University of Sussex Launches UK’s First Kindness Research Centre
The University of Sussex has made headlines by setting up the UK’s very first research centre dedicated solely to kindness. The Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness unites experts from psychology, business, education, social work, medicine, and media to explore how kindness impacts individuals and communities across the country.
From Theory to Practice: Kindness at the Heart of Wellbeing
Building on groundbreaking projects like The Kindness Test, which examines people’s attitudes to kindness and its effect on health and wellbeing, the Centre is also home to a pioneering online Post-Graduate Certificate in the Psychology of Kindness and Wellbeing at Work. This course is a first for any UK university, developed by Sussex’s top academics in psychology and business.
Backing from Pears Foundation and Star-Studded Launch
With three years of funding from the Pears Foundation, the Centre plans to work closely with communities and organisations to spread its findings and make society a bit gentler. The launch event, hosted by BBC’s Claudia Hammond, featured panels with experts from Sussex’s Media, Arts and Humanities, Business, Law, Politics, and Sociology departments.
Voices Behind the Movement
“After the chaos of the pandemic, studying kindness is more crucial than ever,” says Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor at Sussex. “Kindness could be the key to bringing people together to solve big social challenges.”
Dr Gillian Sandstrom, Director of the Centre, added: “We want to team up with organisations and communities to share research that helps make the world kinder. As someone who studies the power of talking to strangers, this launch is very close to my heart.”
Sussex Pioneers Kindness Science
The University has a stellar track record in kindness research, including studies on the brain science behind charitable giving, what drives people to be kind, how adolescents’ kind behaviours affect their wellbeing, and the impact of spotting kindness on social media.
