Research and Teaching

University of Liverpool academic colleagues from several different Faculties, including Law, Political Science, Psychology, Architecture and Sociology, have conducted sector leading research on themes of forced migration and displacement, and teach on a variety of themes which intersect with issues around displacement and migration.

There are several large, funded research projects within the University focused on questions of asylum, sanctuary seeking, children's rights, border violence, border crossing, and historical and modern day slavery. The ongoing nature of these projects, along with the passion of the researchers involves, is key to the University's long term approach to knowledge production, as well as its efforts to foster a more welcoming and inclusive environments. 

We have a strong inter-disciplinary research profile, with academics from Law, Politics, Geography, Languages and more working in this area, collaborating with people who have lived experience of forced displacement. This then translates into policy and teaching at the University, including the asylum support strand at the University Law Clinic, a broad range of sanctuary related modules across the University, the development of the Humanitarian Scholarship and the student-led STAR and Amnesty societies.

Sanctuary seeking is an ever changing experience; as an institution we are constantly learning, filling in gaps in our understanding and enhancing our knowledge. Innovative research work is a vital part of our commitment to continuous improvement and supporting sanctuary seeking students to feel understood as a part of the University of Liverpool Community.  

Our research on the policy and lived experience of migration is both local and international. Within our Department of Politics and Management School we have leading experts on human trafficking, unfree labour and modern slavery within supply chains. Alongside our long-standing partner, the University of Georgia, we have delivered the African Programming and Research Initiative to End Slavery, a five-year programme funded by the US State Department. Our staff also direct the research work of the Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre, led by Oxford University.

Through our work with other University of Sanctuary institutions, we have benefited from the opportunity to learn and develop our practice and policies via formal guidance, individual experience and shared best practice. This puts our team in a strong position to provide the support sanctuary seekers at the University need.  

From experience, we have found that there has been a lack of information to appropriately address the issues and concerns that our sanctuary scholars present with, particularly regarding UK immigration law. We have also found complying with Government legislation a constant challenge, with changes in policy, law and guidance regularly impacting on our practice. We have adopted a flexible approach, learning from experience and overcoming setbacks, while supported by the Sanctuary network and utilising experts within the University, such as academics from within our Law School.