Prevent Duty

Introduced under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, the Prevent Duty requires higher education institutions, including universities, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.

The Office for Students (OfS) oversees the implementation of the Prevent Duty within higher education. For detailed guidance and resources, please visit the Office for Students Prevent Duty page.

Our Approach

At UEL, we are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all our students, staff, and the wider community. As part of this commitment, we take our responsibilities under the Prevent Duty seriously.

Our approach to meeting the Prevent Duty focuses on safeguarding the welfare of our students, staff, and the wider community. We take a proactive, proportionate, and risk-based approach that balances safeguarding with our commitment to freedom of speech and academic freedom.

This approach is underpinned by our Prevent Policy, which outlines the university’s principles and expectations regarding the Prevent Duty, and our Prevent Action Plan, which details the measures and processes that support its implementation.

Raising a Concern

In an emergency call Security on 020 8223 7771 or dial 999.

If you have concerns about a student in relation to Prevent:

  • Email:  Wellbeing@uel.ac.uk 
  • In-person through the Student Support Hubs
  • Phone the Student Support Hub on (020) 8223 4444, who will redirect to the Wellbeing team, as appropriate
  • Through Report and Support

If you have concerns about a member of staff in relation to Prevent:

If you have any queries or require information on the Prevent Duty and how it is implemented, please contact the University’s Prevent Coordinator via prevent@uel.ac.uk.

Freedom of Speech

We are committed to upholding freedom of speech and academic freedom while ensuring a safe and inclusive campus environment. Our Freedom of Speech Code of Practice outlines the responsibilities of the university and individuals when exercising freedom of speech. 

External speakers

External speakers and events play an important role in enriching debate and learning. Our Procedure for Organising Events with External Speakers provides a clear, step-by-step guide for hosting such events, helping organisers meet legal, safety and policy requirements while supporting freedom of speech and academic freedom. External speakers and participants in events are expected to act within the law and must not incite violence, hatred or unlawful behaviour.

Use of IT Systems

We support the responsible use of digital resources. While academic freedom is respected, users should follow our Acceptable Use Policy (requires UEL login), which sets our expectations for the responsible use of digital systems. Creating, accessing, transmitting, or distributing extremist material or content related to terrorism is not considered acceptable use of University’s IT network. This does not limit legitimate academic research in these areas. If your work involves such content, please contact your School for support and authorisation.

Useful Links

Policies

Further information