Abstract:

Online risk is one of the pressing issues on society in the digital age. Research on online risk for university students has been a neglected area with the focus being on children.

Working in an innovative partnership with a wide range of stakeholders the research adopted a holistic community based approach. The study explored what issues students were actually facing online and what concerns them. Through staff training, a rolling programme of student and staff workshops delivered by our partners, seminars and awareness raising focused initiatives across campus and online through social media, the research project successfully raised awareness of what constitutes illegal content; safe reporting and removal of illegal content on student devices and increased reporting of online harassment and provides an evidence base to challenge current policy thinking.

Universities are under increasing pressure especially after COVID and an increase in online learning to provide educational opportunities for students and to meet their legal responsibilities for duty of care related student safeguarding and subsequent impacts on their mental health.

The research investigated the online experiences of university students in the UK whilst in Higher Education, university responses to online safety education and how digital civility could be promoted.

The promotion of a welfare culture encompassing mental health, safeguarding and civility both offline and online should be increasingly reinforced and supported by universities.

Keywords:

Higher Education, Students, Online Safety, University, Education.