University students smiled in the sun as they celebrated the end of their courses at their graduation ceremonies.

Students from the University of Sussex took to Brighton beach to celebrate their graduation with thousands of young people receiving their degrees.

New graduates posed in caps and gowns on the beach after walking across the Brighton Centre stage to mark the end of years of studying.

Students took photos with friends and celebrated with family members on the promenade as the event was blessed with sun and good weather this week.

Thousands of graduates have been celebrating the end of their studies at events throughout the week.

Among the cohort was Issy Waite, who at 21 nearly became the UK’s youngest MP when she took part in the General Election, losing to University of Sussex alum Kemi Badenoch by just 2,610 votes.

Other graduates also include Miysha Box, who helped to catalogue the university’s Black History Archives and launched the Black Studies library collection at the university.

Philosophy doctor Alister Scott, who has helped to run the Global Rewilding Alliance and has worked at Sussex Knepp Estate, also graduated 20 years after he completed his PhD having watched his own children walk the stage in 2022 and 2023.

The graduation ceremonies also included acclaimed author and conservationist Isabella Tree, who helped to found the Knepp Rewilding project with her husband, Sir Charles Burrell.

Isabella spoke to The Argus about the honour and applauded graduates who had been “inspired and galvanised” by their time working on the estate during their studies.

She said: “Nature will come back and surprise you in the most unlikely areas and become a biodiversity hotspot.

“The rareness and abundance of species that have come back have astonished everyone.

“There are enormous challenges ahead and a lot of that is in understanding to communicate what you have learnt at university.”