Digital Safety
Studying online means you will spend a significant amount of time accessing systems, communicating, and managing your work digitally.
Developing good digital safety habits will help you protect your personal information, keep your work secure, and study with confidence.
Protecting your accounts
Keeping your accounts secure is essential.
Use a password manager to create strong, unique passwords for each account rather than reusing the same one. This reduces the risk of multiple accounts being accessed if one password is compromised.
Where available, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). At Norland, this may include using Microsoft’s authentication app to verify your identity when signing in. This adds an important extra layer of security.
You should also use your Norland email account via Outlook for all university-related communication. This helps ensure messages are secure, traceable, and clearly linked to your studies.
Keeping your devices secure
Your device is your main access point to your learning, so it is important to keep it secure.
Make sure your device is regularly updated, including your operating system and applications. Updates often include important security fixes.
When accessing university systems such as Outlook, Teams, or Moodle, use a secure and private Wi-Fi connection. Public networks can be less secure, particularly when logging into accounts or accessing sensitive information.
Protecting your work
Losing your work can be stressful, particularly during busy periods or close to deadlines.
As a Norland student, you have access to Microsoft 365, including OneDrive, which you can use to store and back up your files securely.
Saving your work to OneDrive means:
- Your files are stored in the cloud and accessible from any device
- Your work is automatically backed up
- Your files are less at risk if your device is lost, damaged, or fails
You can access OneDrive through your Microsoft 365 account using your Norland login.
It is good practice to save your work in more than one place, particularly for important assignments.
Staying aware online
Being aware of potential risks online will help you make safer decisions.
Be cautious of phishing emails or messages, which are designed to trick you into sharing personal information or clicking harmful links. These may appear in Outlook and often create urgency or seem to come from trusted organisations.
If something seems unusual, such as an unexpected request, unfamiliar sender, or urgent message, take a moment to check before responding.
You should also review your social media privacy settings and consider what you share publicly. Avoid posting information that could identify you, your location, or details about your studies.
Reporting concerns
Norland is committed to providing a safe and respectful learning environment.
If you experience or encounter harassment, bullying, or harmful content, you can take action:
- Contact a Designated Safeguarding Officer (details can be found in the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy)
- Use reporting tools on the platform where the issue has occurred
- In serious situations, report the incident to the police
You can also refer to the Prevent and Safeguarding section within Welcome Week or the Study Hub for further guidance and support.
You are not expected to manage these situations on your own. Seeking support helps protect both you and others in the Norland community.
