This message was updated 1 October 2024 to reflect the latest situation
This page provides practical advice about how we protect the health and safety of our community while ensuring lawful freedom of speech and debate, and highlights support and resources available for our staff and student community.
We are committed to nurturing a culture of compassion and care, as laid out in our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We want to make sure our community is a diverse environment where people and ideas thrive.
Protecting your safety
The safety and wellbeing of all our students and employees is our top priority.
Everyone has the right to feel safe, secure and supported when they are on our campuses and in our halls of residence.
Our community safety and support team is here to help 24/7. They protect students, employees and visitors from harm and make sure that the campus is safe, welcoming and inclusive.
Find contact details for the team on their webpage or contact them in an emergency via the SafeZone app.
What other support is available?
Our wellbeing services are there for any Imperial employees or students who are in need of support. These dedicated hub pages provide guidance and ways to access support.
Our Confidential Care line offers 24/7 support and counselling for staff.
Students are encouraged to speak to their Student Wellbeing Advisor, personal tutor, academic advisor or supervisor if their ability to study or conduct research is being affected.
Our Chaplaincy Multi-Faith Centre is here to help you thrive, whether you follow a major world faith, have a mixed spiritual heritage or do not see yourself as religious.
Bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct
Acts of bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct are not acceptable. Imperial uses the Report and Support tool, which allows you to disclose unwelcome behaviours such as bullying, harassment, sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, racial discrimination and more.
Anyone who feels that they have encountered harassing speech or behaviour is encouraged to use our Report and Support tool.
Beyond Imperial’s own community, organisations like TellMama or the CST can provide specialist support for those experiencing racially-motivated prejudice or discrimination.
Making your voice heard: freedom of speech and protest
We are committed to freedom of speech and freedom of debate and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that members of our community can express their views safely and lawfully on our campuses.
At the same time, we must all consider the impact of the manner in which those views are expressed on other members of our community.
Our campuses must be a place where free debate and protest can take place while, at the same time, being an environment where our staff and students can carry out their work and studies safely and without significant disruption or intimidation.
Imperial will continue to take a stand against all forms of racist or hateful behaviour, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. Any incidents will be taken extremely seriously. Any protest that becomes hateful, unlawful or constitutes harassment or bullying will not be tolerated.
Key information
- What is Imperial’s position on world affairs?
- The situation in the Middle East
- What is academic freedom and how do you protect it?
- What is Imperial doing?
- Guidance for managing events on Imperial’s campuses
- Ethical research and investment
We do not engage in ongoing commentary on geopolitical events, or adopt or endorse the views expressed by groups within or outside the university.
As an institution of higher education, Imperial provides an open forum for debate and exploration of all topics, no matter how challenging.
Everyone is welcome to participate in debate in a respectful manner that is within the law. It would be impossible to adhere to this core principle in a robust and consistent way if the university were to provide running commentary on geopolitical events that are not directly connected to our core mission. It would also undermine the university’s ability to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students and staff, which is our highest priority.
The impact of the ongoing and evolving crisis in the Middle East remains deep and far reaching.
Members of our community are directly affected and the events of the past year understandably arouse strong feelings.
In addition to our commitment to freedom of speech and debate, we recognise the impact that such events have on our community. Representatives of the University Management Board and Imperial College Union have met with representatives of affiliated student societies during the summer to discuss their concerns.
As distinct from freedom of speech, academic freedom is the legal right of teachers and students to teach, study, and pursue knowledge and research without unreasonable interference.
Article 7 of Imperial’s Charter [PDF, 167KB], which forms part of our employees’ terms and conditions, states:
Academic staff shall have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom, and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or privileges.
These provisions are protected by employment law and could not be amended without following all legal steps, including full consultation with the trade unions. Academic freedom is also protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, providing the strongest legal protection for this right.
Further information can be found on our Freedom of Speech webpages.
Support for displaced academics
Imperial has been proud to partner with CARA – the Campaign for At Risk Academics – since 2020. Researchers that have taken part in the programme have gone on to enjoy successful careers, and some have continued their employment in their research group at Imperial following their placement. In May 2024, Imperial announced that it will support an additional eight fellows.
Our Sanctuary Scholarships provide financial packages for Undergraduate students and Postgraduate students from displaced communities.
To enhance the visibility of this provision, Imperial has updated its scholarships search tool to show both open and closed scholarships.
Support for displaced students
Our International Student Support team provides support to applicants who are navigating the UK Visa process. We have enhanced the support available through the new dedicated point of contact in Student Services for students who are refugees. This role, the Student Support Coordinator (Forced Migrants) can be contacted by email. They are the first point of contact for all students who have experienced forced migration – including refugees and asylum seekers. They can provide practical and emotional support through a student’s time at Imperial, including peer mentorship as well as dedicated activities and events. Students in this situation will have the ability to apply for funding to help with costs relating to their studies or extra-curricular activities, for example attending interviews.
We have published online guidance to help you set up and run an event safely.
This includes a risk assessment form that must be completed for any event held at Imperial. This is necessary to help us protect the safety of all members of our community. The risk assessment form [Word, 60KB] can be read online.
Imperial’s investments are covered by Imperial’s Socially Responsible Investment Policy.
The policy states: “All investments within the Endowment will align with major international accords and relevant regulation and legislation. Therefore, the College and its fund managers will be signatories to the UN Principles of Responsible Investment.”
Research relationships at Imperial with external parties are subject to the Relationships Policy [PDF, 229KB].
Imperial is in discussion with the Imperial College Union about how they can engage student representatives in a forum about our Socially Responsible Investment policy.