As a student at the University of Liverpool, your time on campus isn’t just about classes — it’s also about learning how to interact with ideas and with others in ways that are respectful, safe, and empowering.
Consent and healthy relationships
Your relationships — with friends, roommates, partners, and even university staff — shape your university experience just as much as your studies do. We’re here to help you understand what healthy, respectful relationships look like and how to navigate them confidently.
- We have a zero tolerance approach to harassment and sexual misconduct: any unwanted attention, coercion, or inappropriate behaviour isn’t accepted at Liverpool.
- Training to complete: it’s important you complete our Consent and Active Bystander training. This teaches you about clear, voluntary consent in intimate situations and how to safely intervene if you witness inappropriate behaviour.
Find your training by following your faculty’s link:
- Support is available: if you or someone you care about experiences something upsetting, Student Services offers confidential help and advice — and you can report incidents with contact details or anonymously using our Report + Support tool.
- Staff–student relationships: we strongly discourage romantic or sexual relationships between staff and students because of inherent power imbalances. If you do enter this type of relationship, the member of staff is obliged to notify the University about it.
More about healthy relationships at Liverpool
You can find more information about our approach to harassment, sexual misconduct, bullying, hate crime, assault, discrimination, or any behaviour that makes you feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or targeted on our Safe and Welcoming Campus webpages.
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of speech and academic freedom are core to university life. These principles let you hear a wide range of ideas, discuss challenging topics, and debate with people who think differently – these are all part of being a student and developing your critical thinking.
- Our Freedom of Speech Policy and Code of Practice is aligned with the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which came into force in August 2025. This means events, talks, and discussions can go ahead regardless of the subject so long as what’s said is lawful.
- Unlawful speech — including harassment, hate speech, or anything that incites violence — is not protected and isn’t tolerated.
- We expect students to treat each other with respect, even when disagreeing.
- If you feel a speaker or discussion crosses a line into harm or illegality, there are channels to raise concerns or make a complaint through our Report + Support tool. the Student Complaints Procedure or by speaking to a member of staff in your school or department, our Student Services team, or the Guild of Students.
More about Freedom of Speech at Liverpool
For further information, please visit our Freedom of Speech webpage. Guidance is also available from the Office for Students.
Important academic policies
As well as looking after our community, we also have a range of academic policies that govern how you should approach your studies. Make sure you’re aware of these and the rules you need to follow.
- Academic integrity: we expect the highest level of academic integrity from you and every student in our community. To make sure you know what is and isn’t acceptable, familiarise yourself with our Code of Practice on Assessment.
- Additional Considerations policy: assessments are an essential part of your education and you are expected to complete these as planned. However, we know that not everything goes to plan and you can submit eligible assessments up to 7 consecutive calendar days after the stated deadline without incurring any penalty. This extension period is designed to help you manage short-term issues without impacting on your academic performance. Find out more about this policy here.
- Using AI: we have a set of resources designed to both help you make the right decisions about using generative AI and also to use it appropriately, effectively and in the most efficient way possible. To check when and how you can use AI, explore our policies and guidance, including golden rules, legal, security and data protectionand guidance on the use of Generative AI in learning, teaching and assessment.