Bullying and harassment
No forms of bullying or harassment are tolerated at Imperial. If you experience bullying or harassment, there are different options for you to consider and you can get advice and support before you decide what you want to do.
Deinifitions
What are bullying and harassment?
Bullying is the exercise of power to undermine another person. Bullying is not legally defined but is generally considered to be repeated behaviour which is intended to hurt someone either emotionally or physically.
Harassment is defined in UK law in relation to protected characteristics (for example, race, religion, gender or sexuality). It includes unwanted behaviour, whether intentional or not, that is offensive, intimidating, humiliating or harmful; it includes emotional, physical or sexual harm.
What can I do if I am being bullied or harassed?
Talk to someone you trust, such as your Personal Tutor, Hall Warden, or a member of the Imperial College Union Advice Team. They will be able to talk you through your options and help you decide what to do next.
Keep a record of any incidences of bullying or harassment, including dates, times and any evidence (like texts, screen shots, emails or messages). You might need to use this if you want to report your concerns.
Report and Support
Acts of bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct are not acceptable. Imperial College London uses Report and Support, a tool which enables all students and staff at Imperial to tell the College about an experience of bullying, harassment, discrimination or sexual misconduct. You can disclose something anonymously or ask to be put in contact with someone. If you disclose something using the Report and Support tool this does not mean that you have made a formal report to the College, however if you ask to be put in contact with someone you will be supported in making a formal report should you wish to do so.
You can choose to either disclose anonymously or disclose with your details, which will be used to put you in contact an advisor. If you chose to be put in contact with an advisor you will be contacted within two working days to arrange a suitable time to meet.
You can report something that involved a student or a staff member and there is more information about these processes below. If you would like to know more about how the Student Disciplinary Procedure works, we recommend you read our Student Discipline guidance with flowcharts 2020.
To make a disclosure, please visit the Imperial Report and Support page.
Student Harassment Support Contacts
The College has a number of trained Student Harassment Support Contacts (HSCs) who are here to listen and signpost you to relevant specialist support.
Who are the Student Harassment Support Contacts?
The Student HSCs are Imperial staff who work in different departments and services across the College. They have received specialist training which enables them to listen to your concerns and experiences relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct.
How can they help?
Everyone’s experience is different and you will be supported in a way that is right for you. A Student HSC will help you to understand the next steps that you can take. This might include an informal resolution, not taking any further action, making a formal report, or accessing specialist support.
What should I expect?
You can contact a Student HSC directly at shsc@imperial.ac.uk, or you can use the Report and Support tool and ask to be put in contact with someone. A Student HSC will reach out to you within 2 working days to arrange a suitable time to meet. Appointments can be over the phone, via Teams video call, or in person.
Student HSCs will maintain confidentiality, unless they believe there is an imminent risk to life, and meeting with a Student HSC does not mean you are making a formal report to the College.
Meet Student HSCs
Meet the Student Harassment Support Contacts
| Name | Role | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Francesca Bertolini | Student Services Manager | Faculty of Medicine |
| Caroline Carter | Technology Delivery Manager | Information and Communication Technology |
| Andrea Giusti | Lecturer | Mechanical Engineering |
| Debbie Jarvis | Professor of Public Health | National Heart & Lung Institute |
| Maria Valera-Espina | Senior Tutor and Senior Teaching Fellow | Computing |
| Gavin Symonds | Senior Online Programme Manager | Business School |
| Ioannis Kountouris | Senior Lecturer | Centre for Environmental Policy |
| Thomas Lancaster | Senior Teaching Fellow (Student Support) | Computing |
| Michelle Langan | Student Wellbeing Adviser | Civil & Environmental Engineering |
| Rebecca Middleton | Faculty Education Manager | Faculty of Natural Sciences |
| Rula Murtada | Mathematical Finance Section Coordinator | Mathematics |
| Amy Picton | Student Wellbeing Adviser | Aeronautics |
| Informal options | Formal options |
|---|---|
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If you feel comfortable doing so, you might want to explain to the person responsible that their behaviour is unacceptable. This may be enough to cause them to rethink their actions. If you don’t feel OK doing this you can speak to a member of staff, such as your Personal Tutor, Supervisor, Hall Warden or Faculty Senior Tutor. They will be able to take appropriate steps to address the unwanted behaviour, with the aim of reaching an informal resolution. |
If an issue is very serious or you have already tried to resolve an issue informally without success, you might decide to make a formal report. See below for information on how to make a formal report. |
Reporting bullying or harassment
Reporting something that involves a student at Imperial
If you report an incident that involves another student, this will be considered as a potential breach of the Student Disciplinary Code and investigated under the Student Disciplinary Procedure, Ordinance E2.
You will need to make a statement about what has happened, who the alleged perpetrator is and email these details to student.disciplinary@imperial.ac.uk.
A member of the student casework team will respond to your report and explain the next steps.
Reporting something that involves a member of staff
If you report an incident that involves a member of staff, this should be initially submitted under the Student Complaints Procedure.
You will need to complete a Formal Complaint Form, making a statement about what has happened, who the alleged perpetrator is and email this to student.complaints@imperial.ac.uk.
On receipt of a complaint of this nature, the student casework team will submit the case to the College HR department to be investigated under the Staff Disciplinary Policy and Procedure [pdf]. At the end of the process, if you consider that the College has not managed the process appropriately, you may request this to be addressed under the Complaints Procedure. The student casework team will be able to provide guidance on this process.