'It’s a tribute to lives lost, and a promise to the students of today that their safety matters' - Emile Heskey launches new Student Safety App across the UK
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 10 June 2025
UPDATED: 10 June 2025
A groundbreaking mobile application designed to safeguard students and enhance campus safety is set to launch nationwide this August. The Student Safety App, a social impact venture, offers students a real-time safety companion with an array of features aimed at preventing harm and offering peace of mind to students and their families.
The app, which will be launched by ex-England footballer Emile Heskey and free for students and universities to use, is a direct response to a rise in violence towards students that underscored serious safety gaps in the student experience.
A recent Neighbourhood Watch survey revealed that:
- 53% of students were most concerned about serious violence (including knife crime and assault).
- 52% were worried about sexual crime (such as sexual assault and stalking).
- 45% feared mugging or theft.
“These figures underscore the pressing need for enhanced safety measures and resources to protect students across the UK.” said Emile. “This app is not just a piece of tech - it’s a tribute to lives lost, and a promise to the students of today that their safety matters.”
The Student Safety App is packed with thoughtful, life-saving features and will help students to report incidents such as drink spiking, knife crime, aggressive door staff and suspicious activities in student accommodation.
Location settings allow the user to set a location to a certain radius, which will transfer when the student travels to visit friends, family or any new location.
The Student Safety App will report any local concerns in clubs, bars, venues, people or locations to build a trusted community of peers - think of this as a Waze for student safety.
The app will also allow designated friends to follow the user's journey progress and make and receive a fake call by the user to help extract them from potentially dangerous situations. It will allow users to record video, audio and capture locations to aid a detailed report at a later date and includes a "Looks Sketchy" feature that will allow users to be notified of incidents, places and people in their vicinity.
Monica Ghuman, Project Lead at Student Safety App, who recently returned from university education in the US, says the UK lags way behind when it comes to student safety.
She added:
"During my first year at Arizona State University, students received real-time alerts about on-campus incidents - everything from armed robberies to police activity. After transferring to Nottingham Trent University, I was surprised by the lack of immediate communication; I often found out about serious incidents days later through the media. That's why the launch of the Student Safety App is so vital for students, families and universities across the UK."
Emile added:
“The Student Safety App is a social app that allows students to work together and navigate through inner cities and around crime. Students should never have to walk home alone feeling afraid. This app is what they’ve been waiting for - practical, fast and student-focused."
Get involved
The Student Safety App officially launches in August 2025. Students, parents and supporters can sign up for early access at https://studentsafetyapp.com/
