Lancaster safest city in which to study
Published 3 November 2009
Note
This is archived news which has been superceded by a more recent story (July 2011).
Lancaster has been ranked first out of 21 UK university cities for safety, according to a survey in a national newspaper. The Independent’s Complete University Guide lists the crime statistics which are most relevant to students for cities with two or more universities.
For the second year running, Lancaster, Canterbury and Bath are the safest three cities out of a total of 21 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Manchester comes bottom of the table, while the safest Scottish city is Aberdeen.
The data, derived from officially recorded statistics for categories of crime committed outside London, relates to all victims, not just students.
Lancaster is ranked first for student safety
“Unlike many other factors, the incidence of criminal acts is outside the control of the university. Nevertheless, this does not mean that potential students should ignore it. It is simply one more question they are entitled to ask.”
Lancaster University, a mile outside the safest city, already has a well founded reputation for student safety - a key factor in choosing where to study.
Professor Amanda Chetwynd, Pro Vice Chancellor for the College and Student Experience said: “We place great importance on the quality of life we offer our students and safety is an important aspect of this.”
There is a dedicated police team on campus at Lancaster University. There's also an active student safety campaign, and new student accommodation was recently awarded a Secured By Design award from the Association of Chief Police Officers, with features such as low hedges and overlooked pathways and parking.
Lancaster also came top for safety on campus in the 2007 International Student Barometer survey which questioned over 400 students from 63 countries and benchmarked the results against 56 other UK universities. A total of 95% of students at Lancaster were impressed with the high levels of safety on campus – the highest satisfaction rating of any other institution participating in the survey.
- View complete tables in the Complete University Guide
- Crime watch: Why students may think twice about studying in Manchester (Independent, 29 October 2009)
