In recent years, Cara’s Fellowship Programme has seen an almost 400% increase in appeals for help, driven by crises in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan and, most recently, the Middle East. In 2023, more than 220 Cara Fellows were placed in institutions across the UK.
Loughborough has been part of the Cara network for many years, allowing us to offer sanctuary and support to academics from around the world. For instance, Loughborough twinned with Beketov National University in Ukraine, as part of a Universities UK International initiative to enable campuses to stay open, academics to continue their teaching and research, and students to carry on their studies. Loughborough’s project with Beketov involved digital modelling and information management to aid the planning and delivery of post-war reconstruction.
It is vital that the University responds, where it can, to support both staff and students who are caught up in challenging environments. This is why we have formed the Loughborough University for Students and Academics At Risk Group (LUSARG), chaired by Professor Malcolm Cook, to put in place plans for temporary refuge for those from the higher education community around the world.
We know that the support we can provide to those at risk in Ukraine is different from that that we are able to offer to academics and students in regions such as Palestine and Lebanon. The destruction in Gaza is on such a vast scale and so it is more difficult for us to reach academics, students and the higher education communities within the region. We are working closely with Cara on opportunities, as they become available, to support scholars in Gaza and elsewhere.
The forms of support we offer through LUSARG will therefore vary and may include financial support in the form of short-term fellowships or scholarships, assistance with seeking accommodation, support with local community integration and language skills, and access to learning and scholarly resources.
Our relationship with Cara and our own Students and Academics At Risk Group are central to our strategic focus on fostering Vibrant and Inclusive Communities and to our vision of becoming a University of Sanctuary.
Support for staff and students impacted by conflict
If you, or members of your family and friends, have been affected by the ongoing situation in the Middle East or by conflicts elsewhere in the world, or if you are concerned about what is happening, the following support services are available to our staff and students.
Students
Student Services (Email: studentservices@lboro.ac.uk, Tel: 01509 222765) offer a range of support, including mental health and wellbeing, and advice specifically for international students. Support for London students is also available by emailing London-Welfare@lboro.ac.uk or calling 020 3805 1303/1351.
One-to-one support with an advisor is also available. If you would like to access this support, please complete the online referral form.
If you feel your studies are being affected, you can contact your Academic School or Personal Tutors so that we can provide the right support to you. If you wish, you can also submit an individual Mitigating Circumstances claim to explain how you have been impacted by recent events. More information on this can be found in the Student Handbook.
Staff
Colleagues can access support through our Employee Assistance Programme, as well as our Mental Health First Aiders.
Should you need some time away, we would like to draw attention to our compassionate leave arrangements, including our specific policy related to those experiencing trauma as a result of a protected characteristic (eg ethnicity, national origins, race or religion).
Our Staff Networks also exist to provide peer-to-peer connection and support.
The University Chaplaincy (Email: chaplaincy@lboro.ac.uk, Tel: 01509 223741) also offers a space for quiet reflection for both staff and students. University Chaplains are here to listen, to care and to help anyone within our community. No appointment is necessary.