Diversity and inclusion work

How can higher education better support diverse students and staff to fulfil their potential? Find advice on university diversity and inclusion policies and actions that open pathways into higher education to non-traditional students and support student success for diverse cohorts by building inclusive institutions. Plus, learn how to achieve greater diversity at every level of academia and make everyone feel they belong.

Red-headed female student looking unhappy in an exam

How to redesign law exams for students with ADHD

Long closed-book examinations are at odds with how the brains of students with ADHD work, writes Malak Benslama-Dabdoub. Here, she explains how to create assessment that tests the target skills

Malak Benslama-Dabdoub

Royal Holloway, University of London

Educators must model inclusive pedagogy

Belonging is not a by-product of good teaching but an intentional outcome of inclusive practices. These include healthy dialogue, co-creation and reflective practice, says Patrice Seuwou

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

Two Chinese students working together on a latop

‘Chinese students have plenty to say – when the conditions are right’

Silence in the classroom does not always signal disengagement. Learn about cultural and linguistic reasons behind low participation and strategies to better support multilingual learners

Rui He, Alex Baratta

The University of Manchester

Where to position pre-16 outreach in the university structure – and why

Pre-16 outreach is vitally important for helping under-represented groups achieve success in higher education. But its positioning within a university structure can make a real difference to its influence. Find out how here

Steve Briggs, Paula Page

University of Bedfordshire

Five university students working on a group project in class

Universal design for learning: a benefit, a challenge and a solution

Discover how to embed choice into learning in a clear, manageable and meaningful way

Pablo Dalby

The University of East Anglia

A group of students outside a campus building

Six ways UK universities can better support international postgraduate students

International postgraduate students navigate complex transitions. To support them, universities need to offer more inclusive support built into core systems, says Perpetual Eze-Idehen

Perpetual Eze-Idehen

The University of Manchester

A student looking at his phone in a university library

A practical toolkit for supporting neurodivergent learners

Strategies for making learning environments accessible by design, to the benefit of all students

Multiple authors

University of Oxford, Swansea University

Statue of Plato in front of Academy of Athens in Athens, Greece

I blame Plato: how ancient thinking still might shape belonging in STEM

The history of mathematics tells a rich story of collective labour, curiosity, dialogue, adventurousness and responsiveness to human questions. Educators have responsibility to tap into this for current and future students, writes Clemency Montelle

Clemency Montelle

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

How universities can tackle misogyny in the age of the manosphere

From subtle undermining to overt hostility, misogyny is rearing its ugly head in higher education classrooms, fuelled by online manosphere content. Addressing it requires clearer boundaries, training and a willingness to confront harmful behaviour early

Joanna Lewis

The London School of Economics and Political Science

How the artist game opens every classroom door

An effective icebreaker can set students up for confident participation throughout the semester. Here, Natalie Cummins shares a structured low-risk activity that draws in all participants

Natalie Cummins

University of Technology Sydney

Illustration of faces in blues and greens

Lecture room as tapestry: weaving culture, curiosity and learning together

Culturally inclusive pedagogy asks educators to redesign learning environments that work with, rather than ignore, the diversity in university classrooms. Here, Chipo Simbi offers advice around student engagement, assessment and safe spaces

Chipo Simbi

University of Southampton

A teacher at the front of class interacting with a room full of students

From policy to practice: how to embed accessibility standards at scale

How to build staff confidence, bridge communication gaps and align systems so that accessibility becomes business as usual

Rachel Griffiths , Vrinda Nayak

The University of Exeter

A deaf student doing sign language on a Zoom call

Teaching deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing students: practical steps that benefit everyone

When educators design communication to work across multiple modes from the outset, classrooms become more accessible – and more effective – for everyone, says Annelies Kusters

Annelies Kusters

Heriot-Watt University

A group of smiling university students outside a campus building

Welcome new university students with inclusive events

Five ways to make welcome activities more inclusive, helping students engage at their own pace, build connections and feel a sense of belonging from the start

Megan Jones

The University of East Anglia

A student slumps over a pile of paperwork

Do students need accommodations for their accommodations?

Students with disabilities need accommodations so they can focus on learning. But when accessing those accommodations requires skills they don’t have, is the system really working?

Riley Pizza, Sara Brownell

Arizona State University

Opening doors to greater diversity in STEM

Find out how to remove barriers to study and research in science, technology, engineering and maths in order to attract and retain a wider diversity of talented students and academics in STEM fields

Campus contributors, Laura Duckett

Campus

Black leadership programmes support wider efforts to close HE attainment

Alongside other institutional initiatives, targeted programmes co-created by Black heritage students can improve academic outcomes and the overall student experience, says Faylisha Scott

Faylisha Scott

Young male and female high school students in a chemistry lab

Why investment earlier in the pipeline would strengthen diversity in STEM

Persistent inequities in uptake of science, engineering, technology and mathematics begin before college. Drawing on evidence from K-12 talent development programmes, Keisha Simmons offers practical guidance to strengthen the STEM pipeline

Keisha Simmons

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

How to help women thrive in STEM study and beyond

Women must be supported at both the student and staff levels to pursue rewarding careers in STEM, during their degrees as well as in the workforce

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

A young family walking through a university building

Stop excluding carers! Eight ways to create an inclusive research culture

Low-cost, practical fixes can build a ‘care aware’ research culture and reduce the mental health strain of combining care and scholarship

Mingzhi Li, Cagla Karatepe, Yanyan Li, Xinran Gao

The University of Warwick

What the Baftas incident teaches us about psychological safety in universities

How universities can take a proactive, compassionate approach to psychological safety that supports all students

Nicola Martin

London South Bank University

Who are we when we teach? Why ESOL educators need space to explore identity

A workshop delved into language teacher identity and how reflecting on it can make English for speakers of other languages sessions more inclusive. Here’s how

Paula Barrowcliffe

University of the West of Scotland

Spotlight guide: Duty of care, making university safe for all

Duty of care: making university safe for all

Safeguarding advice to help universities look after students and staff, both on campus and online

Campus team

Campus

Students walking through a university library

So you’ve decolonised your reading list – what’s next?

Reframe knowledge, champion transparency and draw on student experiences to create balanced curricula that build belonging and critical thinking, says Patrice Seuwou

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

A young woman smiling to camera ourside wearing a t-shirt with a rainbow on it

Practical LGBTQ+ allyship within STEMM

Allyship in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine requires more than symbolic gestures. From inclusive language to visible signals of support, practical action can help create safer, more equitable workplaces for LGBTQ+ colleagues and students

Claire L. Davies, Eleanor M. Townsend, Andrew M. Griffiths

The University of Exeter

International study experiences can be great equalisers – but only if diverse students participate

In part two of his series on outbound student mobility, Lucas Lixinski explains why international study experiences can be so powerful in levelling socio-economic inequality in higher education and how institutions can support this

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

Students listen attentively during a class

Make inclusion work in practice in your global classroom

Embed inclusivity into your course to harness the diversity of international cohorts. Here’s how

Luana Carcano

Simon Fraser University

How to make higher education assessments inclusive

When we design assessment with transparency, cultural awareness and inclusivity in mind, it becomes a tool for supporting learning rather than measuring it, writes Patrice Seuwou and explains how

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

Six ways to create an autism-friendly learning environment

Make your classroom, lab and campus more accessible to autistic students with these tips

Multiple authors

Keele University

Beyond Alan Turing: bringing LGBTQ+ role models into STEM

LGBTQ+ identities remain largely invisible in STEM. Shining a light on them in everyday teaching can strengthen belonging and representation

Eleanor M. Townsend, Claire L. Davies, Andrew M. Griffiths

The University of Exeter

Spotlight How to factor family into higher education

How to factor family into higher education

Practical advice for universities to support staff, faculty and students with parenting and caring responsibilities

Campus contributors, Eliza Compton

Campus

How financial literacy empowers first-generation students

Institutions that aspire to be truly inclusive must go beyond scholarships and access policies to embed financial literacy, writes Manjari Sharma. This can be done through workshops, mentoring and career services

Manjari Sharma

Christ (Deemed to be University)

A group of university students working together at a table

Make team-based learning work for neurodivergent students

Students with autism, ADHD and dyslexia often struggle in team-based learning contexts. Read advice for tailoring this activity to specific learning needs and reducing overstimulation

Multiple authors

University of Bath, University of Bradford

How vertical tutoring builds community

Students on joint or interdisciplinary degrees often struggle to feel they truly belong. Vertical tutoring – a structured, cross-year peer support model – offers a solution

Owen Tomlinson, Mary O’Leary

The University of Exeter

Doing outreach with children? Start with bricks, questions and storytelling

When the climate crisis dominates headlines but often feels too large for meaningful action, how can university researchers invite the next generation to engage, imagine and lead? Here, Nadera Assim shares insights from a workshop on composting

Nadera Assim

University of Southampton

Storytelling in STEM: connecting concepts, confidence and identity

Designing STEM classrooms that encourage students to reflect on their progress and share their stories takes intention, but the pay-off is enormous: more engaged, capable and confident learners

Karen Ho, Douglas B. Clark

Mount Royal University, University of Calgary

Accompaniment: the key to engaging campus communities in change

To respond to change, leaders must create solutions with their employees and members of the community, rather than instituting a top-down approach. A Latin American leadership practice could be the answer

Annmarie Caño

Gonzaga University

‘Universities need to be better prepared to handle anti-religious hate’

How can institutions navigate a landscape where some religious communities see equity, diversity and inclusion efforts as an essential safeguard, while others view these initiatives as an overreach?

Matthew J. Mayhew, Benjamin S. Selznick, Musbah Shaheen

The Ohio State University, James Madison University, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Students and support staff work together round a laptop

Work with students for an inclusive university culture

Inviting students into the process of making your university campus a more inclusive place can be transformative. Here’s how

Dana Abiltayeva , Ayana Batyrbayeva

Nazarbayev University

How can we embed Global South perspectives in GenAI teaching?

GenAI can accelerate learning, but if we aren’t careful, it can also reinforce colonial assumptions. Jasmine Mohsen explains how to avoid this

Jasmine Mohsen

SP Jain London School of Management

Doctors of colour clasp hands in a circle

What underpins the success of a racial justice network?

A small online meeting of ethnic minority medical students in 2020 has now grown into a well established staff and student community. Here are six features that underpin its success

Kate Williams, Shameq Sayeed

University of Leicester

Not faster but fairer: tame ‘techno-solutionism’ to build inclusive futures with AI

University leaders and academics must resist an open-armed embrace of AI and ask tough questions about who, really, is benefitting from its use in order to shape an inclusive future, writes Chie Adachi

Chie Adachi

Queen Mary University of London

Young Muslim female student in university classroom

What universities gain from involving displaced students in civic engagement

Civic action not only gives displaced students and refugees a sense of belonging and agency, it brings academic communities benefits such as cultural insight and leadership skills

Jonathan Becker, Zarlasht Sarmast

Bard College

University students celebrating their graduation

Rethinking neurodiversity in higher education

Strategies to embed neurodiversity support into teaching and assessment to unlock talent and drive innovation across higher education

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

A group of students discussing something on an iPad

Stop asking students to be the lesson and focus on choice and consent

When students are asked to share personal stories to illustrate lessons, the emotional cost can outweigh the educational gain. Aasiya Satia explores how consent-based pedagogy can create safer, more equitable classrooms for all students

Aasiya Satia

McMaster University

A Black artist holds a paintbrush out to the camera

Helping Black students thrive in art education

How to make art school a welcoming, inclusive environment for Black students, and support them into artistic careers

Emily Moore

Royal College of Art

How to help autistic students adjust to life on campus

With autistic students’ drop-out rate spiking, here’s how to help them ease into their university career, allow for neurodiversity-friendly socialising and reduce their anxiety with a furry friend

Tabitha Biller

De Montfort University

An illustrated image depicting two groups of people arguing with each other headed by a leader holding a megaphone

Dealing with division: the polarised university

How can universities encourage respectful disagreement, empathy and compassion while handling sensitive topics with care and protecting academic freedom – keeping higher education open, inclusive and intellectually rigorous?

Campus contributors, Laura Duckett

Campus

A group of people having a discussion at a table

Foster allyship to support marginalised groups in higher education

How to initiate change, create safe spaces for difficult conversations and nurture a culture of allyship in your department

Reuel Blair, Tizzy Gill

Birmingham City University

Snails, Jaffa Cakes and rubber ducks: making university outreach playful

Outreach initiatives like School Tasking show how academics can break down barriers, engage young learners, and make higher education feel accessible rather than intimidating

Ali Struthers, Alex Horne

The University of Warwick

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