The University recognises that conflict and war has led to devastating and ongoing humanitarian consequences in the Middle East, affecting people living in Palestine and particularly in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon and a number of other countries in the region. The impacts of the conflict, including loss of life, are being reported and regularly updated by the United Nations.

Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones and those who are concerned about family members, friends or colleagues. We offer our deepest sympathies to all those affected and we are engaging with those who have indicated they are domiciled in the region to offer support.

We recognise that the trauma of conflict and its humanitarian consequences, and the sense of fragility and uncertainty surrounding what will happen next, is deeply concerning for many members of our community and we are seeking to offer a range of support.

Please be mindful that some staff and students will be particularly concerned about family and friends in the region and about potential discrimination here in the UK. We want to ensure that our spaces on campus and across the city enable all members of our community to feel safe and supported.

As part of our current support offer, anyone with an @bath email address has access to Crisis24 Horizon. This free service provides 24/7 alerts of threats and disruptions, country risk analysis, and actionable safety and security advice. To access the service visit the login page, register as a new user, create a password, and verify your account using the link in the verification email.

If you are concerned about discrimination, either for yourself or others, please remember our Support and Report online tool, the SafeZone app and the availability of the Security team at all University sites on campus and in the city.

As an inclusive international community, we’d ask everyone to continue to be supportive of one another. You may wish to look at our #NeverOK Online toolkit for some guidance.

Staff and student support available to you through the University:

Steps taken so far

Working alongside student groups and The SU, the University has taken a number of steps to provide support in addition to those above. We are working in line with our commitments as a charity and with our Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom:

  • we have established a joint staff-student steering group to share information and enable dialogue
  • the University Executive Board has made financial provision of £374,000 (including tuition fee waiver) to support scholars from the region
  • in line with our commitment to the Council for At Risk Academics (CARA) we are now hosting a scholar from the region
  • we have joined HESPAL, the British Council’s Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians. We have welcomed three taught postgraduate students through this initiative so far and hope to welcome three more in the autumn of 2026
  • we have developed a new institutional policy to address support for victims of conflict, working collaboratively with relevant student representation and staff committees
  • we continue to liaise with a wide range of students and student groups to ensure our campus is a safe and respectful place for all.

Travel

The UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) regularly updates its guidance on travel to countries in the region. Please visit the FCDO Foreign travel advice webpages for guidance and contact details.

All staff and students planning international travel on University business are expected to follow University travel guidance and to seek approval from the International Travel Group before travelling to any country on University business where there is a UK Government Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advisory against travel.

We will publish updates to this message as needed.