A Message to Our Student Community on the recent escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan

We understand the recent escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan has deeply affected many students in our community. We welcome the recently agreed ceasefire as a hopeful step toward de-escalation, peace, and reconciliation.

These events are a powerful reminder of the ongoing human impact of geopolitical tensions. While the ceasefire offers some relief, the emotional and personal effects of the violence - and the long-standing regional tensions behind it - remain very real for many. We recognise that these experiences may still feel raw, unsettling, or unresolved, particularly for those with direct or ancestral ties to the region.

We understand these events do not happen in isolation - it reverberates through communities around the world, including ours. We are especially mindful of the emotional toll this may be taking on our South Asian students, and we sincerely empathise with you, hopeful that the ceasefire will bring a form of peace to the regions. We also acknowledge that this situation may be affecting your financial wellbeing or your ability to focus on your studies.

Please do reach out to us and University services if you need support or someone to talk to:

The Union Advice Service: The Union Advice Service offers confidential, impartial and non-judgemental support on a range of academic and university issues that may affect your experience.
Online request form
Email: advice@upsu.net
Phone: 023 9284 3478
Location: Underneath the Student Centre where the Eye Clinic used to be, Cambridge Road, Portsmouth, PO1 2EF. Open from 10am - 4pm Monday - Friday.

Student Life Team: For advice, guidance, and ongoing support with concerns related to your wellbeing.
Email at studentlife@port.ac.uk

Student Wellbeing Service: Offering same-day interventions for students experiencing distress. The team includes Mental Health Advisers and Wellbeing Advisers who can help you develop coping strategies. 
Phone:+442392843466 
Email: wellbeing-admin@port.ac.uk

Chaplaincy: Providing pastoral and spiritual support regardless of faith or belief. Our chaplains are available for confidential conversations. 
Email: chaplains@port.ac.uk 

ResLife Team: If you need urgent support outside of regular university hours, our ResLife team is available for students living in university accommodation. 
Phone: +44 (0)23 9284 3333
Email: reslife@port.ac.uk

Student Finance: 
Phone: +44 (0)23 9284 3014 
Email: studentfinance@port.ac.uk
In person: Drop-in - you may need to make an appointment to see one of their advisers
Opening times are Monday to Thursday, 8.30am – 5.00pm, Friday: 8.30am – 4.00pm, and the centre is closed on Saturday and Sunday and bank holidays.

Your Union remains committed to maintaining a student community built on care, understanding, and mutual respect. While political views and emotions may differ, we ask all members of our community to treat each other with compassion and dignity.

In moments of global unrest, supporting one another matters more than ever. UPSU is committed to providing a space where students feel safe, supported, and heard. We support students’ legal rights to freedom of expression and peaceful protest. We also uphold our responsibility to maintain respectful and inclusive dialogue on campus.