Two security managers at universities are the next speakers at a webinar by the accreditation scheme ProtectED on Thursday, April 1. The one-hour session runs from 11am.
The two are Oliver Curran, Deputy Security Manager at University College London (UCL); and William McMahon, Head of Security at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), based in Preston. Briefly, ProtectED is a membership group whose members sign up to a Code of Practice that covers physical security as a student-facing service, taking a wider view of student safety and wellbeing, taking in mental health, and financial well-being, besides protection from crime.
As ProtectED founders and organisers point out, student safety, security and well-being are factors in student retention and recruitment. Students (and their parents) are rating campus safety and security when choosing their prospective university; especially true for international students, who may be moving to the UK for the first time, and seek reassurance that they will be looked after; and get value for money.
Hence Professor Caroline Davey at Salford, one of the founders and Directors of ProtectED, will discuss with Oliver and William how they have had to adapt ‘normal’ security processes and implement new ways of working to ensure students, staff and the campus remain safe during lockdown — and how this has created new practices. The last such webinar in October was featured in the November print edition of Professional Security magazine, featuring the head of security at the University of Salford and chair of the Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO), Trevor Jones.
About the speakers
Ollie Curran is London Regional Chair of AUCSO; and a Board Member of the umbrella body the Security Commonwealth.
Pictured; Senate House, University of London.
