Refugee Week is a festival of events across the UK that celebrates the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. It has been running annually since 1998 and is held in June to incorporate World Refugee Day (20th June).
As the number of universities working on sanctuary-related projects has grown, an increasing number of universities have been keen to take part in Refugee Week. However, with campuses typically very quiet in June, many have chosen to hold their events earlier in the academic year.
This year, several universities from across the UK have come together to coordinate their Refugee Week events in the same week – 1st to 8th March. The hope is that this will increase the visibility, reach, and impact of these events, and strengthen the ties between institutions.
| Date | University | Details | Type of Event and Link |
| Friday 1st March 2024 17.00-19.00 | University of East Anglia (UEA) | Launch event including the opening of two exhibitions Finding Home in Education and Families Beyond Boundaries, inspirational talks, live music and networking opportunities | In-person event: Thomas Paine Lecture Theatre, The University of East Anglia. Click here to register |
| Friday 1st March 2024 17.00-19.00 | King’s College London | Book launch: ‘Ways of Belonging: Undocumented Youth in the Shadow of Illegality’ | In-person event: Council Room, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS. Click here to register |
| Friday, 1 March – Friday 8 March 2024 | University of Greenwich | Art Exhibition – ‘Kids Art for Ukraine’ A Colourful Canvas of Hope for Ukraine’s Young Artists | In-person event: Heritage Gallery, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, Greenwich, SE10 9LS |
| Friday 1 March – 31 May | Solent University | Exhibition: The unfamiliar person, a range of creative posters produced by students at Solent studying BA (Hons) Graphic Design and BA (Hons) Illustration looking at the misconceptions of immigration | Andrews Building. In person event, open to the public. |
| Monday 4th March 2024 1:30-2:45pm | University of Leicester | Citizens of Change Panel Discussion: Refugee students’ journeys into volunteering | Online event open to the public. Click here for more information and to register |
| Monday 4th March 4th, 11.00-13.00pm | University of Bristol and OLIVE, | ‘Finding home in education’ exhibition and film | In-person event open to all at Bristol Hospitality Network, Easton Family Centre. Beaufort Street, BS5 0SQ |
| Tuesday 5th March 2024 10am-12pm | University of Leicester | Researching Refugeedom: three researchers will present about their research into the topic of Distance Learning programmes for refugee background students. | Online event open to the public. Click here for more information and to register |
| Tuesday 5th March 2024 12:00 – 12:30 | University of Greenwich | Creating a supportive and inclusive environment at the University of Greenwich | Online event open to the public. Click here for more information and to register |
| Tuesday 5th March 2024 18:00 – 20:00 | The University of Bristol | Join our evening celebration in the Global Lounge, open to any students and staff that identify as having a sanctuary background (including those who are forcibly displaced, those whose home country is affected by global events, and those with a family history of seeking sanctuary). University and city leaders will join in the festivities to applaud our students, and to celebrate UoB as a University of Sanctuary, and Bristol as a City of Sanctuary. Highlights will include a delicious mezze dinner, showcasing of artwork produced by UoB students alongside artists Majid Adin and Dana Olarescu, a short film, and time to mingle and engage with celebratory activities! If you have any questions please contact [email protected] | In-person event: Location: Global Lounge, First floor, Senate House, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH Please book using this link |
| Wednesday 6th March 2024 11:00 – 11:30 | University of Greenwich | Entrepreneurship, Refugees and the University Sector | Online event open to the public. Click here for more information and to register |
| Wednesday, 6 March 2024 2pm – 3pm | University of Greenwich | Film screening of “The Suitcase” (5 short Films) with talk | In-person event: QA038, Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, London SE10 9NW – Please register. Click here to register |
| Wednesday 6th March 2024 14:00-15:00 | King’s College London | Talk: Affective Bordering: Emotional Migration Control and the Threat of ‘Remigration’ | Online event. Click here for more information and to register |
| Wednesday 6th March 2024 16:00-17:00 | King’s College London | Presentation: Mental Health and Wellbeing of Somali Refugees in Urban Neighbourhoods of London and Bristol | Online event. Click here for more information and to register |
| Wednesday 6th March 2024 16:00-18:00 | Solent University | Southampton Sanctuary Network – This is the second meeting which brings together local charities, societies, and organisations to identify and develop collaborative opportunities to support those seeking sanctuary in the city and share best practise. The agenda for this meeting can be found here. | In person event, open to the public. You can register your attendance here. |
| Wednesday, 6th March 2024 From 5pm | University of Greenwich | Art Show Soiree & launch event ‘Kids Art for Ukraine’ | In-person event The Heritage Gallery – Queen Anne Court,Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, London SE10 9NW – Click here to register |
| Thursday 7th March 2024 11am -12pm | University of Salford | Talk: Introduction to Refugees at home, Who are Refugees at Home and what do we do? How we support refugee students through hosting. How can you help? Q&A | Online event. Click here for more information and to register |
| Thursday 7th March 2024 1-2pm | University of Leicester | Workshop: Finance and Scholarships for Sanctuary Applicants for Undergraduate Programmes | Online event. Click here for more information and to register |
| Thursday 7th March 2024 17:00-18:30 | University of Winchester | Webinar: Find out more about volunteering with refugees and asylum seekers at home and abroad, alongside hearing from those who have made a career in this sector. | To sign up please register via our online form. or email [email protected] |
| Thursday 7th March 2024 18:00-19:30 | University of Leicester | How can UK Universities Support Higher Education in Palestine? | Online event open to the public. Click here for more information and to register |
| Friday 8th March 2024 12:30 – 13:00 | University of Greenwich | Discussion and Q&A “Migrant participation in urban sanctuary practices” | Online event open to the public. Click here for more information and to register |
| Friday 8th March 2024 11:00-12:00 | King’s College London | Talk: The Experiences of Forced Migrant Students at King’s and in UK Higher Education | Online event open ot the public. Click here for more information and to register |
| Beyond the 8th of March | |||
| Wednesday 13th March 1-2pm | Lancaster University | What next for the Rwanda Bill, Asylum and Sanctuary in Britain? We will be joined by Professor Alison Phipps and Professor Nando Sigona to explore what the government is setting out to do through this legislation and the potential impacts for people seeking asylum. | Online event, open to the public. Register here. |
| Friday 22nd of March 20.00 | University of Southampton | Maya Youssef, the queen of the qanun’, returns with beautiful, wistful music from her second album Finding Home | In-person event open to the public at Turner Sims at the University of Southampton. Click here for more information and to buy a ticket. |
| Tuesday 16th of April 16.00 – 17.30 | King’s College London | Online book launch: ‘Ways of Belonging: Undocumented Youth in the Shadow of Illegality’ with Dr Francesca Meloni | Online event. Click here for more information and to register |
| Wednesday 22nd of May 16.00 – 17.30 | King’s College London | Links Between Neighbourhood Social Composition and Refugee Mental Health – Evidence from a Danish Cohort Study | Click here for more information and to register |
Alongside these events many universities will be showcasing the exhibition Finding Home in Education. Watch this space for more information about this collaborative exhibition.