The Sussex And The City Podcast

– Episode #48

Universities, Knowledge and the Future of Sussex Prosperity (Part Two)

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Professor Sasha Roseneil – Vice-Chancellor, University of Sussex

🔍 Episode summary

What role should universities play in the future of Sussex?

As devolution reshapes local decision-making and the higher education sector faces mounting financial pressures, universities are being forced to think differently about their purpose, their partnerships and their place within local economies.

In this episode, Richard Freeman speaks with Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, about the future of higher education and why universities remain critical to innovation, economic growth and social mobility.

This conversation follows Richard’s earlier discussion with Jo Havers from the University of Brighton and forms the second part of a wider exploration of how Sussex’s universities contribute to the region’s future prosperity.

Together they discuss the challenges currently facing the sector, including funding pressures, changing attitudes towards degrees, student finance and the future relationship between education and work. Sasha argues that universities are far more than providers of qualifications. They are places where new knowledge is created, where future industries emerge and where people develop the adaptability needed to thrive in an uncertain world.

The discussion also explores the University of Sussex’s growing civic role within the county. From the Civic University Agreement to skills development, research partnerships and economic strategy, the conversation examines how universities can help shape a more connected, innovative and ambitious Sussex.

Along the way, they discuss artificial intelligence, quantum computing, regional identity and the opportunities that a future Sussex mayor could unlock through closer collaboration with higher education.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Sussex Intelligence Unit, the independent research platform from the team behind Sussex and the City, providing evidence-led insight into growth, infrastructure, governance and belonging across Sussex.

🎯 In this episode

• Why universities are facing significant financial pressures
• Whether degrees still represent value in a changing economy
• How universities help people navigate uncertainty and change
• The University of Sussex’s global outlook and local impact
• Why research universities matter for economic growth
• The Civic University Agreement and its ambitions for Sussex
• Collaboration between universities, colleges and employers
• The future relationship between higher education and devolution
• Quantum computing and the vision for a Sussex innovation cluster
• What long-term prosperity could look like across Sussex

🧠 Key themes

Universities are more than teaching institutions

Higher education plays a crucial role in generating knowledge, developing future industries and preparing people for complex and changing careers.

Economic growth depends on research and innovation

Universities sit at the centre of many of the technologies and industries that will shape future prosperity, from artificial intelligence to quantum technologies.

Civic leadership is becoming more important

Universities increasingly recognise their responsibility not just to global research communities, but also to the places and regions they serve.

Sussex needs stronger collaboration

The Civic University Agreement reflects a growing belief that universities, colleges, businesses and public institutions can achieve more by working together.

Opportunity remains uneven

Despite Sussex’s strengths, significant inequalities persist across the county. Addressing these disparities will be central to any long-term vision for prosperity.

Devolution creates new possibilities

A future mayoral authority could provide new opportunities for strategic investment, partnership working and innovation-led economic growth.

💬 What Sasha says

“Universities are the engines of economic growth.”

“What university, at its best, gives students is resilience, adaptability and the ability to ask difficult questions.”

“The whole region will be stronger if it wasn’t as unequal as it is now.”

“We can do far more if we work together than if we work individually.”

“It’s not about building boundaries around Sussex. It will be a strong region in a strong country in a globally connected world.”

🧠 Why quantum could matter to Sussex

The University of Sussex is home to world-leading research in quantum technologies and physics. The university is helping develop proposals for a Sussex-based quantum innovation cluster, building on strengths in research, advanced manufacturing and specialist engineering. The ambition is to create a globally significant centre for next-generation technologies within Sussex.

🎓 About Professor Sasha Roseneil

Professor Sasha Roseneil has been Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex since 2022 and is one of the UK’s leading social scientists. Before joining Sussex, she held senior leadership positions at University College London (UCL), where she served as Pro-Vice-Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Dean of the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences, and previously at Birkbeck, University of London.

Her academic work has focused on social change, citizenship, identities, relationships, gender, social movements and the ways people build communities and belonging. She has published extensively on questions of social transformation and has led major international research projects examining how societies adapt to cultural, economic and political change.

🎧 Production credits

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Professor Sasha Roseneil Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue

📣 Get involved

👉 https://sussexandthecity.info — episodes, resources and events

👉 https://sussexintelligence.com — research, insight and analysis on Sussex’s future

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