'Students here for the first time may not be aware of dangers associated with the city'

Anne Monaghan, Ulster University's community relations manager, explained Ulster's specific issues. "Some of the student areas border on paramilitary territory. No one to my knowledge has been attacked yet, but the threat is certainly there," she said.

Following a noisy student party on St Patrick's day, she had to counsel students who had received a letter warning that they would be reported to the paramilitaries.

Ms Monaghan, one of only four community liaison staff in the UK, said:

"Some students take risks. If they are here for the first time they may not be aware of the dangers associated with the city." She said that students, particularly young men, walking alone at night were vulnerable to attack.

"They may be attacked not because they are students, but because they are out late at night or dressed expensively," she added.

Ms Monaghan teaches students that they may make matters worse by drawing attention to themselves with rowdy, drunken behaviour in public.