Preventing radicalisation on campus

Staff have a duty to protect vulnerable students, writes Alison Goddard.

Universities must assess the risk of student radicalisation and train staff to identify causes for concern, according to new guidance published by the Home Office in the wake of the passing of the counter-terrorism and security act. We have a report, available only to full subscribers to HE, which outlines how staff will be expected to conduct risk assessments and train staff in how to challenge extremist ideas. Meanwhile a report into whether the killers of Lee Rigby were radicalised on campus has concluded they were not. The Daily Telegraph reports that Michael Adebolajo was a mediocre student whose marks were indicative of not attending lectures and seminars while Michael Abebowale was not a student at the University of Greenwich. The Times says that the inquiry found no signs that Mr Adebolajo had any links to radical Islam while at the university.

Disabled students will continue to receive state support so they can pay for their need to be met, after changes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance were delayed until 2016-17. Ruth Hannant and Polly Payne, the new directors of higher education at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, have written to vice-chancellors acknowledging that some institutions are not yet in a position to deliver a fully accessible service to students and that the changes will be deferred. The delay may be indefinite as the pair continue: "These changes would only be made once continued consultation with the sector and stakeholders has taken place." Meanwhile fresh from her fight with Rona Fairhead, Margaret Hodge, who chairs the Commons public accounts committee, has criticised the department for failing to notice a conflict of interest where a company that assessed the needs of disabled students also met those needs.