Safe Citizen Promise

As part of its work to protect staff, students and the community from COVID-19 infection, the University of Leicester has today launched the Safe Citizen Promise, signed by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Nishan Canagarajah and President of the Student Union Mia Nembhard.

Comprised of six guiding principles which staff and students pledge to uphold and follow, the Safe Citizen Promise seeks to minimise the impact of COVID-19 and stopping its spread through collective action and personal responsibility.

The University of Leicester also signed a shared commitment with De Montfort University to encourage staff and students to take precautions against COVID-19 and protect the Leicester community against COVID-19.

Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leicester, said:

"It's our job as educators and as a country to lay the groundwork for every student to concentrate on achieving their best to forge a better for future for them and society as a whole. But this must not happen at the expense of the community we are part of."

"The wellbeing of our staff, students and people of Leicester is my priority."

“My Safe Citizen Promise guides everything I do as we move ahead in this ever-changing landscape."

Mia Nembhard, President of the University of Leicester Student Union, said:

“I commit to ensuring that students are heard and feed into all new aspects of academic and on-campus activity and that we support a truly sustainable offering, as we have already seen how the pandemic disproportionately affects disabled students, students of colour and international students."

“We will lobby to safeguard new delivery that benefits students, to be kept as a standard offering beyond the pandemic.”

During the summer, Leicester’s campus has been transformed into a COVID-safe environment, including one-way systems and a full suite of signage, maximum occupancy levels identified for each room, hand sanitiser dispensers installed and staff and student safety packs are being distributed.

New protocols, such as the creation of ‘Live and Learn Bubbles’ have also been introduced, and there will also be the introduction of the NHS test and trace app, mandated wearing of face coverings indoors and use of SafeZone so our security team know who’s on campus and where.

Through ignite, the University’s blended learning programme, students will have the opportunity to personalise their learning plan and a mix of online or home learning, to meet the safety requirements.

In addition, the University of Leicester is one of the few Universities in the country to regularly screen staff and students for COVID-19 infection, who are not displaying symptoms.

To sign up to the Safe Citizen Promise, visit the University of Leicester website.