University of Sanctuary

Birkbeck is proud to be a University of Sanctuary. The Sanctuary status was awarded to Birkbeck in 2021 and is an accreditation in recognition of the work that the institution does to create a culture of welcome on its campus for members of the forced migrant community.

Birkbeck's vision is to continue to raise awareness of the sanctuary movement and the challenges facing the community in accessing education. It is committed to supporting those from a forced migrant background on its campus, whether they be students, staff, or members of the wider community in London.

The Compass Project at Birkbeck

Listen to staff, students and supporters of the Compass Project at Birkbeck, a programme that supports students from forced migrant backgrounds into Higher Education.

Find out more about The Compass Project

OUR SANCTUARY WORK

Birkbeck has various initiatives aimed at widening access to education for sanctuary seekers.

Sanctuary Mission

Birkbeck’s Sanctuary Award is held by the institution from 2021 to 2024. It continues to work closely with London and UK partners from Universities of Sanctuary.

The Compass Project

Birkbeck launched the Compass Project in 2016. Since then, we have supported people within the refugee community to access higher education.

University as a forced migrant student

We are committed to breaking down the barriers to higher education by creating a culture of welcome to refugee students.

The Compass Project Sanctuary Scholarship

The Compass Sanctuary Scholarship offers people seeking asylum the opportunity to study a degree at Birkbeck.

SANCTUARY NEWS AND EVENTS

Find out more about sanctuary activities and upcoming events from Birkbeck.

Compass film

Warsaw-based filmmaker and artist, Anna Konik, collaborated with seven current and former Compass students to make two films about their experiences.

Sanctuary events

Birkbeck hosts a number of events throughout the year bases on migration and the sanctuary experience.

Sanctuary blogs

You can read all about the activities that Birkbeck facilitates through our Sanctuary blogs.

STAR at Birkbeck

Birkbeck’s Student Action for Refugees (STAR) Society is made up of Birkbeck students who are passionate about campaigning for refugee rights to education.

THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY

Open Society University Network

OSUN is a global higher education network, with a focus on civic engagement initiatives. Birkbeck currently supports researchers through its Threatened Scholars Initiative.

CARA

Birkbeck is host to research fellows through the Council for At Risk Academics, a charity supporting academics who are at risk of persecution internationally.

Home and Exile Working Group

Academics at Birkbeck with an interest in topics associated with exile and migration formed the Home and Exile Working Group.

Access to Birkbeck Library

Birkbeck Library offers free membership to those with a forced migrant background.