The University of Southampton is a diverse and multicultural community and is home to, amongst other nationalities, a number of East Asian staff and students. We are proud of this diversity and our priority is to ensure that all students and staff joining our University feel safe and supported.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, racially motivated incidents, particularly against East-Asian people, have been reported in the press and in February 2020 we published an open letter setting out our solidarity for the Chinese community. In the summer of 2020, we issued a joint statement on our work around race and ethnicity.
In early 2021, following a brutal attack on one of our academic colleagues in the Woolston area of Southampton, we affirmed our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive culture where all feel able to report a racist incident and feel confident that it will be investigated.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is at the core of the University of Southampton’s strategy and mission to change the world for the better. Therefore, we take racial equality very seriously and have a zero-tolerance stance on racism. Our vision is that this is a community where we truly listen and actively engage with each other, understand the impact of our actions, and lead and influence social change.
We wish to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for all students and staff. The University Diversity Team works to ensure staff and students feel welcome, included and valued. The SUSU Advice Centre offers free and independent support to all University students. Students can also contact Student Services for free support and advice. The Report and Support platform allows all students and staff to report incidents of harassment, discrimination or hate (anonymously or otherwise) and receive appropriate support.