No questions asked – how universities are at risk of teaching torturers

Investigation reveals UK universities are teaching security courses to students from world’s most repressive countries.

Our new report, ‘No Questions Asked’, finds that world-renowned universities across the UK are delivering postgraduate education to members of state security forces in countries where torture is widespread.

Our investigation found that at least 12 universities, including Cambridge University and University College London (UCL), are turning a blind eye to the risk of contributing to human rights violations. In the absence of human rights checks, between them, universities are teaching courses that include areas such as counter-terrorism tactics, surveillance techniques and intelligence-gathering skills including to students from countries where human rights violations like torture are widespread.

Courses with names such as ‘Covert Investigation and Specialist Intelligence’ draw applications from around the world, including from countries where torture is used to silence people. When it comes to respecting human rights, some of the most prestigious universities in the UK are failing at the basics. 

Security students from countries including some of the world’s biggest executioners, repressive regimes and surveillance states where torture is perpetrated with impunity can be accepted, with no questions asked. 

Read our report for the responses made by various universities to our findings.

While the UK Government and official security forces are required to carry out checks when providing training to overseas security personnel, there are no comparable requirements for universities delivering these courses for members of overseas security forces. 

Unrestricted access of security personnel to UK training and educational opportunities is also sending a signal to repressive governments that abuses like torture can be carried out with impunity.

As one of the world’s largest torture rehabilitation centres, Freedom from Torture knows that justice and accountability have a direct impact on the healing process and are integral to survivors’ recovery.

Survivors of torture tell us how members of the security forces in countries around the world try to break people. And every day in our therapy rooms, we support people dealing with trauma, PTSD & panic attacks, all at the hands of torturers.

Human rights policies and risk based due diligence implemented by universities could help them to avoid contributing to human rights violations including torture overseas. UK universities have a responsibility to respect human rights. Where education for the security sector raises red flags, they must probe further to assess properly who they are educating, and what those skills might be used for. 

Join us in telling universities that they can't risk teaching torturers, and that now is the time to do something about it.