Petition for UCL to Become More Refugee-Friendly Gains Popularity

UCL HAS BEEN CALLED TO ACCEPT REFUGEES AND INTEGRATE THEM INTO UNIVERSITY LIFE.

An over 400-strong petition has asked Gower street university to enhance their support programmes in an effort to aid potential refugees who choose to enroll.

The UCLU Student Action for Refugees (STAR) created the petition to support the student and saff lead research group, UCL Refuge in a Moving World, in their proposal to create support services for refugee students.

The proposal has been submitted to the Vice Provost, Anthony Smith.

UCLU STAR have said that “as London’s ‘Global University’, UCL has an institutional and moral responsibility” to create a “refugee-friendly environment”.

The proposal includes a reconsideration of current scholarship options and the creation of two new ones in order to focus more on the specific needs of refugees.

It also calls for a programme to teach refugee students about the UK’s educational system, funding for refugee students to be able to take UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates and foundation courses, and the creation of support units and leading groups to ensure the organisation of all these activities.

They also have expressed the belief that by creating these support systems, UCL would be “empowering students from across the globe”, further aiding the university’s goal to become an internationally-acclaimed institution.