The award acknowledges the university's efforts over the past seven years to support students, staff, and local people who have been forcibly displaced. The university began its journey towards this status in 2019, signing a pledge at the launch of Portsmouth City of Sanctuary.
A dedicated Sanctuary Working Group, comprising staff, students, and individuals with lived experience, has spearheaded these initiatives in collaboration with local charities such as Friends without Borders and Portsmouth City of Sanctuary. These efforts include running weekly English classes, providing oral health visits through the University's Dental Academy, and supporting over 30 individuals annually through the Fostering Integration and Thriving Through Physical Activity (FITTPA) project.
Since 2021, the university has offered an annual undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship, with eight awarded to date and four students having graduated. The university also maintains a relationship with the Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara), providing a safe haven for researchers whose lives or careers were threatened in their home countries.
Fiona Hnatow, Chief People Officer at the University of Portsmouth, stated, “Supporting people who have been forcibly displaced has been part of who we are as a university for a long time... This recognition celebrates that ambition, and the partnerships with local charities that have helped shape it.”
The award will be reviewed every three years, with the university planning to continue its work through a comprehensive plan focusing on support for students and staff, student volunteering, and ongoing consultation with local organisations and individuals with lived experience.
Dr Charles Leddy-Owen, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Chair of the University’s Sanctuary Working Group, highlighted the concrete impact of their work on marginalised people, stating, “We are providing opportunities for students and colleagues who would not otherwise be able to study or work as academics, clients who would not otherwise be able to access legal advice, as well as more everyday but important activities such as an English class.”
Maryam Taher, Universities of Sanctuary Programme Manager at City of Sanctuary UK, chaired the appraisal panel and commended the university's institutional commitment to sanctuary, noting the breadth of representation and the Vice-Chancellor’s description of the university as a safe space.
