Speakers
Presentation
As university communities become increasingly diverse, how can chaplaincy evolve to meet their changing needs? This session explores the distinctive role of multi-faith chaplaincy in supporting students of all faiths and none, navigating religious, cultural and political differences, and fostering dialogue and belonging. It considers how chaplaincy can contribute to student wellbeing and campus cohesion, and its growing importance within university student support services.
Dr Sachi Patel is the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Coordinator at SOAS University of London and Hindu Chaplain at King's College London. He is the first Hindu chaplain to lead a university chaplaincy in the UK. He also serves on the Executive Committee of UK HE Chaplains Together, a national network bringing together chaplains from different faith and belief traditions to share good practice, support one another and strengthen chaplaincy across the higher education sector.
At SOAS, his work focuses on multi-faith pastoral support, student wellbeing and fostering dialogue across religious and cultural differences. He also leads the SOAS Global Citizenship Programme, which brings students together to explore questions of identity, faith and global responsibility, encouraging meaningful dialogue across difference and engagement with contemporary global challenges. Dr Patel has over
Dr Patel has over fifteen years' experience in chaplaincy. He holds an MPhil in Classical Indian Religions from SOAS and a PhD in Hindu Theology from the University of Oxford. He is the author of a monograph in the Routledge Hindu Studies Series on politics and religion.