Essex celebrates being a University of Sanctuary

The University of Essex is celebrating after being reaccredited as a University of Sanctuary by national charity City of Sanctuary UK.

Accreditation as a University of Sanctuary recognises its commitment to ensuring its campuses and wider communities are a welcoming, safe, and inclusive place for refugees and asylum seekers.

The University became a University of Sanctuary in 2020 and is now accredited for a further three years.

City of Sanctuary UK said the University of Essex had not only met status expectations, but gone them “beyond” them in many aspects of its work.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Kellard said: “We continue to demonstrate our strong commitment to sanctuary seekers through our scholarships, academic and pastoral support, student engagement and collaborative partnerships. We also provide visible endorsement of the City of Sanctuary vision by supporting public engagement.

“We remain committed to working with external partners including the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA), Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant Action (RAMA), Colchester City Councill and other Eastern Arc universities and local organisations. We want to continue making a meaningful difference where we can."

• Read Professor Kellard’s blog on being a University of Sanctuary

Refugee Representative at the University of Essex Students' Union, Marta Haba said: “I am delighted to witness our University's reaccreditation as a University of Sanctuary. This accolade underscores our shared commitment to creating a nurturing and inclusive environment for refugees and asylum seekers.

“The Students' Union is proud to have worked closely with the University, contributing to this significant achievement. This reaccreditation for another three years highlights the dedication and collaboration between the Students' Union, the University, and all involved. It is a testament to the values we uphold and the continuous efforts we make to ensure our community remains a safe and welcoming place for all.”

The University of Essex supports refugees and asylum seekers directly through its Sanctuary Scholarships, while its researchers are involved in a whole range of regional, national and international projects related to refugees and asylum seekers.

This includes the Centre for Trauma, Asylum and Refugees (CTAR) which supports academics, researchers, practitioners, activists and human rights workers working in refugee care and with people facing involuntary dislocation.

The University is also a lead organisation within the Global Academic Interdisciplinary Network (GAIN), a global alliance of universities and research institutions which works together with the UNHCR and other stakeholders to influence policy and research around refugee, forced displacement, statelessness and sanctuary issues.

The University is now looking at how to improve support as part of its role as a University of Sanctuary. This includes listening to feedback from Sanctuary Scholarship students to further improve provision and working with the Students’ Union on student-led initiatives such as Student Action for Refugees (STAR).

More information is available at: www.essex.ac.uk/about/sanctuary