1. Document Control
Policy Owner: Principal / Director (with Head of Quality / Academic Director)
Responsible Committee: Academic Board (or Academic Governance and Quality Assurance Committee)
Approval Authority: Principal / Director and Academic Board
Effective From: 25/12/2025
Version: 1.0
Applies To: All staff, students, visiting speakers, guests and third parties involved in events, teaching activities or public engagement connected to Equra College London.
2. Purpose
Equra College London supports lawful freedom of speech and academic freedom within a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment. This policy sets out how the College:
a. Promotes freedom of speech within the law.
b. Protects academic freedom for staff and students in teaching, learning and research-related activity.
c. Manages external engagement, events and speaker activity responsibly.
d. Applies proportionate risk assessment to events and external speakers.
e. Ensures legal compliance and safeguards students, staff and the College’s reputation.
This policy is designed to operate alongside the External Speakers and Events Policy and provides the overarching principles and decision-making framework.
3. Scope
This policy applies to:
a. On-site and off-site events hosted or promoted by Equra College London.
b. Online events, webinars, guest lectures and digital forums connected to the College.
c. External speakers, visiting lecturers, panel events, debates and conferences.
d. Student society events where these exist and where the College provides facilities or endorsement.
e. Public communications and engagement activity where the College is the host or co-host.
Where an event is jointly hosted with a partner organisation or delivered under a partner arrangement, this policy applies in addition to any partner requirements.
4. Definitions
Freedom of speech: The right to express lawful views and opinions without unlawful interference.
Academic freedom: The freedom within the law for academic staff and students to question, test and discuss ideas, and to present new ideas or controversial opinions, without placing themselves at risk of losing employment or academic advantage solely for expressing lawful views.
External engagement: Events, speakers, panels, conferences, media activity and public-facing educational activities involving third parties.
5. Policy Statement and Principles
Equra College London is committed to:
a. Upholding lawful freedom of speech and academic freedom.
b. Ensuring all engagement remains within the law.
c. Maintaining a safe environment where students can learn and participate without harassment or intimidation.
d. Promoting respectful dialogue and recognising diversity of viewpoints.
e. Ensuring that risk is managed proportionately through clear processes.
f. Preventing unlawful discrimination, harassment, hate speech, incitement to violence or any other unlawful conduct.
This policy does not protect speech that is unlawful, discriminatory, harassing, threatening, incites violence, or otherwise breaches applicable legal requirements.
6. Academic Freedom in Teaching and Learning
6.1 Teaching and curriculum
Academic staff may present a range of perspectives, scholarly debates and critical approaches, including controversial topics, provided that teaching:
a. Aligns with approved module and programme learning outcomes.
b. Maintains academic rigour and appropriate scholarly standards.
c. Is delivered respectfully, without discrimination or harassment.
d. Encourages evidence-based discussion rather than personal attacks.
6.2 Student participation
Students are encouraged to engage in critical discussion and debate within a respectful environment. Students must not use academic discussion as a basis for harassment, intimidation or discriminatory behaviour.
6.3 Assessment and academic judgement
Academic freedom does not permit bias in assessment decisions. Students will be assessed against published learning outcomes and criteria, not on personal beliefs or viewpoints.
7. Freedom of Speech in Events and External Engagement
7.1 Commitment to lawful events
Equra College London will take reasonable steps to enable lawful events to proceed, including events with controversial subject matter, provided that risks can be managed proportionately and legally.
7.2 Limits and lawful restrictions
The College may impose conditions or refuse permission for an event where there is credible evidence that the event would:
a. Break the law or breach regulatory requirements.
b. Create a significant safeguarding risk.
c. Incite hatred or violence, or promote unlawful discrimination or harassment.
d. Present unmanageable health and safety risks.
e. Involve serious reputational risk linked to unlawful activity or extremist promotion.
f. Involve misuse of College premises or systems in breach of policy.
Decisions must be evidence-based, proportionate and documented.
8. External Speakers and Events Approval
8.1 Approval process
All external speakers and events must follow the College’s External Speakers and Events Policy, including:
a. Event registration with sufficient notice.
b. Speaker details and event purpose.
c. Venue and format details, including online access arrangements where applicable.
d. A proportionate risk assessment where required.
e. Confirmation of responsible event organiser.
8.2 Conditions of approval
The College may apply reasonable conditions, including:
a. Chairing or moderation requirements.
b. Security arrangements.
c. Ticketing or access control.
d. Recording or non-recording rules.
e. Clear conduct expectations for participants.
f. Balanced panel composition where appropriate to support fair debate.
9. Risk Assessment and Safeguards
9.1 Risk-based approach
The College uses a risk-based approach to determine the level of scrutiny required. Factors may include:
a. Nature of the topic and likelihood of complaint or disruption.
b. Speaker profile and known affiliations.
c. Format, audience size and venue.
d. Presence of vulnerable participants.
e. Online security risks for digital events.
f. Any safeguarding, equality or health and safety concerns.
9.2 Safeguarding and equality safeguards
Events must comply with safeguarding expectations and must not create a hostile environment for protected groups. Organisers must ensure respectful conduct and will be supported in applying conduct expectations.
9.3 Health and safety safeguards
Event organisers must comply with health and safety requirements and any fire safety and emergency arrangements for the venue.
10. Conduct Expectations During Events
All participants must:
a. Behave respectfully and allow others to speak.
b. Avoid harassment, discriminatory conduct, intimidation or threats.
c. Follow the event chair’s reasonable instructions.
d. Comply with venue rules and security arrangements.
e. Not disrupt events in a way that prevents lawful speech from taking place.
Where conduct breaches occur, the College may take proportionate action, including ending the event, removing individuals, or initiating relevant procedures.
11. Complaints and Concerns
Concerns or complaints relating to freedom of speech, academic freedom or events may be raised through appropriate College procedures. The route will depend on the nature of the complaint, for example:
a. Student Complaints Procedure.
b. Staff conduct processes where staff behaviour is in scope.
c. Safeguarding routes where safeguarding concerns arise.
Complaints will be handled fairly, without retaliation, and with appropriate documentation.
12. Roles and Responsibilities
12.1 Principal / Director
Has overall responsibility for ensuring that the College upholds lawful freedom of speech and maintains safe, compliant operations.
12.2 Academic Board
Oversees academic standards and supports the culture of academic freedom and respectful scholarly debate.
12.3 Head of Quality / Academic Director
Ensures the policy is implemented consistently and supports decision making and documentation in complex cases.
12.4 Event Organisers
Ensure that external speakers and events follow the External Speakers and Events Policy, complete required documentation, and manage conduct and safety during events.
12.5 Staff and Students
Must comply with conduct expectations and support a respectful learning environment.
13. Record Keeping
The College will maintain records of event approvals, risk assessments, decisions and conditions applied, in line with the College’s records management and data protection requirements.
14. Monitoring and Review
The College monitors effectiveness of this policy through:
a. Event approval outcomes and themes.
b. Complaints and incident records linked to events.
c. Safeguarding and equality related concerns.
d. Partner feedback where applicable.
This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if regulatory expectations or operational needs change.
15. Related Policies and Documents
This policy should be read alongside:
a. External Speakers and Events Policy
b. Safeguarding Policy and Procedure
c. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Policy
d. Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy and Procedure
e. Health and Safety Policy
f. Fire Safety and Emergency Evacuation Procedure
g. Risk Assessment Policy and Template
h. Student Code of Conduct
i. Student Complaints Procedure
j. Data Protection Policy