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Office of the President and Provost (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion)

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Religion and Belief Equality Guidance for Students

Guidance on how your needs with respect to religion and belief may be met by UCL and the staff that work with you.

Introduction

UCL values the diversity of our staff and student body. UCL will not tolerate discrimination, victimisation or harassment based on a person’s religion or belief (or lack of belief) and aims to provide an environment based on understanding and respect - an environment inclusive to all.

This guidance document provides information on how your needs with respect to religion and belief are to be met by UCL and the students that study alongside you.

The guidance does not intend to be comprehensive: rather it addresses some important issues that may arise in this context. This is therefore a guiding framework and a living document.

UCL recognises:

  • the importance of spiritual and religious belief in people.
  • that spiritual and moral systems that religions and beliefs offer can be of fundamental importance to the wellbeing of students.
  • that religious practices and rituals, such as dress, diet, and prayer, can be an integral and in some cases a non-optional, part of religious life.
  • that wherever it can, the needs of all students are met: students from all religious backgrounds, and students with no religious affiliation.
  • that the freedom and ability to practice deeply-held faith as a member of the UCL community can be fundamental to experiencing a sense of belonging to the UCL community.
  • that religion and belief, or an absence thereof, is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, and UCL will not tolerate any form discrimination or harassment associated with religious identity or practice (or absence of religious affiliation). This explicitly includes but is not restricted to antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Scope of the guidance

This guidance document does not give an exhaustive list of religion and belief equality issues. If further guidance is needed, please email equalities@ucl.ac.uk