Access, Belonging, and Opportunity: Supporting Sanctuary Students at Warwick

We are pleased to share that Warwick has been successfully reaccredited as a University of Sanctuary. This recognises our continued commitment to welcoming people seeking sanctuary, supporting local refugee communities, and taking an active role in learning about the issues and obstacles faced by this group in pursuing higher education.

We caught up with Emma Cann (Head of Social Inclusion) and Paul Blagburn (Head of Widening Participation and Social Mobility), who Co-Chair the Student Diverse Journeys Advisory Group, to find out how the University supports sanctuary students, our key priorities and how staff and students can get involved.

How does Warwick support refugees and people in the asylum system?

Emma:The work we’re doing in this area builds on Warwick’s original purpose when it was set up in 1965, to ‘increase access to higher education’. We are committed to ensuring that people seeking sanctuary can access, succeed in, and progress from a world-class education at Warwick.

What is the Student Diverse Journeys Advisory Group?

The SDJ Advisory Group provides direction to Warwick’s policy and practice to enhance access to and experiences in higher education for sanctuary-seeking, carer, care leaver, and estranged people.

How do we create a culture of safety, solidarity, and empowerment for people seeking sanctuary?

Paul: Staff work with local councils and refugee charities, run community activities, and organise events to promote awareness of sanctuary issues and experiences. Student societies, particularly Warwick STAR, run campaigns, host events and activities, and volunteer locally. Plus, research undertaken by our academic staff in collaboration with national partners continues to share people’s stories, expand our understanding of sanctuary issues, and influence policy in this area.

Particular thanks go to Michaela Hodges in the Social Inclusion team, who has project managed this work and Emily Watkins in the Widening Participation team, who supports our undergraduate and postgraduate taught sanctuary students.

Why is being a University of Sanctuary important for Warwick?

Emma: Higher education transforms and enriches people’s lives but currently only 7% of people seeking sanctuary successfully reach higher education. We were among the first universities to be granted Sanctuary status and have held it proudly since 2017.

Being a University of Sanctuary reflects our values and strategy - we are international in outlook, our education aids social mobility, and our social inclusion work is creating a culture of belonging and inclusion where students and staff can reach their potential.

Being a University of Sanctuary supports our vision to be a force for good, both locally and globally.

Professor Michael Scott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) said:

“As we mark our 60th anniversary, we celebrate Warwick’s past and future as a globally connected university with a strong social purpose, and being a University of Sanctuary is a vital part of that. Being international is in Warwick’s DNA, and our commitment extends to those displaced by conflict and crisis. We are proud to welcome the perspectives and resilience of sanctuary seekers into our diverse global community, and to offer a safe, inclusive, and empowering environment where all can thrive.”

Kulbir Shergill, Director of Social Inclusion, said:

“This work is a reflection of our Social Inclusion Strategy in action, and I’m proud of the role our Social Inclusion team has played in driving this work forward. It's about removing barriers to ensure that people seeking sanctuary can access a world-class education and creating a culture that supports them in achieving their potential. Being recognised as a University of Sanctuary reinforces our commitment to building an inclusive community where we truly thrive on difference.”

What are Warwick's goals for the next phase as a University of Sanctuary?

Paul: We have developed an action plan based on a review of our provision and processes, informed by engagement with our sanctuary students and internal and external experts on sanctuary issues.

Our key priorities are to:

• Increase access and ease transition into university.
• Improve the sanctuary scholarship guidance and application process.
• Raise awareness of sanctuary issues and equip staff to support students.
• Collaborate regionally, nationally, and internationally to share knowledge and good practice on sanctuary work.

There is more information about our work in this area at Universities of Sanctuary Award – this page will be updated as we progress this work.

How can staff and students support this initiative?

Emma: One of the most valuable things we can all do is educate ourselves - our Sanctuary introductory training gives insights into the life of sanctuary students and our Refugee Week resources support learning about sanctuary issues. Other ideas and things to do to create a culture and practice of welcome can be found on our WhatYouCanDo webpage.

There are a number of organisations locally that staff and students can volunteer with to support people seeking sanctuary in Coventry such as Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre.

Where can I hear from sanctuary students?

You can hear personal experiences in blogs by students and alumni such as My journey and what access means to me by Hannac, and A journey to be seen as human again by Attal.

And you can learn more about sanctuary issues at Najoom, a blog series by Warwick STAR.

You can also read about two of our sanctuary students, Angel and Sam, being named on The Big Issue’s 100 Changemakers 2024 list.

As part of the Humans of Warwick series, Sam Pordale shared his inspiring story of restarting his life in the UK.