Honorary Graduates 2024: Professor Robin Banerjee

The founder of the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness, Professor Robin Banerjee, has been recognised as an Honorary Doctor of Psychology by the University of Chichester. Professor Banerjee is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement, and Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Sussex.

Professor Banerjee played a key role in developing a holistic approach to understanding the social and emotional development of children and young people, moving from a deficit model that emphasised identifying individuals with problems to a more strengths-based approach that focuses on how the socio-relational context can support mental health and wellbeing for all.

Amongst many achievements, Professor Banerjee founded the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness, which has brought together an interdisciplinary team of academics and diverse community partners across areas including education, social work, healthcare, business, and international aid, as well as psychology. His research centre illuminates, explores, and investigates kindness and its impact on people and communities. In 2021, he led the world’s largest in-depth research project on kindness, in partnership with the BBC, which involved analysing data on kindness and wellbeing provided by more than 60,000 people from across the world. The study is continuing to generate ground-breaking evidence on the power of kind acts.

Professor Banerjee said: “I am tremendously honoured to receive this special award and to be here celebrating with students on their special day. To be recognised for one’s work is a huge privilege and I am delighted to be here today.”