Tags: Universities
NSS welcomes guidance which promotes free speech at universities
Posted: Fri, 15 Feb 2019
The NSS has welcomed official guidance which aims to ensure universities "remain a forum for open and robust enquiry". Read More »
JCHR: “confusion and complexity” restricting campus free speech
Posted: Wed, 28 Mar 2018
A parliamentary committee has said critics of religion are among those whose free speech is most likely to be restricted at universities. Read More »
NSS: promote free speech as “a positive value” on campus
Posted: Fri, 15 Dec 2017
The NSS has told a parliamentary committee free speech should be protected "not only as a legal concept" on university campuses. Read More »
Student U-turn over Christian Union ban at Oxford College
Posted: Thu, 12 Oct 2017
Organisers will allow the Christian Union to exhibit at future freshers' fairs at an Oxford college, after an earlier decision to ban it. Read More »
LSE accepts gender-segregated event was unlawful
Posted: Fri, 29 Sep 2017
LSE has accepted that gender segregation at an Islamic Society dinner was unlawful after an NSS-backed complaint. Read More »
43% of universities restrict speech that might “offend” religious people
Posted: Mon, 13 Feb 2017
University administrations are becoming increasingly "censorious", with 43% of universities censoring speech that might "offend" religious people, according to online magazine Spiked. Read More »
EHRC to investigate gender segregation at Islamic faith school
Posted: Fri, 06 May 2016
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has been asked by the Department for Education to investigate an independent Islamic school that segregated its staff by gender. Read More »
Students launch #Right2Debate campaign, as protest planned against NUS no-platform policies
Posted: Mon, 29 Feb 2016
A student-led free speech campaign supported by the counter-extremism think tank Quilliam is urging for reform of campus debate, as the NUS faces calls from secularists and ex-Muslims to revise 'safe space' policies. Read More »
NSS welcomes Warwick Student Union’s decision to allow Maryam Namazie to speak
Posted: Mon, 28 Sep 2015
The National Secular Society has welcomed Warwick Student Union's decision to host secular campaigner Maryam Namazie. The Union reversed their ban on her speaking following huge public pressure. Read More »
Warwick Student Union bans ex-Muslim activist and says speakers must “avoid insulting other faiths”
Posted: Fri, 25 Sep 2015
Maryam Namazie has been blocked from speaking to the Warwick Atheists, Secularists and Humanists' Society after the Student Union said the ex-Muslim campaigner could 'insult' religion. Read More »
Prime Minister 'blinkered to ignore role faith schools play in segregating communities'
Posted: Mon, 20 Jul 2015
Despite criticising "segregated" education, Prime Minister David Cameron has defended the continuation of faith schools in a speech on counter extremism. Read More »
Renewed warnings of extremism on UK university campuses
Posted: Tue, 14 Jul 2015
New research has warned that a 'culture conducive' to non-violent extremism has emerged on campuses and that universities are still vulnerable to radical preachers, despite past warnings. Read More »
Bath Student Union says decision to cut Jesus and Mohammed sketch was “in line with normal practice”
Posted: Mon, 11 May 2015
Bath Student Union has defended their decision to cut 'blasphemous' material from a student group's comedy show, saying that it is "normal practice" for Student Union officers to edit scripts. Read More »
Bath Student Union and university chaplains blocked comedy sketch material on Mohammed and Jesus
Posted: Mon, 27 Apr 2015
Student Union officials and university chaplains ordered a line featuring Mohammed cut from a student comedy show, because it caused "great offence." Read More »
NUS votes to work with group accused of supporting Islamic extremism
Posted: Thu, 23 Apr 2015
The National Union of Students has voted to work with Islamic 'civil rights' group Cage, against the Government's counter-terror and counter-radicalisation strategy. Read More »
Homophobic preacher invited to address University of Westminster Islamic Society
Posted: Mon, 23 Feb 2015
Sheikh Haitham al-Haddad, who once said "godless homosexuals" engaged in a "criminal act", is to be hosted by the University of Westminster Islamic Society. Read More »
NUS rejects motion on Iraqi/Kurdish solidarity citing ‘Islamophobia’
Posted: Wed, 15 Oct 2014
The National Union of Students' National Executive Committee has rejected a motion condemning the Islamic State and endorsing solidarity with the Kurds and Iraqi people after opponents branded it "Islamophobic". Read More »
Equality and Human Rights Commission: gender segregation at campus events “unlawful”
Posted: Mon, 21 Jul 2014
The National Secular Society has welcomed new legal guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission clarifying that gender segregation of university and campus events is unlawful. Read More »
Universities can segregate women and men for debates, says university guidance
Posted: Tue, 26 Nov 2013
A report just published by vice-chancellors' group Universities UK, has advised that segregation by gender in talks from external speakers is fine. Read More »
Birmingham college drops ban on face veils
Posted: Tue, 10 Sep 2013
Birmingham Metropolitan College, which earlier this week issued a ban on all face coverings on college premises, has now modified the policy to permit the wearing of niqabs or Muslim face veils. Read More »
