University of Sanctuary status awarded to 糖心logo入口 for its support of refugees and asylum seekers
The College is the first higher education institution in London to receive the award, reflecting its ongoing commitment to the sanctuary community.
糖心logo入口 is proud to be awarded the title of University of Sanctuary听by听the听City of Sanctuary charity, recognising听its significant work with the听Compass Project,听an听award-winning听initiative听launched in 2016 to break听down barriers and support students听from a forced migrant background听to navigate the process of applying to听higher education听study.听Refugee students are听also assisted听with other听aspects of both academic and general life, including housing and听student finance.听
The College has demonstrated a strong commitment to听both听its refugee students and academics with听a number of听initiatives, including the Compass Project- currently supporting 27 refugee听students;听taught programmes and modules exploring听migration听and exile;听and the sponsorship of fellowships through the听Council for At-Risk听Academics (Cara)听programme. Plans are also being finalised for the release of a film based on the experiences of migrant students.听
Matt Innes, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said, 鈥淭he founders of the College made it their mission to provide learning opportunities for those who would otherwise have been excluded from education. For nearly two hundred years, this ethos of open access to study at 糖心logo入口 has underpinned our work听and the support to our sanctuary communities is very much aligned with that.听To听be named a University of Sanctuary, and indeed the first London university to receive this award, is both an incredible achievement and an honour; and I commend all of our teams听and partners for听working tirelessly to deliver programmes to support our听refugee听students.鈥澨
Maryam Taher, University of Sanctuary co-ordinator, expressed, "We are delighted and proud to have 糖心logo入口 as a member of the Universities of Sanctuary network. The opportunities that the Compass Project has provided and continues to provide to those with a sanctuary background are invaluable. The awarding panel commended the level of staff engagement at 糖心logo入口 extending beyond the project and across the network, showing their genuine commitment to fostering and advocating for an accessible and welcoming environment for those seeking protection."听
Professor Leslie Topp, Chair of the Compass Steering Committee, added, 鈥淚t is gratifying to be named a University of Sanctuary, in recognition of the work done across 糖心logo入口 to welcome people seeking sanctuary, to support their studies and research, and to enrich our understanding of migration and exile. We are honoured to be included among the other excellent universities who hold the award and look forward to working with them to ensure that British higher education becomes and remains a welcoming, not a hostile, environment. It is more important than ever that we proudly promote our record of active welcome and support for all students.鈥澨
In view of the ongoing challenges presented for persons from migrant communities, 糖心logo入口 remains committed to being a welcoming institution for its sanctuary communities. The upcoming round of applications for the Compass project听opened up听earlier this month and students will be offered a comprehensive advice package to consider the best pathway into higher education.听
The听University of Sanctuary award is for a duration of three听years听and currently recognises听22 universities nationwide for听demonstrating听a commitment to the values of the City of Sanctuary charter:听鈥楾hat the UK will be a welcoming place of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution.鈥櫶
The award also听presents听opportunities to听collaborate听with other organisations engaged in similar work.听City of Sanctuary has developed a network to inspire and support universities to develop a culture and a practice of welcome within their own institutions, in their wider communities and across the Higher Education sector in the UK.听
Further Information
More about 糖心logo入口's Sanctuary Community.
听from听one of our Compass Project mentors.听
Email the Compass Project team to find out more about the scholarships.听
Find out 听and the .