Staying safe at university

We want you to feel as safe as possible when you are studying with us – and Surrey was ranked as the safest university in the UK by the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2018.

Your security

You are kept safe by our Campus Safety team 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We have a uniformed presence on the Stag Hill and Manor Park campuses, with regular uniformed patrols in other areas associated with the University.

If you have any concerns, call Campus Safety (formerly Security):

In an emergency, call +44 (0)1483 683333.

Consent

Consent is a vital part of engaging in any sexual activity. It’s important for everyone’s safety that you understand what consent is; sex without consent is rape or sexual assault, and is against the law. If you are not sure you have consent, then stop and ask! Find out more about what consent is and how to get it on our Wellbeing hub.

Gritting on campus

In the winter months, when needed, we will grit the pavements for your safety. Find out more about the gritting routes and getting around campus.

Secure your property

You can take some simple measures to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime.

Don’t leave items unattended. The most common places laptops and phones are stolen from are a desk in front of an open ground floor window within easy reach of someone outside.

Lock it up. Use a Kensington lock (cable) to secure laptops to desks (not around the table leg). Invest in a decent cycle lock (‘D’ locks are best value) and secure your bike to a secure point – preferably in a cycle shed/rack.

Safety advice

We are a safe campus, but it is always good to be vigilant and follow the advice of Surrey Police:

  • If you have to walk, avoid shortcuts in lonely areas and keep to well-lit, busy streets
  • Always walk facing oncoming traffic so a car cannot pull up behind you
  • If you regularly go walking or jogging, vary your route
  • Avoid using a personal music player or mobile phone while walking or jogging. They can distract you from your surroundings
  • If you think you're being followed, walk to the busiest place you can find or knock on a door. Then call the police
  • Consider carrying a personal safety alarm
  • When approaching your car or home, have your keys ready so you can enter without delay
  • If you are attacked, shout for help as loudly as you can or shout for someone to contact the police. Use your personal safety alarm. Try to get to a safe place and call the police.

Reporting problems

Find out how to report lost property, send an anonymous report, request CCTV footage and log a health and safety incident.

Anonymous reporting

You can report anything anonymously through the SurreyWatch reporting service. Your email will reach the Campus Safety team at any time of the day and forwarded to the appropriate department, or responded to by our duty security staff. Unless you include your personal contact details you cannot be traced or identified.

Lost and found property

If you have lost or found property please visit MySurrey Hive Stag Hill. If the property is identifiable we will contact the owner by email to arrange collection. Found items are registered and held for a maximum of one month. If they are not collected after this time they are given to a charity or disposed of.

Requesting for CCTV to be reviewed

We are not allowed to disclose data or show CCTV recordings to non-authorised people.

However, if you feel you have a legitimate reason for requiring such information then email dataprotection@surrey.ac.uk. 

Please note: If you have been a victim of crime you are advised to report the matter to the police without delay.

Log an incident

We always want to know if there are any health and safety issues on campus. To report a health and safety incident or near miss, please use our Health and Safety Incident Management System to record it.

Run-Hide-Tell

Counter Terrorism Police encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with national Run, Hide, Tell advice, which explains what to do in the event of a firearms or weapons attack.

There is no specific intelligence to show that colleges and universities are being targeted, and the chances of being caught up in a terrorist incident or weapons attacks are extremely low. But sadly we have seen lethal assaults can be carried out anywhere.

Stay alert and ensure you know what to do if the worst was to happen. The police message is simple.

If you get caught up in a firearms or weapons attack, police advice is:

  • Run to a place of safety. This is a far better option than to surrender or negotiate. If there is nowhere to go then...
  • Hide, it’s better than to confront. Remember to turn your phone to silent and turn off vibrate. Barricade yourself in if you can. Then finally, and only when it is safe to do so…
  • Tell the police by calling 999.

MySurrey Help

Search MySurrey Help to find useful articles about life at Surrey