As part of the Westminster Conversations series, the University of Westminster hosted a roundtable discussion to identify strategies for enhancing the support available for students from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds.
On 2 April, 22 attendees gathered at Fyvie Hall to discuss ways to enhance the University’s support for students from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds. As part of the Westminster Conversations series, the event was sponsored by the University’s Quintin Hogg Trust-funded equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) programme, Westminster for All.
Attendees included students, academic and professional services colleagues from across the University, and external participants from UK charities supporting asylum seekers and refugees. Organisations present included Refugee Education UK, Breaking Barriers and Lion Voices, who offered their first-hand expertise into Westminster’s strategy.
The roundtable was moderated by Dr Natasha Ramachandran, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Westminster and featured a variety of speakers from external organisations. Panellists included two current undergraduate students with refugee backgrounds, Mohammad Amin Alipour, a Westminster Foundation Year student, and Sam Pordale, an undergraduate student from the University of Warwick and member of the Universities of Sanctuary steering group. In addition, Lydia Nyachieo and Eleftheria Ktenas from Refugee Education UK and Ilaria Tarulli from Breaking Barriers spoke about the work of their organisations.
Panellists from left to right: Sam Pordale (University of Warwick), Lydia Nyachieo (Refugee Education UK), Ilaria Talluri (Breaking Barriers), Mohammad Amin Alipour (Student at UOW), Eleftheria Ktenas (Refugee Education UK)
Discussion centred around the needs of students from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds and the support currently available at Westminster, such as the Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarships, before moving on to develop an action plan for the implementation of a refugee and asylum-seeking student hub to address the established needs. Attendees focused on what services and resources the hub should provide, including post-admission support and a holistic approach to mental health, academics, housing and financial wellbeing, and how these can be tailored to support the specific needs of individual students.
Dr Natasha Ramachandran
Westminster colleagues will build upon the insights gained from the roundtable to host further events that celebrate the diverse cultural backgrounds and amplify the voices of the University’s refugee and asylum-seeking student population. Colleagues in attendance will also collaborate with the University more widely to develop a dedicated student hub.
About the event Dr Ramachandran said: "The energy and commitment demonstrated during the roundtable were truly inspiring. This focused action plan represents a significant step forward in ensuring our refugee and asylum-seeking students receive the tailored support they need to succeed and feel a genuine sense of belonging within our university community."
Professor Lilian Miles, Co-director of the University’s newly-launched Research Centre on Peripheral Populations (RCCP), commented: "A meaningful and timely event which resonates with the values of our University. We created a forum to explore how we can better support students from asylum-seeker and refugee backgrounds. These conversations are crucial, part of building an inclusive and supportive university community for everyone."
Professor Cangbai Wang, founder and Co-director of Westminster’s Hub On Migration, Exile, Languages and Spaces (HOMELandS), added: "As a London-based global university, supporting the well-being and integration of refugee students and the wider communities is one of the objectives of our impact-oriented research. We are delighted to support this roundtable event that creates a valuable and much-needed space for having an open conversation on how to understand the needs of students and better support this community, contributing to the building of a more equitable and inclusive educational environment for all students."
This event directly contributes to several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including 3: Good Health and Well-being, 4: Quality Education and 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion events at the University of Westminster.
