Doujaily (And the recipient of the prize for an Outstanding MEng Finalist)

    For Mechanical Engineering:

    Ethan Black (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Mechanical Engineering MEng Finalist Student)
    Jack Brittain
    Harry Lear
    Tomasz Papior

    For Mechanical Engineering (with an industrial placement year):

    William Innes Bushby
    Tayo Clarke

    For Mechanical Engineering with Robotics:

    Vincent Chong
    Derry Packer (And the recipient of the IMechE Best Mechanical Engineering with Robotics MEng Finalist Student and the Brian Roberts Prize for Best MEng Graduate)

    For Mechanical Engineering with Robotics (with an industrial placement year):

    Thomas Jays
    Toby Walker

    For the degree of Master of Science in Advanced Computer Science:

    Shahroz
    Rahul Vivek Kadam
    Jai Kumar
    Bisma Quisar

    For Artificial Intelligence and Adaptive Systems:

    Jun Hyung An
    Fabiola Detari
    David Finnigan
    Henry Darius Hunt
    Georgina Kamar

    For Computer Science (Conversion):

    George Bam‑Bam Ross Watson

    For Computing with Digital Media:

    Sonia

    For Robotics and Autonomous Systems:

    Assel Alen
    Chidiebere Ojingwa

    Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Master of Philosophy:

    Pranav Deep Indrakanti (Trustworthy Bidirectional Synthesis of High‑Field and Ultra Low‑Field MRI via Implicit Neural Representations)**

    Chancellor, I will now present to you for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy:

    Fares Saad Abomelha (A VARK learning style based recommendation system for adaptive e‑learning)
    Mona Alshehri (SA‑HEIKSP: An Empirical Validation of a Cloud‑Based Platform for Cross‑Institutional Knowledge Sharing in Saudi Higher Education Institution)
    Albertus Andito (Automated assessment and improvement of web scraping configurations)
    Lukas Gunthermann (Annotation assistance in human activity recognition)
    Xiaoyu Huang (Design, Experimental Validation and Optimization of a High‑Precision Linear Delta Robotic Platform for Microsurgery)
    Thomas Irps (Unsteady separated flow transition on simulated highly loaded controlled diffusion compressor blades)
    Jack Moss (On Granular Matter Under Cyclic Loading: Effects of Material Composition on Behavioural Responses)
    Marc Thatcher (Designing a high level programming language for interaction nets)

    I now present to you those graduands who are unable to be presented earlier in the ceremony.

    For the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (with a study abroad year):

    Nicholas Suchiu

    For Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence:

    Victoria Nachitalwe
    Yaoai Wang

    For Computing for Business and Management:

    Leroy Smith

    For Mechanical Engineering:

    Mahanned Elboghdadly
    Sarah Mohamud

    Chancellor, you have now met all the graduands at this ceremony, and the moment has come for the formal conferral of degrees of the şů«ÍŢĘÓƵ. I therefore ask you to confer degrees on those presented to you and to the other graduands who have indicated their wish to graduate in absentia at the ceremony."

    Chacellor "Graduands, if you're able to, if you wouldn't mind standing.

    By the authority vested in me by the Senate of the University, I formally confer degrees on all those aforementioned. Congratulations, graduates.

    Please take a seat.

    Well, congratulations again, everyone. You all looked great. Can I just say that? Most of you smelled great as well, it has to be said. And no one forgot their trousers. Pants, I'm not so sure about. I don't want to know.

    We hope that you will keep Sussex in your hearts and thoughts and remain connected to us and to each other as alumni.

    A chancellor is supposed to leave you with some words of wisdom. But honestly, look at this face. I'm not qualified to give anyone advice or wisdom, but here's some thoughts that I've had that you're free to use, ignore, or preferably improve upon.

    It strikes me that graduation is particularly a moment where people think about the future and planning for it. And planning and decision-making now, it seems more anxiety-driven as we're bombarded by uncertainties because of wars, politics, climate, identity, inequality, 24 hours a day from rolling news, and especially billions of unqualified opinions by people on social media. How many times have you heard the source of someone's worry being, "I read it on Facebook," or, "I saw a guy on YouTube who said..." And then the algorithm just feeds you more of the same, and hence doom scrolling.

    Because I feel that when we're overwhelmed by anything, grief, anger, anxiety, love, beauty, we lose perspective, even momentarily. And if we have to make a choice in that headspace, it may not be the choice we would make with a calmer mind. So I think it's important to feel everything, but even more important to get centered again as swiftly as possible and to find and look for positivity.

    So how do we find that stability? Well, we're all individuals. You're the only you that's ever existed, so you're utterly unique, as we all are. And so everyone will have their own path to it, but here are some of the ways that I try.

    My mum, who's the nicest person I've ever met, said to me once that to think of positivity as streams, the invisible streams that are running alongside you all the time, and those streams are made up of love and hope and compassion, humor, empathy. They don't stop while we go off and be overwhelmed with grief or anger or anxiety or anything. They're always running, but we forget that they're there, so we don't reach out for them. And sometimes we're told not to reach out for them. Those moments where somebody says, "Well, we shouldn't be laughing," but you go, why not? If it's funny, it's funny, right?

    So I try to remind myself to reach out for them or at least find people who practice those traits because speaking to a kind, calm person is the quickest way to get perspective back.

    And the other thing that I've kind of realized is gratitude is the healthiest state to be in because gratitude makes you feel lucky, and feeling lucky is like a kind of powerful protective force field around you. I feel lucky all the time. It's not comparative. It's not I'm lucky because someone isn't. It's not competitive. I'm not saying I'm luckier than you are or anyone. It's a feeling, and it doesn't depend on anything that happened to me specifically today, yesterday, or will happen tomorrow.

    It's an awareness of all the amazing experiences I've ever had, people I've met, places I've been to, things I've seen, music I've loved. Everything. Everything that makes me feel grateful makes me feel lucky. And so over the years, that's huge. That's a huge mass. And so if something doesn't go my way today, it's not going to take down that entire kind of mass of luck that I've had. And then everything that makes me feel grateful just adds to it. This ceremony, sharing these moments with you has made me feel really grateful and really lucky.

    And positivity for me is not thinking, "Oh, everything's going to turn out great." It's knowing that when things aren't great, when they're a bit crap, that that's not going to last, that it does change.

    I also try to practice radical empathy to try and understand and see something through someone else's eyes. Not because I think I'm going to change their minds or anything. And it is difficult with someone whose opinions I really can't stand, but I make the effort. I make the effort, not because I'm going to change something, but because it's a reminder to me of who I am. They can be whoever they want to be. I'm the person that will attempt empathy.

    I'm hardwired to find common ground, what unites us rather than divides us. Because if you think about it, disagreeing with someone after agreeing with them feels very different to agreeing with someone after disagreeing with them. One is reluctant and one is much more active.

    And also, I'm about finding solutions. Blame and stuff, can we leave that till later? Can we get past the problem first? And there's a better chance if we're working together, obviously.

    Maslow, famous for his hierarchy of needs, said that, "If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." So what you want to be in solving a problem is to have a diversity of opinions and experiences. If there's a problem that needs solving, I don't want to be in a room with 10 people like me. We'll really get on. We'll be hilarious. But we'll all have the same experiences and the same skill set. To solve a problem, I want 10 people who are completely unlike me and unlike each other, because that's going to be the broadest diversity of experiences and skills that we need. In Maslow's terms, I want a full toolkit.

    Planning. Just a word about planning. Planning's great, obviously, very useful. You see and build steps towards a goal. And a lot of people say after graduation, "Where do you see yourself in five years' time?" And people say, "I'd be in management or research. I'd like to be in a position to put down a deposit on a flat," or whatever that may be. And so what happens is that your conscious and subconscious then start working towards that. That's how these things work.

    I very rarely hear people say, "And be happy." It's not mutually exclusive. And surely if you say, "Yeah, I plan to be happy," your conscious and subconscious will work towards that as well.

    But planning is linear, right? It's steps of a ladder. You go one, two, three, four. That's how planning works. Life is the exact opposite. Life is a disruptor. Life is full of curve balls, unexpected coincidences, the WTFs, World Tennis Federation for the little children and very old people.

    So be happy with your plan, but if it gets disrupted, be fine with that. That is absolutely normal. All you have to do is decide what your next step is. Who you are is always, always your next decision. That's who you are. It's not what just happened to you.

    Seneca said, "He who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary," which is kind of obvious. If I experience anything that people might describe as a setback, my reaction is, "I don't know where this is leading. The story isn't over yet." And I've got lived experiences of these.

    So some of you may or may not know that many years ago, when I was applying to universities, Sussex was my first choice. I didn't want to go anywhere else. This was my first choice, and I didn't get in. Apparently, my grades weren't good enough. So I took my business elsewhere, and I waited for 25 years until all those people who were responsible for me not getting in had either retired, had been deported, were in prison, or just become plain dead, and I came back in as chancellor. So there, linear planning.

    All the disruptors. Disruption doesn't necessarily mean bad. It can mean good sometimes. I wanted to act and write since I was five years old, and I know this because when I was five, we had an uncle that came to the house that said to me, to a five-year-old, "Well, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And I said, "Actor." And my dad said, "It's pronounced doctor." Unfortunately, it is true.

    And so a career that I daydreamed about remained a daydream. And when I was just after 30 years old, I had to sue the last company I was working for for breach of contract, and that litigation took a couple of years. I couldn't get a job during that time. And so I thought, 32, I'll have a go. I've always wanted to act and write and I can't work anyway. And I could not have foreseen, and neither could anyone else, that within two years I'd be in a successful TV show and that would be the start of a career. And again, where was linear planning in all of that?

    So at the end of the day, I think what we can really give to each other, all of us, is compassion, acknowledgment, understanding, to be seen, to be heard. And the thing with compassion is the more you give, the more you have. It's a self-replenishing well. You never, ever run out of it.

    Regrets, they are pointless, can't change the past. But it struck me that the only reason that you'd want to change the past is because you've learned something. So take the learning and move forward with it, and leave regrets where they should be.

    I said at the beginning that your journeys are already epic, and it struck me that for all of us, our ancestors, going back as far as you want, they all experienced that existential crisis of why are we here. They all faced challenges in their time, things that overwhelmed them, but they survived. It's why we're all here. It's because they survived. And so all of us have survival genes in our DNA. So at any point when you're going through a rough period, just remember that. You're part of a history, an ancestry of surviving, and you will too.

    See, I told you your stories were more epic than maybe you thought.

    Anyway, I feel like I should give you some advice. Gosh. Okay. So, you know when you cook vegetables with the water, don't throw it away. Maybe use it as stock or the basis of a soup.

    I wish you all happiness, good health, and kindness in everything you do. Well done. We're super proud. Feel lucky. Go and be the best you.

    I officially declare this graduation closed."

Ceremony 12 at 1.30pm

  • Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine
    • School of Life Sciences

 

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