Exclusive:Scottish students told to sign conduct contracts as universities battle hate and harassment

The move comes amid growing alarm in recent years at the scale of violence and sexual harassment against female students, including 18-year-old Emily Drouet, who took her own life after a campaign of abuse in Aberdeen in 2016.

An initiative called “Changing the Culture” was launched by Universities UK in 2016 to address misconduct and all kinds of hate crime. And a new survey has outlined the action taken to date by institutions north of the Border.

The survey document shows almost two-thirds of Scottish universities, or 63 per cent, have updated student discipline procedures and codes of conduct since 2019, on top of the 21 per cent which had already done so. A further 11 per cent are now planning to follow.

It means just 5 per cent - thought to equate to one university - is still to commit to changes.

A total of 72 per cent of the 19 universities in Scotland have a “zero tolerance” policy in place.

And 58 per cent said they now use signed documents or contracts, up from just 9 per cent in 2019.

Rules on staff relationships with students have also been tightened up at most institutions.

Examples of revamped procedures include those at the University of Aberdeen, where there is a team of dedicated support advisors who have had specialist training on issues such as gender-based violence, hate crime, anti-Semitism awareness, neurodiversity and disability, and LGBTQ issues.

In 2020/21, the University of St Andrews introduced compulsory training in consent and bystander intervention for all students as part of matriculation.

The new report suggests such universities should share their evaluation of the impact of mandatory training with other institutions.

Professor Iain Gillespie, convener of Universities Scotland and Dundee University principal, said: “Sadly, we know that not everyone in our institutions has an experience at university that is respectful and safe.

“Institutions have a responsibility to listen to their students, staff and particularly from survivors to learn from their lived experience.

“There are many examples of positive change occurring thanks to the courage of survivors in speaking out.

“We applaud the bravery of those who choose to do so and to recognise their achievements, but also note that further progress should not rest so heavily on their shoulders.”

Tensions on some university campuses have also been heightened in recent months in the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza, with Palestine solidarity encampments established at several universities, and the ongoing battle relating to transgender rights.

St Andrews University's rector Stella Maris was removed from her role on its governing body earlier this year after sending an email to all students referring to "genocidal attacks" by the Israeli government.

There have meanwhile been protests at Edinburgh University over the screening of the controversial Adult Human Female documentary.

Sir Paul Grice, vice-convener of Universities Scotland and principal of Queen Margaret University, said in the new report: “We condemn racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, transphobia and violence against women in all its forms.

“It is important to say so as leaders, because hate should not be the louder voice.”

The survey found the executive team was responsible for overseeing misconduct policies in 68.5 per cent of universities, or 13 institutions, up from eight in 2019.

Meanwhile, 15 said they were working with third-sector organisations on policies, up from 11 institutions in 2019.

Ten respondents said that they worked with Rape Crisis, and the same number said they had engaged with EmilyTest, set up in memory of Emily Drouet.

Her mother, Fiona Drouet, also created a gender violence charter that was adopted by Aberdeen University earlier this year.

Other organisations helping update policies include NUS Scotland, Women’s Aid, Advance HE, the Union of Jewish Students, LGBT Youth Scotland and White Ribbon.

A total of 68 per cent of universities, or 13 institutions, recorded they formalise some form of communication on their policies to their students as part of their matriculation or induction processes, up from 46 per cent in 2019.

Most also said they had committed additional resources, with half of universities saying they have recruited new staff, despite a lack of funding.

Fourteen institutions identified funding pressures as “a problem to further progress”.

More than half of Scottish universities also highlighted the risk of litigation as a result of student misconduct cases, with the consequence this also diverts time and resources.

Meanwhile, the report found there “could be value in closer collaboration between school, college and university messages on acceptable behaviours”.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “As Cabinet secretary for education and skills, I am absolutely committed to eliminating discrimination, prejudice, hatred and violence against women and girls in places of education.

“Scotland’s universities should be safe places where students and staff can bring their whole selves to live, study, teach and work without fear.”

The minister added: “I welcome this progress report, which shows that over the last five years this agenda is increasingly led by those within a university’s executive team, with more oversight from governing bodies.

“I also welcome the data showing that 95 per cent of institutions have worked with their student and staff bodies to develop their strategic approach to anti-harassment and that more than 60 per cent have engaged with those with lived experience. I expect to see this continue going forward.”

The work carried out by universities has coincided with the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act having come into force from April 1.

Police Scotland confirmed on Friday that more than 5,400 hate crimes have been recorded in the past six months, most of which have been linked to race and age. The number represents a 63 per cent increase since new legislation came into affect.

There were more than 7,000 online hate reports submitted in the first week of the Act coming into force, but of those, only 240 incidents were ultimately recorded as crimes.

However, Police Scotland said the number of reports had subsided since the initial weeks.

Alan Speirs, deputy chief constable with Police Scotland, told the BBC there was a "significant difference in confidence" for people reporting hate crimes following the legislation’s introduction.

A Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service spokesman said: "In the very short time since the legislation came into force, 468 charges have been reported to us with some form of prosecutorial action taken in relation to almost 94 per cent of the charges reported. Forty two charges have resulted in a conviction with a further 82 per cent of charges ongoing in court.

“As one would expect in such a short time, many of the charges reported are still ongoing in court and it would not be prudent to make any assumptions regarding the efficacy of legislation at such an early stage.”