Professor Richard Follett is Associate Vice President at the University of Sussex. He oversees Sussex's international strategy, developing a global network of education partners in teaching and research. He is also Professor of American History and a specialist on the history of African-American slavery. He completed his PhD at Louisiana State University on a Fulbright scholarship and has held visiting faculty appointments in Nigeria, China, and Germany. Follett has more than a decade of senior university leadership experience, particularly in the field of international education. He speaks several languages, including Spanish (fluently) and has extensive experience of international education, recruitment, and partnership in the Americas, Africa, Middle East, and Asia.