UCU: Ethical practice in recruiting students from overseas security forces

Motion

Motion title: Ethical practice in recruiting students from overseas security forces

Motion text: Overseas police and security force personnel form an increasing group of students being offered education and training in UK higher and further education. This may include training in policing, forensic or criminal investigation. We applaud the positive efforts made by UK academics delivering this education to raise international human rights standards for policing. However significant ethical and safety concerns occur when security force personnel from countries with current human rights violations are recruited as students. We call on UCU nationally and all applicable local branches to request institutional managements to carry out a transparent ethical and health and safety audit of overseas police and security organisations providing students to their institution to ensure that they are an appropriate partner for an institution and could not bring the institution into disrepute or place the safety of staff or students including students fleeing persecution and their families at risk.