View in your browser

Dear friends,

As we head into the summer, it's been inspiring to see the number and range of scholarships being announced for the new academic year as universities across the UK sustain and strengthen their commitments to widening access for people seeking safety.

We were delighted to see that Times Higher Education shared details of some of the Sanctuary Scholarships offered by so many of the universities in our network. In this newsletter, we also share a snapshot of some of the scholarships available but make sure to register any new scholarships on the Displaced Students Portal so applicant students can easily access all possible opportunities. For any university interested in further developing their scholarship offer, please join me and the Student Action for Refugees Team for our next Scholarship Staff network meeting on the 24th April. Email Lara at STAR to register your interest.

We've also been pleased to see efforts from universities to take a reflective and evaluative approach to their sanctuary journeys - with the University of Cumbria developing a blog to capture their progress and the Oxford Brookes University launching a project in partnership with local organisations and institutions to ensure their sanctuary efforts have the most impact. 

Finally, in this edition we share our guidance for universities on responding to the crisis in Palestine which is an attempt to tie together current initiatives that universities can engage with, advice from HE and refugee sector organisations, and feedback from Palestinian institutions. We hope that the document can help your institution plan your responses in line with our shared sanctuary values and ethos.

Read on for a range of upcoming events, new job opportunities and PhD studentships and the latest resources and opportunities!


Kind regards,
Maryam, Universities of Sanctuary Lead & City of Sanctuary North West Regional Coordinator
maryam@uk.cityofsanctuary.org

Guidance for Universities on Responding to the Crisis in Palestine

The University of Sanctuary Steering Group has produced this guidance on how UK universities can support Palestinian students, teachers, academics and institutions.

This is an attempt to tie together current initiatives that universities can engage with, advice from HE and refugee sector organisations, and feedback from Palestinian institutions.

Read more
Follow our UoS Journey

The University of Cumbria has started a blog to track their University of Sanctuary progress, sharing details of organised lectures and workshops, new scholarships and partnerships they have been developing as part of their journey.

A wonderful idea and we look forward to seeing where you go!

Read more
Evaluating the Journey to Sanctuary

Oxford Brookes University has announced a new project exploring access to and experiences of transitions to education and employment among asylum seekers and refugees in Oxford in order to improve welcome and inclusion at Oxford Brookes and enhance local practice-based research. 

Read more
Upcoming Events
  • 23rd April @ 13.30: Practical and Compassionate Alternatives to Detention. (Detention Action & Universities of Exeter and Leeds). Online.
  • 24th April @ 12.00: University Staff Scholarship Networking Call. (STAR and Universities of Sanctuary. Email Lara to join.
  • 25th April @12.00: RefugEAP Network Meet Up #4 - Pre-sessional English language courses: University telecollaboration as a driver of Global North/South student contact for engineers. RefugEAP.
  • 13th May @ 14.00: Action planning for sanctuary - humanitarian support for refugees and people seeking asylum at the University of Dundee. (City of Sanctuary UK and the University of Dundee)
  • 6th June @ 12.00: RefugeEAL Network Meet Up #5. RefugEAP.
  • 15th June - Launch of new guidelines on the temporary relocation of human rights defenders within universities. (University of York). Register interest.
New Resources
  • Guidance: Guidance for Universities on Responding to the Crisis in Palestine .(Universities of Sanctuary)
  • Event Recording: Third Annual Sanctuary Lecture at the University of St Andrews, with writer Dina Nayeri and Dr Roxani Krystalli. (University of St Andrews).
  • Action Group: Get involved with ELT Professionals for Palestine. (ELT Professionals for Palestine)
  • Opportunity: English Test Fee Waivers. (Duolingo)
  • Opportunity: Free English Language Testing. (Password English)
  • Call for Partnership: Brilliant Club Sanctuary Scholars' Access Programme. (Brilliant Club)
New Scholarships
  • A range of 4 scholarships from the University of Leicester. Deadline 12th May. Learn more.
  • 2 undergraduate scholarships from QMUL. Deadline 20th May. Learn more.
  • 2 undergraduate scholarships from Nottingham Trent University. Deadline 16th June. Learn more.
  • 3 PG and 3 UG scholarships from Cardiff Met University. Apply by July. Learn more.
  • 5 scholarships from the University of Manchester. Deadline 24th May. Learn more.
  • 3 scholarships from the University of Swansea. Deadline 6th June. Learn more.
  • 12 scholarships from the University of St Andrews. Deadline 24th April. Learn more.
  • 2024 Master's TESOL Scholarship for a Refugee from A.S. Hornby Educational Trust at the University of Exeter. Deadline 20th Mary. Learn more.
  • Grants and Scholarships available from the Schwab and Westheimer Trust. Learn more.

For all available scholarship opportunities, refer to the Displaced Students Portal.

Wanting to share opportunities from your university? Sign up to the portal to update and advertise your scholarships, support & more.

Job Opportunities
  • Funded PhD Studentship for Forced Migrant: "MIGMOBS refuge - Global inequalities, mobility struggles and contested presence for forced migrants from the Middle East in the UK” - University of Leeds. Deadline: 29th April
  • STAR Network Volunteer - Student Action for Refugees. Location: Remote/London Deadline: 7th May.
  • Fundraising and Communications Manager - Hope for the Young. Location: London. Deadline: 14th April.
Stay Connected
  • Are you a Higher Education professional who wants to hear about updates, recourses and news from the HE and refugee sector? Sign up to the Universities of Sanctuary Jisc List.
  • Do you have lived experience of seeking sanctuary and want to hear about latest updates about scholarships, training & funding to access university? Sign up to STAR'S Access to University Mailing List.
  • Want to stay connected on the go? Follow Universities of Sanctuary on X (formerly Twitter).

Together, we are building a culture of welcome. If you understand the vital importance of building sanctuary in universities and beyond, please dig deep and help City of Sanctuary UK to support the Universities of Sanctuary network during these very challenging times. Click here to donate. Thank you.

City of Sanctuary UK is a registered charity, no. 1184613.

 Unsubscribe

 Twitter