The Higher Education Minister, Sam Gyimah MP, was at Kings College London today to speak to students. The Minister has been travelling across the UK as part of his #SamOnCampus tour, visiting universities to hear the views of students and staff, since his appointment to the post earlier this year.

During the questions and answers facilitated by KCLSU President Momin Saqib, King’s students asked the minister about a variety of issues including tuition fees, mental health, international students’ support, how to close the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Student Attainment gap and free speech.

King’s College London and KCLSU also shared our joint statement on Freedom of Expression.  

Momin Saqib, KCLSU President noted, “As the first international student to be elected president of KCLSU in its 144-year history I am proud to represent students from 140 different countries studying everything from War Studies to Dentistry.  We talk a lot about changemakers in students’ unions and I am delighted to have the opportunity to talk to the ultimate change maker in relation to our University education.”

Momin added, “Universities have always been communities of thinkers but increasingly we find from our students, staff and the media that Universities themselves (and what is happening or not happening in them) is the actual subject of our thoughts.  I believe that Universities are places to facilitate intellectually stimulating discussions, environments for constructive debates, places where ideas get tested, which are all done in a bid for the advancement of human knowledge and the betterment of our society. It is critical for all of us that universities remain safe spaces for debate, whether within the sphere of academia or outside it, as long as the debate takes place within the law.”