Safety and security
Keeping you safe on campus
Once you start student life at the University, there are lots of ways you can feel more secure. Part of that is knowing who to contact and how to look out for your own safety.
Home to our very own Police Officer, Community Support Officers and Crime Prevention Coordinator, the team is based on our Edgbaston campus.
This is simple. If there’s an emergency, call 999. Then call Security Services if you’re on campus to alert them (University’s 24-hour emergency helpline: 0121 414 4444).
The Community Safety Team is here for the community to be safe and feel safe. The team runs a drop-in advice service at the Community Safety Hub for both staff and students, offering help and support with safety and crime prevention.
The Security Services Team is on duty 24 hours a day all year round, patrolling campus, monitoring CCTV, greeting visitors at the gates, overseeing the SafeZone app and planning for emergencies. They’re ready to listen if you have anything to report.
SafeZone is our mobile app designed to give you extra peace of mind on campus and at university accommodation.
The SafeZone app is free to download and easy to use. You can use it to:
- Check-in at any time of day – share your location so we know where you are on campus if you’re working/studying alone
- Quickly and discreetly call for assistance – whether it’s for first aid or in an emergency
- Report something – if you see something that isn’t right, you can report it via the app.
Any student or staff member can use the SafeZone app to get assistance on campus. The app will directly connect you to the appropriate safety/security team or first responder for that area, who will provide the assistance you need.
If you need assistance outside of the University campus, the app will still help by providing your GPS location and prompting you to call 999 in the event of an emergency.
Download SafeZone
Search for 'SafeZone' on Google Play or the App Store and download. Alternatively, you can scan the QR codes on this leaflet to get started.
Open the app, enter your University of Birmingham email address, and select ‘The University of Birmingham’ from the top of the screen.
A non-emergency is any situation that needs our attention, but doesn’t pose an immediate significant risk to the life or safety, of a person or property. You included, of course. It could be if your bike was stolen overnight, or you see what looks like criminal damage.
For any incident like this, report it to the police on their non-emergency number: 101. The police will give you a crime report number, which you should then share with the security team.
Keep safe when cycling by:
- Wearing a helmet when cycling
- Following the rules of the road
- Signalling clearly
- Making sure you’re easy to see, especially in the dark, with reflective clothing and lights on the front and rear of your bike.
And to keep your bicycle safe, you can:
- Use a D-lock to secure your bike when you’re not riding it
- Get your bike property marked by our safety team.
The University of Birmingham has a very low crime rate, and is a safe place to study, live and work. Yet theft can sometimes happen. So what do you do in the event of a crime?
Simply report it to our Security Services and the West Midlands Police.
Call the Police first on 101, or report the crime online.
Then, report it to Security Services on 0121 414 3000, sharing the crime report number the Police give you.
If it’s an emergency, call the Police on 999. If you’re on campus, you should then call Security Services on 0121 414 4444.
We all have a part to play in creating a safe and welcoming place for everyone who studies, works and lives here. So whether you’re a student living on campus, renting privately in the local area or just passing through to socialise or work, you’re a part of our community.
It’s our shared responsibility to keep it welcoming, safe and inclusive. That means behaving respectfully to each other, and reporting those who don’t.
Hopefully, none of this will ever be a problem for you. But if you’re affected by any form of antisocial behaviour, please contact Security Services for help.