Independent Members of Council
19 hours ago
Brighton
The University of Sussex is a diverse and globally minded community of staff, students and alumni. We work together, and with partners near and far, to make the world a progressively better place by educating generations of change-makers and by creating, disseminating and applying ground-breaking knowledge and understanding. Sussex’s distinctive commitment to interdisciplinarity continues to open new ways of thinking and solutions to environmental, scientific, social and technological challenges. Council is the University’s senior governing body, and its role is to act in the best interest of the University as a whole, ensuring it strategically delivers its mission to high standards with the necessary financial stability and long-term sustainability. Council has 20 members comprising the Vice-Chancellor and President, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, 11 independent members, five staff members and two student members. Council meets three times a year for full meetings, with two shorter interim meetings and an annual away day. Council members are normally expected to take on a role on at least one sub-committee of Council. In a rapidly changing external environment – with increasing financial, regulatory and reputational pressures across the UK higher education sector – this role offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to the governance of a distinctive, values-led and globally engaged University. Independent Members of Council Independent members play a vital role in Council’s oversight, bringing external perspective, independent judgement and constructive challenge. They contribute to informed decision making and to Council’s collective stewardship of the University’s strategy, resources and institutional performance. The University of Sussex is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process it is Council’s clear stated aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities. The University particularly welcomes applications from women, people from black and minority ethnic communities, the LGBT+ community, and from disabled people. How to apply For further details on the role, please visit To apply, please send a covering letter and CV to ___ by noon on Friday 20th February 2026.