The University of Sussex is the new official Higher Education Partner of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, bringing together two of the region’s best-known community focused institutions.

The new partnership will create opportunities for Sussex students and staff, and support community and civic initiatives across Brighton and the wider region. It will support student recruitment, particularly international recruitment, enable cutting-edge research, while also exploring ways for the two organisations to share expertise, knowledge and innovation, delivering lasting benefits for people across Brighton, Sussex and internationally.

Jim Andrews, Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary of the University of Sussex, said: "We are delighted to become the official Higher Education Partner of Brighton & Hove Albion and look forward to working with both their men’s and women’s teams. As two organisations with deep roots in Brighton and a global outlook, we share a commitment to excellence, innovation and making a positive difference in our communities."

The University of Sussex and Brighton & Hove Albion have a long history of collaboration dating back more than 30 years and the two organisations continue to work together on a range of initiatives.

This included last year’s inaugural Play with Pride football tournament, a community event delivered in partnership with Sussex County Football Association. Hosted at the University’s Falmer campus, the tournament brought together football clubs and community groups with a shared commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

Albion’s Chief Commercial Officer Russ Wood said: “The relationship between the club and the University of Sussex goes back a long way and we are delighted to strengthen those ties with this partnership, which brings together two forward-thinking organisations who want to make a positive difference in the local community, throughout Sussex and further afield through a range of collaborative and forward-thinking initiatives.”

The partnership reflects the shared commitment of the University and the club to making a positive contribution to the communities they serve. It also supports the ambitions of the University of Sussex’s Strategy 2035, which sets out its vision to create progressive futures through academic excellence, meaningful partnerships and positive impact, locally, nationally and globally.