Half also agree that faith helps people have greater confidence on campus.
The higher education sector saves millions a year through chaplaincy volunteers.
Muslim students are more likely to engage in charitable acts than students of other faiths, 36% of whom also contribute their time generously.
Faith plays an important role for students in higher education, driving educational aspirations, charitable work and social advocacy. Faith-based initiatives, like chaplaincies and student societies, are also invaluable institutions that provide faith-literate support to students, lead interfaith initiatives and advocate better access for underrepresented groups to higher education.
Where faith has often been treated as a risk in education, the evidence reflects its value. This report presents unique insights gathered through a poll, in partnership with NUS, of over 1,300 respondents at universities and colleges, which found that 52% of students agree that faith is important to them. Thirty interviews were conducted with academics, students and experts in higher education, helping to explore the reception of faith on campus.
It is true that while accommodations and support for students of faith have improved over the years, more remains to be done to ensure that students can bring their full selves to campus and realise their full potential. This report recommends practical steps that can be taken at each stage of a student’s journey to support their faith and ensure that they have equal access and opportunities.
Our interviews also reflected how faith-based spaces and chaplaincies provide frontline mental health support to students.
Since its inception in 2000, Charity Week is a yearly charitable fundraising initiative on campuses across the country. Predominantly led by student faith-based societies, it shows how faith encourages student collaboration for a greater good.
A report by Coventry University found that universities, on average, have only one prayer space for every 3,524 students. And only 30% of students surveyed believe that their institution provides sufficient support to students of faith looking for employment.
The prospect of applying to a highly competitive university like Oxford can be daunting and overwhelming for students. This is also the case for Muslim students, especially those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The Access and Outreach programme, led by the University of Oxford Islamic Student Society (ISoc), exists to help these students with their applications.
The aim of the project is also to tackle common misconceptions about studying at the University of Oxford, both for prospective students and their parents. The programme exists to inspire, inform and influence Muslim students to make full use of their ambition and apply to competitive universities, whether at Oxbridge or one of the Russell Group universities.
The ISoc also holds a flagship event, the Oxford Muslim Access Conference (OMAC) that takes place every year, where students offer tailored support to Muslim students considering making an Oxbridge application. OMAC 2022 was hosted by Clifford Chance, a prestigious Magic Circle law firm, and supported by the University of Oxford Admissions and Outreach team, as well as the Aziz Foundation.