July 2023
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference brought together stakeholders, regulators and policymakers to examine the next steps for addressing drug use in higher education.
It was timed to follow the launch of the second phase of work from the UUK’s drug-use taskforce, expected to include new guidance and a sector framework encompassing supply and demand reduction, support, treatment and recovery.
We are pleased to have been able to include a keynote session with Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor, Middlesex University London; and Chair, Drug-Use Taskforce, Universities UK.
The conference was a timely opportunity to assess the design of the new sector framework, alongside the practicalities of implementation across institutions and the sector as a whole.
Delegates examined provider drug policies and strategies in light of new guidance, including developing contextualised KPIs and targets, and partnering with outside stakeholders across health, law enforcement and local authorities to effectively address their own drugs landscape.
Overall, sessions in the agenda included:
- policy development: latest on the higher education sector framework to address student drug use in the UK - supply, demand and harm reduction
- implementation: developing policies, objectives and KPIs - student involvement - working with partners - priorities for reducing harms - disciplinary procedures - measuring outcomes
- performance enhancing drugs: frameworks and policies - understanding root causes - support for students - addressing dependency - sanctions - employment and academic consequences
- tackling drugs supply in HE: developing partnerships - disrupting criminal supply chains - balancing sanctions and harm reduction policies - priorities for safeguarding and duty of care
- wider role of universities: opportunities for sector involvement in developing and informing national strategy and policy
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the DfE; DHSC; Home Office; NAO; and Ofcom.
