CHANGING THE CULTURE | Page 75

are very much in line with key areas for improvement highlighted across the wider stakeholder group and in the research considered. Furthermore, they echo the call for more specialist training, specifically for academic and support staff working with postgraduate students. They argue that existing codes of conduct covering relationships between staff and students are inadequate and that UUK should consult with the NUS and the University and College Union to develop a code of conduct which could be put on a statutory footing to ensure it is enforceable and help to prevent serial perpetrators moving between institutions. A submission was also made concerning staff to student sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse specifically in relation to tertiary music education, with a focus on the conservatoires. The authors of the submission argue that allegations of serious sexual exploitation have been made across a number of the UK conservatoires, though there does not appear to be data on this. The submission reports particular problems in relation to disclosure, reports of student complaints being dismissed and poor institutional response to whistleblowing. These must be addressed in clear policies and procedures which protect students and ensure that their complaints are heard. The authors also call for improved training, research into the way abuse occurs in a music education context and how institutions should respond to this, and a code of conduct for staff in classical music higher education institutions. UUK also received evidence from Conservatoires UK (CUK) which highlighted guidance developed within the conservatoire sector to ensure safe and mutually respective working practices between staff and students over 18. This followed a small number of cases – the majority of which took place in the 1970s and 1980s – where conservatoire staff committed crimes of rape and sexual assault against female students. In response to these historic failings the conservatoire sector has developed CUK’s Principles of Best Practice in Teaching which set out guidelines for safe working practices with students over 18, particularly in oneto-one teaching settings. They include guidelines on physical contact between teacher and student that is necessary for the student’s learning; safe and comfortable teaching spaces that incorporate a proportionate degree of external visibility; and the use of teaching spaces that are approved by the institution with any off-site teaching, where this is permitted, being subject to prior approval by the institution. The Principles state that, where students are aged 18 or over, teachers are strongly discouraged from establishing or seeking a sexual relationship with students and that each conservatoire is expected to have its own policies and procedures to deal with any such occurrence. This includes procedures for both students and staff to report concerns and how to seek advice and support if they believe that institutional policies, procedures and practices are not being followed. The Conservatoires UK Student Network also acts as an important focus for the student voice across the sector, and provides a conduit for issues of particular concern to conservatoire students to be addressed at a high level through the Conservatoires UK Board. Forced marriage There is no legal definition of violence against women in the UK. It generally includes sexual violence and rape, stalking and harassment, domestic violence, trafficking of women, female 74