City University London community: our values and behaviours

The values that are core to our business

Our community

City University London is a community of enquiry which includes all those – students, academic and professional staff - engaged in the learning activities we offer.  Our community is characterised by honesty, openness, respect and a pride in diversity. We rejoice in being a diverse community, drawn from over 160 countries.

 

We believe that all ideas, theories and beliefs are proper subjects for rigorous and systematic challenge. We expect to generate and consider ideas and analyses that either support or challenge accepted wisdom. Indeed such enquiry is one of the ways that we best fulfil the University’s motto “to serve mankind”.  This freedom to enquire should, however, be tempered by an understanding of the impact of enquiry on others.

 

In free societies there is a constant and unavoidable tension between rights and responsibilities, between the rights of one individual and those of another. We accept that there are professional judgements to be made in the balancing of the conflict within these various behaviours.

 

As a community, the ‘public spaces’ of the University are important for the exchange of ideas. These include physical ‘public space’ in the University's estate and virtual ‘public space’ on the University's web sites. All members of the community should have equal and open access to these spaces within the constraints required to ensure health and safety, security, and the proper conduct of the University's business.

 

Responsibilities

As members of our community, individuals have obligations to that community. If the conduct of any member of City University London's community is detrimental to other members of the community, we will initially endeavour to support the individual so that s/he can become a constructive member of the community. However, if a serious violation of responsibility occurs infringing the University's policies and/or rules, the University has the right - and will exercise it - by due process to dismiss and exclude the individual from the community. If the University considers that illegal acts are being perpetrated, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, and if necessary the relevant authorities will be informed. (Student Disciplinary Code, Various Staff Disciplinary Codes).

 

We all have a shared responsibility for the well-being of the individual members of the community and of the community itself. Further, we recognise that in serving mankind we have a degree of responsibility for the well-being of the wider community of the UK and of the world in which the University is located.

Behaviours

Our community is defined by certain behaviours and the following provides links to the relevant policies underpinning these behaviours:

  • We will not condone or support any actions which are against the law of the land or contradict University regulations (Security/Health and Safety Policies)
  • We will seek to provide a safe and secure environment (Security/Health and Safety Policies)
  • We will not accept discrimination against individuals on any basis (Equality & Diversity Policy)
  • We will not tolerate or condone behaviour that may cause harm to: individuals or groups within the University community, the university community itself, or the wider community within which the University is located (Harassment & Dignity at Work Policy)
  • We will respect the right of individuals to conduct their lives privately and without undue interference from the University (Privacy Statement and related management policies)
  • We will guarantee by policy and action the right of free speech within the University community unless the exercise of such a right can be shown to lead to or increase significantly the probability of the discrimination of individuals or groups, harm to individuals or groups within the University, or the University or the community within which the University is located (Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech).

 

You can find out more about these policies in the "related policies" box on the left of this page.

General Principles

City University London expects its students and staff to make a personal commitment to the following principles: 

  1. assume responsibility for their behaviours and the effects of them on other persons
  2. promote and preserve the welfare of other persons within the community and the welfare of the community as a whole
  3. accept that they are part of a community with a strong tradition of enquiry and questioning and respect that tradition whilst exercising the freedom to challenge its implications
  4. be free to consider the broad range of human opinion and ideas
  5. seek to develop as people who contribute positively to the wider society
  6. pursue excellence in their work and study
  7. operate in accordance within the range of behaviours set out above 

Reporting an accident or incident

Please report all accidents or incidents to a member of staff, Security or Reception personnel. Visit the Safety Office website.