Salford students meet with US Embassy as they ‘Invent to Protect’

The objective of the programme is for students to design, implement and measure the success of a product, tool or initiative to counter far-right extremism, misogyny, misinformation, radicalisation, and racially or ethnically motivated violence in the UK.

Students will work in teams to plan their projects and will be given a £500 budget to bring their ideas to life. The top teams will then be invited to present their projects to Embassy officials. 

Salford is one of just five UK universities to be involved in the programme.

The students are hoping to deliver an induction week programme for all new undergraduate students starting their studies in Salford, with a focus on raising awareness of racial extremism and its specific impact on women at university. 

Emma Parrinello, one of the students in the group, said: “We've chosen this project as it highlights a key issue that society has. We believe that tackling this in universities will really help change mindsets. On a personal level, I hope that being involved in this work will give me the chance to experience a range of creative skills, leadership skills and presenting skills.”

Victoria Gregson, Programme Leader for BSc Professional Policing at the University of Salford, said: “We’re really excited to have our students representing Salford on such a high-profile programme. It is a fantastic opportunity for them to gain real-world experience of developing an initiative that has the potential to make a difference to people’s lives.”