What action are universities taking on sexual misconduct and harassment?

Manchester Metropolitan University works across professional services to deliver a coherent approach to student support on harassment and sexual misconduct. All staff at the university receive guidance on how to respond to a disclosure, and a range of holistic provisions is accessible to students. This includes: 

• Student Welfare Team: trained to respond to all forms of harassment and sexual misconduct, with additional specialist support training as Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs). This team also leads on preventative education and awareness activities.
• Counselling, Mental Health and Wellbeing Service: support students who make a disclosure, as well as those against whom allegations are made during their studies.
• Student Case Management Team: investigate complaints and allegations under the Student Code of Conduct and are trained in trauma-informed practice in relation to investigative interviews. 

The London School of Economics (LSE) has developed a mandatory consent education programme comprising of an online module and a 90-minute in-person workshop. In the first weeks of the academic year 2024-25, LSE reached approximately 60% of their new student intake, with 6,400 students accessing the online module and 4,500 students accessing the in-person workshops. To maximise the reach of the programme, the in-person workshops were embedded within the induction programmes of all 25 academic departments welcoming new students. The content was delivered by 45 paid student facilitators and included: 

• Scenario-based content aimed at building a positive respectful culture on campus.
• Information about the active bystander model.
• Report and Support pathways.

In preparation for the implementation of the OfS condition of registration on harassment and sexual misconduct, LSE are revising their approach to ensure they can reach all new students. This includes revising opt-out processes, developing a specialist module for survivors and improving communication with students. LSE are partnered with Culture Shift to share learning on how training can support higher education institutions to transform responses to harassment and sexual misconduct, as illustrated through Culture Shift’s Exceeding Regulations paper.

Lancaster University has implemented a tiered training framework for staff based on role and responsibility level. Launched in 2023 to support safeguarding, the framework approach has been developed using best practices from AMOSSHE and establishes a consistent, systematic, university-wide approach to staff training on harassment and sexual misconduct. The structure assigns staff to both mandatory and recommended training based on their responsibilities and has been received positively by staff and service managers: 

• Level 1: All staff are required to complete a core training package covering awareness, prevention and freedom of speech.
• Level 2: Those in student-facing roles will complete this core training package, plus First Response Training.
• Level 3: For staff employed to provide specialist support to students, such as Student Casework Officers, the core training package, First Response Training, and Specialist Response Training are required.
• Level 4: Staff employed to conduct investigations, such as Student Conduct Officers, will complete awareness and prevention training, and Specialist Investigation training.
• Level 5: University senior management and governance are briefed on their accountabilities and responsibilities in relation to harassment and sexual misconduct, and complete training on equality, diversity and inclusion.