Update on flags on roads next to campus
Posted on Wednesday 10 September 2025
Update on 11 September 2025: We welcome the City of York Council's decision to start to remove the flags, noting that this may take some time.
In the meantime we will continue to focus on celebrating our Community University of the Year 2026 award across campus, which reflects our approach to supporting others: on our campus, in our city, and across the globe.
Whilst we have control over where flags may be raised on our own campus, we don’t have control of Council-owned property, including lampposts on public roads that run through, and are close to, both Campus East and West.
You may have seen that the raising of these flags has sparked a nationwide debate. This has shown that flags can evoke a wide range of emotions, whether that’s pride, patriotism, solidarity or protest.
Some members of the University have called for flags to be removed, telling us of concerns that the flag’s symbolic power is being claimed by some to exclude others.
This is where the values of our community truly matter. No single group should be allowed to monopolise a powerful symbol of national or community identity. We should not accept any attempt to use a flag as a divisive message. It is up to all of us to ensure that our community instead champions the values of inclusivity, belonging, diversity and respect.
Our Vice-Chancellor has been in regular contact with the City of York Council to share thoughts and concerns raised by staff and students. You can read the Council’s statement about their plans, and we will continue to liaise closely with them in the coming days.
Our values at York
This University has always stood for values of inclusivity, diversity and respect. We always will.
We are a University for Public Good. We are proud to be a University of Sanctuary based in a City of Sanctuary, an international university that opens up opportunity for all, and a community dedicated to social justice and combating inequality.
We welcome all and support all to achieve their potential and become compassionate citizens of this world.
Our community of the year
So we are proud to have been awarded the accolade of Community University of the Year 2026, which reflects our approach to empowering individuals and enriching lives, on our campus, in our city, and across the globe.
We are more determined than ever to advocate the values of inclusivity, diversity and respect that this award recognises.
The accolade of Community University of the Year also underlines our commitment to the Together York declaration. This is about how we work together as a community of scholarship, purpose and respect, including the Respect at York campaign that will run through this semester, encouraging us to tackle hard questions and listen to different opinions with respect and sensitivity. It talks of the power of community and importantly, of differences being strengths, not things which should divide us.
Through these values we prioritise community spirit. We ask every member of our community to contribute to this effort by acting with care and respect, showing kindness and patience to one another, and, above all, by looking out for each other. Together, we choose to strengthen the values that connect us all.