Kevin Betts, Head of UK Recruitment, CEA.
Yesterday, we welcomed around 1,100 prospective students from BHASVIC to campus, one of the largest single school visits we host each year. It was an ambitious, energising day that reflected the scale of our outreach activity and, more importantly, represented something much bigger for us as a university: a tangible expression of our strategic priorities in action.
Across UK Recruitment (UKR) and Widening Participation (WP), we collectively host over 160 school and college visits on campus each year. Yet this visit, alongside the forthcoming Varndean event in June, stood out, not only because of the number of students attending, but because of its direct connection to where we want to go as an institution.
Recruitment in action
For me, the day represented recruitment at its most immediate and impactful. These are prospective applicants who are already likely to be familiar with Sussex. Our challenge and opportunity was to translate that awareness into genuine enthusiasm and commitment - and, longer term, into applications.
What made the approach so effective was its authenticity. Students did not just hear about Sussex; they experienced it. From the initial welcome and student life talk - delivered by current students who themselves came to us from BHASVIC - to subject specific taster sessions delivered across every Faculty, the day brought our academic offer and community to life.
It was particularly heartening that every Faculty and most departments took part. That level of engagement is what gives these visits their power. When academics go out of their way to contribute, it signals to prospective students that teaching and learning here is something we truly value, and that leaves a lasting impression.
Building our reputation, locally and beyond
Events like this also play a critical role in shaping our reputation. For many of these visiting students, this was their first in depth experience of Sussex. The quality of that experience - including how welcomed they felt, how inspiring the sessions were, and how easy it was to navigate campus - contribute directly to how they talk about us afterwards. Whilst academic input is critical, giving a wider experience of our top-class facilities, excellent accommodation offer and wide-ranging Professional Services is also very important. As prospective students weigh up the cost of going to university, it’s clear they want to ensure they make the most of everything available to them as a student.
Reputation is not built solely through rankings or campaigns; it is built through moments like these. A well-run visit, a compelling lecture, a friendly conversation on a campus tour: these are the stories that travel back into colleges, friendship groups and families. They influence choices in ways we do not always see immediately, but which matter enormously over time.
A focus on commuter students
The visit was also strategically important in strengthening our recruitment of commuter students, an area of growing focus for us.
There is a clear and sustained trend across the UK: more students are choosing to live at home while studying, driven by cost-of-living pressures, changing lifestyle preferences, and a desire to remain connected to their local communities. This is especially pronounced in regions like Sussex, where we have a strong local pipeline.
Events like the BHASVIC visit allow us to engage directly with this audience. The logistics of the day itself, from arrivals through Falmer Station, movement across campus, and the flow of the timetable, quietly reinforced something very important: that Sussex is accessible, connected and entirely feasible as a commuting university.
Beyond practicality, we needed to demonstrate that commuter students can fully belong here. That they can participate in student life, engage in their subject, and feel part of a vibrant academic and social community. The student life talk, campus tours and informal interactions all played a role in bringing that message to life.
A collective effort
Days like this did not happen without an enormous amount of coordination and collaboration. The event was expertly led by Accalia Plumber, our Schools and Colleges Visits Coordinator, with fantastic support from the rest of UK Recruitment, and our WP colleagues. It was a clear example of how cross team working enabled us to deliver something at real scale.
The structure of the day was tight but carefully designed: arrivals and welcome in the Jubilee Building, student life talks, a managed transition to campus tours, and then immersive taster sessions across campus before departure. This ran twice, morning and afternoon, to accommodate the full cohort.
It was a complex operation, but one that ran on the commitment and goodwill of colleagues across the institution.
Looking ahead
This visit will now be followed by a similar event with Varndean College in June, giving us another valuable opportunity to build on this momentum.
Looking back, the day was a moment to take pride in what we do so well: opening our doors, showcasing our strengths, and inspiring the next generation of Sussex students.
My thanks go to everyone involved, particularly our academic colleagues, for the time, energy and care brought to the event. It made a difference, and it did not go unnoticed.
Kevin Betts, Head of UK Recruitment, CEA.