The recent shocking attacks in Israel and Gaza and the appalling loss of life in the region are of great concern to all of us. Our thoughts first and foremost are with our Israeli and Palestinian students and staff with family or direct ties to the area, along with all those affected by the escalating conflict. 

As an independent University, we do not align ourselves with the policies or actions of any nation or state. However, we strongly condemn any acts of terrorism or hatred of any kind and join with voices across the globe united in a desire for lasting peace. We are making contact with students and partner institutions with links to the region to make them aware of resources and support on offer to them. 

Advice and Support 

If you are worried about the ongoing situation in the Middle East then please get in touch with our Student Welfare teams who will advise you on how we can support you at this difficult time. You can also check out our blogpost on coping with distressing events, which outlines support for Kent students, and some advice on ways to manage the intense feelings which can come with hearing about traumatic events.

Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) are running support sessions for students 13:00-14:00 on 16 October, 23 October and 30 October. These are drop-in sessions taking place upstairs in Locke Building near the Coop, staffed by a mental health adviser and counsellor from SSW. All students are welcome.

The UK Foreign Office also has advice on what to do if you have friends or family who are travelling to the region at the moment, along with guidance on who to contact if you need advice or support overseas. 

We also appreciate the strength of feeling generated in both staff and students across the university by recent events. We strive to be an organisation where all individuals feel welcome and supported and take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination on campus. If you experience any discrimination, please use our Report + Support tool so that we can quickly connect you with appropriate support within the University.