Sanctuary - University of Kent Jump to content Sanctuary Sanctuary at Kent The University of Kent is working to be a safe and welcoming place for refugees, asylum seekers, and others who are displaced or forced to migrate. Help us make a real difference to students seeking sanctuary. Support Sanctuary fund FREEDOM: Co-create with us FREEDOM is a participatory visual arts project that brings together refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, students, and community members to explore the meaning of freedom through creative expression. Through a series of workshops, participants will create sculptural human figures representing a wide range of emotions connected to journeys, uncertainty, hope, resilience, and belonging. Together, we can create representations of voices that are often unheard, encouraging dialogue, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the human experiences behind migration. FIND OUT MORE We are a University of Sanctuary We are proud to announce that we have been awarded ‘University of Sanctuary’ status in recognition and celebration of our values and the work we do to exemplify a commitment to welcome people seeking sanctuary. The Sanctuary Award means Kent joins a list of other prestigious Universities of Sanctuary – including our partners through the Eastern Arc research consortium whose upcoming conference will focus on themes related to migration and movement. Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, Acting Vice Chancellor at Kent said: ‘We are honoured by this award and proud to be part of a movement that stands for compassion, dignity, and inclusion. As a university, we are committed to creating a place of safety and belonging for all." Find out more Visit from the Sanctuary Awards team Photos from when the Sanctuary Awards team visited Kent, where the panel learnt about the various initiatives, scholars and local partnerships that we have been supporting. 'Home' Sanctuary Scholar Ismael Nchoutnsu Nsangou recites his poem about separation, uncertainty and refuge. Alumna dedicates her career to social justice After graduating from Kent Law School in 1999, Sian Summers-Rees has worked with refugees and asylum seekers and in her current role as Chief Officer for City of Sanctuary UK. She champions cities and institutions to become places of welcome and inclusion for those seeking refuge. Sian tells us about her work Sanctuary activities Supporting Academics We work with CARA (Council for At Risk Academics), who provide urgently-needed help to academics in immediate danger. CARA Student Action - STAR Student Action for Refugees society is a student-led organisation that advocates for refugee rights and seeks to welcome refugees and asylum seekers on campus. STAR group at Kent Sanctuary scholarships A fee waiver and maintenance grant allows some refugees and asylum seekers the opportunity to receive a University of Kent education. Sanctuary scholarships Eastern ARC Unis Together with Sussex, Essex, and East Anglia, we are collaborating on joint research projects, events and ideas to bring our communities together. Eastern ARC Ukraine Uni Twinning We collaborate with Kherson State University in Ukraine to support an institution deeply impacted by the ongoing war. Find out more about our partnership with Kherson State University Work with us Would you like to collaborate on our Sanctuary initiatives? Email us to work together, or give us feedback at engagement@kent.ac.uk. Get in touch Student Refugee Week Student Refugee Week, from the 17th-21st March is an opportunity for students to galvanise and engage with the issues during term time and immerse themselves in stories of lived experience. 'Asylum Monologues' Performance Actors for Human Rights (AFHR) bring Ice and Fire to Kent to perform ‘Asylum Monologues’; first-hand accounts of the people who have experienced the UK’s asylum system. Watch a sneak peak Re-launch of Projekt Encounter A free community engagement programme for refugees, asylum seekers, and first-generation migrants in Kent, returning for a second year at the University of Kent. More about the programme Oral Archives project The Kent Refugee Action Network Oral History Archive at the Templeman Library launched in celebration of the twenty year anniversary of KRAN. Extracts will be made available online. View the collection Mako's story Get inspired by Makomborero Haruzivishe , a Zimbabwean refugee, who is a Sanctuary scholar studying law and politics at Kent. Donate to the Sanctuary Fund Projekt Encounter - a series of performing arts workshops for migrants, with Projekt Europa The workshops and performance centred around the theme of change, navigating multiple languages and cultures. Theatre-makers and Kent alumni, Francisca Stangel & Tom Tegento, led this project with support from the School of Arts’ staff and students. More on Projekt Europa Latest Sanctuary news Events list Filters Thank you to our Sanctuary Fund supporters In the words of Sanctuary Scholar graduate Ky, 'By donating, you’re not just funding education; you’re nurturing resilience, ambition, and hope. You’re empowering someone to grow into a person who, in turn, will help others in need, creating a ripple effect of positive change. Your generosity doesn’t just change one life; it inspires countless others to dream, achieve, and give back' Sanctuary Fund 2025 Supporters Anonymous Emeritus Professor John Baldock Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust Craig Reader Hardy Family Foundation Mrs Elisabeth Hirons Professor Janet Montefiore Stagecoach Southeast Walker Construction Charitable Trust Peter Willis And everyone who has ever made a gift to Kent Sanctuary Fund. These young people have already experienced more challenges than most of us could even imagine. Supporting them to pursue their ambitions and talents in higher education is a privilege.' Antonia Hardy, The Hardy Foundation