We protect you from any actual or potential conflict of interest and/or abuse of power that might arise from intimate personal relationships with staff.
Our Personal Relationship Policy bans personal relationships between staff and students, except for pre-existing relationships which must be declared, so any conflicts of interest can be managed. You can find the policy online here.
If you experience inappropriate behaviour from a staff member, or believe you’re in an inappropriate relationship, please get in touch with ARU and let us know. You can report this via Report + Support. You can also get in touch directly with our complaints team or our counselling and wellbeing team.
We don’t use non-disclosure agreements in any student cases, including cases of harassment and sexual misconduct. Since September 2024, the Office for Students has stopped any university from using NDAs in relation to student allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct.
ARU is committed to Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom within the law. We believe that honest, thoughtful and respectful debate forms a vital part of education, and provides an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment where students and staff have the freedom to express and discuss varying views.
The open testing of ideas is an key part of Higher Education, and we encourage staff, students and visitors to take part in robust, challenging, evidence-based and civil debate as a core part of academic enquiry and wider university activity, even if individuals find the viewpoints expressed to be disagreeable, unwelcome or offensive. There is no right not to be offended.
Everyone at ARU has the right to express their views within the law, and no one should try to stop you from doing so. When it comes to academic content, like course materials or discussions that take place during teaching and research, sharing different opinions or ideas is a normal part of learning and is unlikely to count as harassment.
ARU’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech can be found here: Freedom of speech and Prevent