University of Sussex
Preferred Partner University of Sussex is one of the Aziz Foundation's preferred partners. They share our core values and actively promote Widening Participation at the postgraduate level.
Preferred Partners in Focus: university of sussex
The University of Sussex are piloting a BAME Student Ambassador’s programme, which will act as a means to support BAME students, increase awareness on the measures needed to tackle the degree awarding gap, and promote understanding on the diversity of BAME communities. BAME Student Ambassadors will receive advocacy training and will work in tandem with academic schools, utilising data to improve BAME student outcomes.
There is also a Muslim Student Centre on campus, working in conjunction with the Muslim Chaplain, to nurture an atmosphere welcoming to Muslim students.
Institutionally, the University arranges organisational development training for all staff, including unconscious bias training as mandatory.
Ilyas Nagdee | MA Criminology and Criminal Justice
I’ve taken up a post as Amnesty International UK’s Racial Justice Lead, where I head up our external-facing policy and campaigns work on racial justice. I have also been designated as one of the AI UK spokespeople, enabling me to make interventions in the public debate on recent pieces of legislation which will have a harmful impact on racialised communities in Britain, including the Policing Bill and Nationality & Borders Bill.
Additionally, I have co-written and published a book – ‘Race to the Bottom: Reclaiming antiracism’.
Aisha Younis | MA Environment, Development and Policy
I chose to study Environment, Development and Policy, for a number of reasons. A quote from Julia Schonneberg particularly resonates with me: “the researcher needs to be a witness, a commentator, maybe even an advocate, rather than an observer”.
As we get closer to irreversible climate tipping-points, the need to reinforce political and significant study in support of environmental justice is urgently needed. We cannot be ‘mere observers’ as students and researchers. It is with this outlook that I approach my studies, to critically assess and centre climate justice solutions when translating the socio-economic and political factors that have led to the environmental crisis we face today.