If you or someone else is in immediate danger or are seriously injured, we advise you to contact the emergency services on 999 (or 112 from a mobile phone), where it is safe and possible to do so.
If the incident you are reporting has just happened and you are on campus and need assistance, please call Campus Security on ex 3333 or 01227 823333, or activate the SafeZone app.
From 1 August 2025, universities across England must meet new regulatory expectations from the Office for Students (OfS) on how they respond to harassment and sexual misconduct. These regulations require a clearer, more consistent approach to student support, policies, and procedures.
To comply, we have introduced the following measures:
We have developed a policy for staff and students that reflects our commitment to a culture of consent and respect across our campuses. It sets out the procedures followed when an incident of sexual harassment or misconduct is disclosed, including:
We pledged our committed to the campaign seeking to end the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence those who come forward with complaints of sexual harassment, abuse, or misconduct. The University of Kent is proud never to have used NDAs.
Our revised policy recognises the power imbalance that can exist between staff and students. It therefore states that relationships between staff and students are strictly prohibited. The policy places responsibility on staff members to recognise their professional and ethical duty to protect students’ interests and uphold the University’s reputational standards. · Consent Module for staff and students We have introduced a consent module for both staff and students. This training is designed to help our community:
We have also introduced mandatory Sexual Misconduct Awareness training for all staff. The training explores definitions and University-specific examples of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment in the workplace, why such behaviour may occur, how to support and respond to staff and students affected by it, the guidance and support available, and the Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment Policy. Our aim is to ensure that all staff are able to respond appropriately if they receive a disclosure of sexual misconduct.
For more detailed and specific information about our procedures, definitions and guidance for all aspects of staff and student response to sexual misconduct and harassment follow the below links:
The University's sex-positive campaign to cultivate and strengthen a culture of consent in our community of staff and students.
We are asking all students and staff to complete our Consent Training module as this is now a recommendation from the national Office for Students (OfS) that all Universities introduce training around consent and harassment and sexual violence as part of a whole UK approach to tackling sexual violence (E6).
The University of Kent is committed to ensuring that all our students have completed this module. For more information on E6 and the Office for Students, please see the OfS website. There is support available to students that would find completing this module distressing, and you can request to withdraw from consent training.
