To mark Refugee Week and over a decade of the King's Sanctuary Programme, we spoke to Paul Webb, Sanctuary Programme Manager, about how our sector-leading work is helping displaced people access learning, support and opportunities through local initiatives and flexible online education.
What is the purpose of the King’s Sanctuary Programme, and who does it support?
‘We support those who have been forcibly displaced from their home countries to access opportunities, find community and develop a sense of belonging. We’re here to support our community through fully-funded sanctuary scholarships, fellowships and practical help, but just as importantly, we work to make the University a place where sanctuary seekers feel they can belong.
Alongside that, we work across partnerships, research and policy engagement to widen access to education for displaced people in the UK and internationally, and to increase awareness of the global issue of forced displacement. So, our programme delivers responsive support, while also working proactively towards our wider University aims.’
How many sanctuary seekers have benefited from our support, and what have been the most significant outcomes for them?
‘Nearly 100 scholars and fellows have directly benefited from the programme so far, and we’re continuing to support our displaced students and staff across the University. The outcomes have been extraordinary. Former scholars have gone on to leadership roles, including a recent graduate who is now the CEO of a charity in Manchester. Others have excelled academically, contributed to impactful research and become an important part of university life. What stays with me most is not only those achievements, but seeing people rebuild confidence, regain stability and begin to feel that a different future is possible.’
What are some key achievements of the programme since it started?
‘There have been some really important milestones over the past decade. The King’s Sanctuary Programme started as a volunteer-led roundtable in 2015 and has grown into a well-resourced programme with permanent roles and dedicated funding. Over that time, we piloted the first ever university-led community sponsorship scheme for a Syrian student and their family, which expanded rapidly in 2022 in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Since 2015, we’ve secured more than £7 million in donations, supported 70 scholars and 22 fellows from around the world to continue their academic journeys. Most recently, we worked with the government to support the facilitated departures of sanctuary scholars from Gaza. Achieving University of Sanctuary status in 2024 was another huge moment. But for me, the biggest milestone is that we now have the capacity and credibility to respond thoughtfully and quickly when people need us most.’
Has the changing geopolitical environment impacted your work with sanctuary seekers?
‘It has changed the work enormously. Ten years ago, lots of sanctuary activity focused on supporting asylum seekers already in the UK, often through scholarships. That still really matters, but the scale of global displacement, ongoing conflicts and a more difficult migration environment means we have had to think much more broadly.
We now ask how universities can support people in-country and internationally through online or flexible education routes. We are also thinking more about how we can influence research and policy, because education alone cannot solve these challenges. For example, the government’s 2025 white paper on restoring control over the immigration system mentions universities’ role in community sponsorship, which we’re confident was influenced by our King’s scheme. The world has become more complex, and our response has had to become more adaptive and ambitious too.’
Are there any students you have worked with whose stories have stayed with you?
‘There are many, but one that has stayed with me is a family who were part of the government’s facilitated departures process from Gaza last year. Two parents, who had secured offers at King’s, arrived to begin master’s degrees with their young daughter and very little else. We met them at the airport and supported them to enrol and settle in as they began university life in completely new circumstances.
Later, just before Ramadan, they invited us to their flat and cooked for us. They’re a wonderful family and sharing that meal together was really moving. It provided an opportunity to learn from each other and demonstrated the richness sanctuary students bring to the King’s community. It captured what the Sanctuary Programme is really about: not only safety and study, but dignity, generosity and the chance for a family to begin again with hope and a future to work towards.’
Members from the Sanctuary team with King's sanctuary students.
How does the Sanctuary Programme connect to Strategy 2030, and what are its next steps towards the University’s ambitions?
‘The Programme speaks directly to student success, research excellence, innovation and service to society. We are supporting scholars to thrive at King’s and beyond by strengthening migration research through academic leadership and developing new pathways into education for displaced learners overseas. Looking ahead, we want to build on that momentum by growing our international work, expanding flexible routes into learning and making sure the programme remains sustainable for the long term.
In many ways, this is exactly what Strategy 2030 asks of us: outward-looking, ambitious work with clear human impact.’