A statement on the crisis in Lebanon

The recent crisis in Lebanon has been one that has shocked us all at the Students’ Union. We know that the Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, along with missile attacks across the region has distressed many of our students across campus. 

The humanitarian situation in Lebanon is worsening by the day and we join calls for there to be an immediate end to all violence and the forced displacement of people from their homes now. The unjustifiable destruction of Gaza over the past year has been mortifying to witness and we call upon those in power to ensure that the Lebanese people are not subject to the same horrors. We urge that all civilians are protected, international law is consistently applied, and that work is done to secure a future where this region is free from occupation and oppression. 

We recognise that these events have come at a sensitive time for many. The safety and wellbeing of all students is our top priority. We want to especially ensure that support is offered to students from Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and any bordering countries that are impacted by this conflict. We have listed below some of the actions that the Students’ Union is doing to support our students. 

We will not tolerate bullying, harassment, discrimination, or violence in our student spaces. We remain steadfast in our commitment to combat racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. It’s key that our campus is a safe and inclusive environment for all. We encourage everyone to look out for each other and to show kindness to one another.  

We are actively collaborating with the University to ensure there is safety on campus and to provide accessible support for all students that may be affected.  

If you are affected by the crisis, we urge you to reach out to the support services available using the links below. 

From, 

Your Executive Officers 

Extenuating Circumstances: 

The university has reached out to all students with a recorded connection to Lebanon (such as nationality or country of domicile) and offered extenuating circumstances support for any students affected – this will not require evidence. 

Please do not submit your claim as self-certified – submit it as a standard claim and include, as your evidence, a simple statement that you have been affected by these events. This will ensure that your claim does not count as one of your three permitted self-certified claims for the year. You can get more information on how to access extenuating circumstances here. 

Other support links: 

Students affected by financial, immigration and/or practical matters due to the crisis, or those who require mental health and well-being support can access the University’s Advice and Counselling Service. 

If you are having difficulties with paying your tuition fees due to the crisis, you can also get in touch with the Fees Office at fees@qmul.ac.uk and get further information on their website here. 

The Students’ Union can provide additional independent support via the Academic Advice Service. 

If you or someone else have experienced bullying, harassment, or any other hate incidents, you can report it to the University’s Report and Support service. 

What else is the Students' Union doing to support students? 

• We are supporting students to restart the Lebanese Society and to discuss their support needs and the impact on student experience. 

• We are also in contact with the Friends of Palestine Society, Jewish & Israel Society, and the University’s Director of Student Experience. 

• We are meeting regularly with the University to discuss and resolve issues and to respond to student feedback and needs. We have begun working with the University to develop a new group to look at relevant issues raised in various spaces across campus. 

• We are also meeting separately within the Students’ Union to ensure that we regularly address student concerns and motions on the matter. 

• Events run by our student groups from affected communities have been fast-tracked with a variety of activities and fundraising initiatives being supported. Where requested from students, we have worked with university security to ensure additional presence when needed. 

• We continue to respond to a large variety of feedback, concerns and complaints raised by students, staff, external bodies and the press. 

• We have worked with students to ensure activities taking place on campus are conducted in a safe and appropriate manner.