We’re just over two years into the Office for Students Condition E6 at English higher education providers. In parallel, policymakers and leaders in nations like Scotland and Wales are collaborating with the sector to implement approaches that increase institutional accountability for student safety. As university professionals face more demands, they need to establish strategic partnerships that enable service delivery and demonstrate the positive impact of their initiatives on their communities.
The event explores collaboration within institutions and with external organisations to support activities that educate, prevent and respond to sexual harassment and misconduct. Partnerships differ from one institution to the next, with universities drawing on different areas of expertise and resources. While some universities opt to involve student unions to support student training and increase awareness during induction week, others are looking to Student Services colleagues to share their expertise with academic staff to help with consistency and effectiveness. Delegates will hear how different partnerships have been developed and the impact they can have on fostering a genuinely safer student and community experience.
While this event will update members about regulatory compliance, it will lean more towards the importance of taking a community- and people-focused approach when it comes to sexual misconduct and harassment. In doing so, the event will address what regulatory bodies expect of providers and discuss the sector’s progressive cultural shift.