Help and support

Where a member of the University community is involved in an incident of sexual misconduct or harassment, the University ensures that there is a range of holistic support options available to them to support with all aspects of their University experience.

Where we use the term student on this page, this is inclusive of our full-time campus-based students, our apprentices, our exchange students, our part time students and those who are studying online or at an alternative location.

If an individual is in immediate danger, is in an unsafe situation, or cannot keep themselves safe we would always encourage them to dial 999 and seek support from the emergency services. If they are on campus or within University managed accommodation Campus Security can also provide in the moment assistance.

Any disclosure made either in person or online to any of our support services or members of staff will be treated sensitively and with confidentiality. All our University services handle information, including personal details, in line with data protection legislation.

Our Report + Support website provides a disclosure portal and curates a wealth of internal and external specialist support services which may be beneficial. Students can report their experiences, and should they choose to do so, access the support of a trained Responder.

Students may opt to use the University Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, accessing support either from Wellbeing Officers in Schools, from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team Practitioners, or through using UBHeard

The Community Safety Team can provide advice and support on personal safety and have dedicated liaison officers from the local police service, included a dedicated liaison officer who supports students who wish to report sexual misconduct or harassment to the police.

If you are a Post Graduate Research student, we understand that you need a service that is designed for you. We have a dedicated area for PGR Wellbeing on our student intranet pages.

Extensions, Extenuating Circumstances and Leave of Absence

We understand that if a person is subject to sexual misconduct or harassment it will impact every aspect of their lives, including their academic study. Alongside the support from Wellbeing Teams students have support options with their academic studies which both Wellbeing Teams and their Personal Academic Tutors can advise on.

The University has formal processes so students can access additional time to complete assessed work or defer examinations to a later date to ensure they have the time and space to complete work which is reflective of their true ability.

If you need additional time to complete an assignment and the deadline has not yet passed, you should apply for an extension. You can find information about our extensions process and the forms to make an application on the intranet page Guidance on Coursework extensions for UG and PGT students

If it is within the last 24 hours before your assignment is due, or you need to apply to defer an exam to the supplementary period you will need to apply for extenuating circumstances. The guidance on this, and forms to complete can be found on the Student Intranet Extenuating Circumstances page.

There may also be times when someone needs to take some time away from their studies, and the Leave of Absence process is designed to support students who need to explore this.

If you are a post graduate research student, there are specific regulations and processes which apply to you for both Leave of absence and Extensions

Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals

The University has a dedicated Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals process and you can use this process to make a formal complaint if you have experienced sexual misconduct or harassment from another member of the University community.

The Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals page on the Student Intranet contains all the details of the steps you need to take in order to make a formal complaint, alongside details of how the process works and who can support you during it.

The Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals team provide information and support to any student who is involved in a complaint case, whether they are under investigation, an observer or witness or the person initiating the complaint.