Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom (including external speakers)
The ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë is proud to offer all our staff, students, members and visiting speakers the opportunity to engage with a democratic teaching, learning and research environment that encourages debate and challenges received wisdom.
If you are a member of staff or a ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë student and are intending on having an external speaker at a University event, you must complete an external speaker procedure.
- For events being organised by a student, student group, staff member of department within the Students’ Union, please follow the .
- For events that fall outside of the Students’ Union remit, please complete the online External Speaker Request Form below using the ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë External Speaker Procedure as guidance.
University point of contact:
Louise Spenceley, Governance and Compliance Senior Manager - L.spenceley@sussex.ac.uk
Support available: Advice and guidance.
Each Faculty or PS Division should:
- Familiarise themselves with the Freedom of Speech and External Speaker Procedure
- Ensure the External Speaker Procedure is completed for all external speakers.
Relevant webpage(s):
External speaker request procedure: Policies and guidance: Governance and Compliance: ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë
/about/academic-freedom-and-freedom-of-speech
Compliance indicators:
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You have mechanisms in place within your Faculty or PS Division to ensure the University's External Speaker Procedure is completed for every external speaker event, outside of the remit of the Students' Union External Speakers Procedure. |
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All staff within your Faculty or PS Division are aware of the University’s Freedom of Speech Code of Practice. |
University External Speaker Procedure at a glance:
- Stage 1 – Self-Assessment
- Stage 2 – Local Assessment
- Stage 3 – University Assessment
If you answer YES to EITHER self-assessment questions, you must proceed to Stage 2 (Local Assessment) and contact your Executive Dean or Professional Services Director. Please retain details of action taken within Stage 2, for audit purposes and progression to Stage 3 (where required).
You only need to move on to Stage 3 (University Assessment) if the Stage 2 assessment does not result in an approval of the event.
To proceed to Stage 3, please contact l.spenceley@sussex.ac.uk providing full details of all the action taken within Stage 2.
Please complete one form per event and in accordance with the Freedom of Speech and External Speaker Procedure. Where there are multiple speakers attending the same event, please provide details of each speaker in the space provided. Please ensure that you consider the self-assessment questions in stage 1 for each speaker.
*Please note that if the political/reputational etc climate around a topic has changed since the risk assessment is conducted, it is the organiser's responsibility to review ahead of the event. *