Dear student, As you will be aware from national news reports, there have been a growing number of instances of violent disorder breaking out in towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland in recent days which have resulted in targeted violence towards religious and ethnic groups within our society and damage to property. The University wholeheartedly condemns this disorder and we stand in solidarity against racism and Islamophobia with our institutional counterparts in the affected regions. As a multicultural University, proud of its diverse and inclusive community, we are distressed by these unacceptable acts. We are also mindful that students within our community will find the racist nature of the disorder to be deeply upsetting and worrying. The University is fully committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are striving to create a safe, inclusive and antiracist environment for work and study which celebrates the diversity of our community of students and staff. We are committed to challenging racism and racial inequality in our University. You can see our position here together with a list of University race equality groups and antiracism resources. Support services are available to all students should you wish to use them. The Student Advice & Support Office can be contacted on student.support@abdn.ac.uk or 01224 273935. The Multi-faith Chaplaincy is also open to all. If you need to speak to someone out of hours, the Student Helpline is available 24/7. SafeZone is a free app that connects you to the University security team if you ever need urgent help, see something suspicious or want to access wellbeing assistance. The UK Council for International Student Affairs also offers information and support. I hope this is helpful. Best wishes Tracey |
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