Student Trusted Contact Guidance 

A student trusted contact, also know as an emergency contact is someone who a learner nominates to act in a similar way to a next of kin. Usually, students will choose a parent or guardian, although it can be any individual over the age of 18 such as a family member or friend. It’s entirely the student’s choice, but we encourage them to choose someone they trust and who they can ask for help. 

Why do students need to provide an emergency contact? 

At Buckinghamshire New University, we are committed to fostering a culture of care and to protecting learner welfare and wellbeing. As part of this commitment, we ask all students to provide up-to-date contact details for an emergency contact throughout their enrolment at the University. This is to ensure swift and efficient communication and support in the case of an emergency, allowing for quick notification to loved ones and potentially facilitating medical or other assistance. 

In our experience it is almost always much better to involve a third party, somebody you know and trust, in your care, treatment and recovery. This might be a family member, friend, colleague or somebody important to you. This is likely to result in a better outcome and better support for yourself.

We do not have to share everything and we will respect your wishes, but we want to do all we can to make sure you have the best possible care and support around you. If needed, we can also discuss who else we might involve in your care.

How do I provide an emergency contact? 

When you fill out your online enrolment form, via your BNU Connect portal, you will be asked to provide a trusted contact. We ask that learners obtain their chosen emergency contact’s permission to fulfil this role before they register with us, make them aware what the role entails and that their contact details will be shared with the University. 

It is essential that students keep their emergency contact details up to date throughout their enrolment at Buckinghamshire New University.  

How do I update my emergency contact after enrolling? 

You will need log onto the BNU Connect portal where you filled in your enrolment form and submitted it. On the left hand side you will find a section called Profile. 

This is where you will find the current contact details the University has for your trusted contact. These can be updated on the “Personal Contacts” tab. 

What do I need to do if I am an emergency contact? 

If you are outside of the University and you are concerned about a learner’s safety, please report your concerns via the University’s Report and Support Portal. If your concern is urgent, call Emergency Services (999) and where possible, notify Buckinghamshire New University.   

In practice, the University will use information about emergency contacts very infrequently, and we try to involve students in any decision where we are considering contacting their emergency contact. 

We might contact you if we have reason to believe a student’s welfare or safety is at significant risk. This may happen alongside the University contacting other organisations such as emergency services, and we’ll always consider the impact of such contact on the student and any concerns we have for their safety. Ultimately our aim is to prevent any student coming to harm and reduce any risks of that happening.