This page will be updated regularly. Last updated: 10:30am, Monday 30 September 2024

Events in the Middle East: support for our community

One year on from the Hamas atrocities of October 7 and Israel’s subsequent invasion of Gaza, we are ever more deeply concerned by the escalating conflict and violence in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Lebanon. 

As a University community, we continue to be appalled at the level of destruction and loss of civilian life as a consequence of the war in Gaza and conflict in the wider region: the plight of hostages, the huge number of civilian deaths and the humanitarian crisis.

We hold onto hope for a peaceful resolution, an end to the suffering, and the safe return of remaining hostages. Our highest priority remains the safety, security and wellbeing of our entire University community. We are committed to providing ongoing support to all students and staff during this difficult time and continue to strive for community cohesion.

We do not tolerate racism, hate speech or prejudice

We remain concerned about evidence from bodies such as the Community Security Trust (CST) and Tell Mama of the steep rise in antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents on university campuses in the UK.

As an inclusive community, we do not tolerate antisemitism or anti-Muslim hatred. We condemn in the strongest possible terms any incidents of racism or targeting individuals or groups for their religious, political or cultural beliefs. 

We would strongly urge any staff or students affected by any such incidents to report them to us via our Report + Support tool, or, where appropriate, the Police, so that they can be investigated.

Durham is a university where diversity is respected, valued and celebrated. We are committed to creating a community that values different perspectives and lived experiences. We are also committed to actively listening and maintaining open lines of communication with our students and staff so voices across our community can be heard, respected and supported.

How we're supporting our students and staff

Some of our staff and students, and our wider community, are personally affected by these very distressing events. We are doing all we can to support them, and continue to offer our compassion, care and practical support. 

We are communicating regularly with staff and students to outline the support and assistance available to them. 

With our Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) and other key University officers, we continue to work closely with all students and staff directly impacted by the conflict to provide individual and direct support whenever and wherever needed, including but not limited to our Durham Palestine Educational Trust (DPET) students, our Jewish Society and our Islamic Society.  We work with and through our colleges, Durham Students’ Union, our Chaplaincy Service and line managers.

We are actively keeping the situation under review so we can take appropriate actions. 

We are also consulting closely with colleagues in the Higher Education sector, including Universities UK. 

What support is available to students and staff?

As an international university with a deep commitment to social responsibility and democratic values, we are experienced in supporting people affected by humanitarian crises and conflict across the globe. 

Support available to students is wide-ranging. It may include academic, wellbeing or financial support from professionally trained staff.

Students have specifically asked us whether the impact of the conflict can be cited as a serious adverse circumstance in relation to their academic progress. We have confirmed this is the case. This is addressed in communications and Student FAQs.

Our students may contact their College Student Support Office, the Counselling and Mental Health Service and the multi-faith Chaplaincy Service.  Support is also available from Durham Students’ Union.

Our staff may seek support from their line manager and department. They also have access to our Employee Assistance Programme (internal access only), which is available 24 hours every day, and our Chaplaincy Service.

Further details of the support and assistance available for our students and staff is provided in our Staff FAQs and Student FAQs. Students may also see our Student Support hub: Student Support Hub (internal access only).

We uphold freedom of speech within the law, and promote respectful behaviours and community cohesion

We consistently and robustly uphold freedom of speech within the law and academic freedom. We are working to build a respectful and inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves and flourish no matter what their race, background, gender or sexual orientation.

We encourage respectful behaviours from everyone in our community.

We have wide ranging and world-leading academic expertise in areas such as Middle Eastern Studies and Jewish Studies, as well as international law, and peace and security studies. We actively encourage our academic staff to play a role in promoting expert understanding of all issues related to this and other global conflicts.

We are resolutely focused on supporting all our students, staff, and wider community. We will continue to do so, striving for community cohesion and condemning antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred.

Members of our community are of course free to express their views and concerns on this, as on any other matter. The University approach will be: 

• To ensure the welfare, safety and security of our students, staff and wider community, and to maintain and promote community cohesion
• To ensure respect for freedom of speech, the right to lawful protest and the expression of a diversity of views
• Not to permit interruptions to normal University business
• Not to tolerate any behaviours, or the development of any behaviours, that are hostile or intimidating from any group

Our support for our wider international community

We have reaffirmed our commitment to increasing the practical support on offer to higher education in Gaza. The University has already increased its financial commitment to scholarships for Palestinian students from the West Bank and Gaza and its direct support to some Palestinian academics.

We are also engaged in institutional and national discussions about the most effective way to help those students whose higher education has been interrupted by the war or who will need higher education in the future. 

We do so in dialogue with the Durham Palestine Educational Trust  and other bodies concerned with protecting and promoting higher education in conflict settings, including Universities UK.

The University adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition on antisemitism in line with the UK government and recommendations from the United Nations.  

The University also adopts the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia in line with UK governmental bodies.