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The imperative to plan for, resource and to practice, inclusive pedagogy and assessments within Higher Education Institutes has never been more
compelling. HEIs are increasingly adjudged as to their capacity to advance the learning outcomes of all students, and to ensure a high level of retention and attainment within courses. In light of this, universities need to consider how best to go about initiating
change processes that are at once proactive, positive and systematic.
On Monday, 26th June RAISE (Researching Advancing and Inspiring Student Engagement) has organised an inclusive practice seminar at the University of Worcester to identify precisely how such changes can be brought about. The event has the potential to make a significant impact on the ways in which systematic whole university decisions are made about progressing a social justice approach towards inclusivity – in all of its guises, and in its application to educational access; engagement; assessment and learning outcomes for all students. The Department for Education Report entitled Inclusive Teaching and Learning in Higher Education as a route to Excellence states that:
Providing equality of outcome for disabled students with their non-disabled
peers requires universities to embed consideration of all students needs into everything which they plan and deliver (Department for
Education 2017, P 27).
For this reason, it is important that colleagues adopt a joined up, strategic approach to positive change management and leadership. Of course, this should involve multiple layers of leadership, but change processes are most likely to be effective when they incorporate constructive conversations that, at the very least, also include senior leaders within HEIs. In light of this, the RAISE Inclusive Practice SIG would like to encourage you to share the details of our event with colleagues within your own settings who have capacity to influence strategic thinking and direction regarding how learning and assessment practices are facilitated and resourced. Such colleagues might include for example: Learning and Teaching Leads and Directors; PVCs Student Experience; Directors of Student Services and others uniquely positioned within your settings to chart a positive difference for all students. We’d also like to encourage you to disseminate the information more widely to other colleagues who are passionate about ensuring that all students’ learning potentials are realised, especially those who have traditionally been marginalised.
There is no doubt that we are living in times of significant change in the HEI sector. As practitioners, we are hopeful that the RAISE seminar
will provide scope for us to act as a dynamic and committed community of practitioners to realise a more inclusive and socially just way through current and forthcoming changes.
Further details of the RAISE event, to be hosted at the
University Arena Worcester are included below:
9:45 – 10:15 Arrival: Refreshments
and networking
10:15 - 10:30 Welcome: Professor
David Green, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Worcester.
10:30 - 11:00 Envisioning inclusive excellence for 2020: Building
on the Department for Education’s Disabled Students Sector Leadership Group Report: Professor Geoff Layer, Vice Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton.
11:00 - 11:30 Inclusive excellence in praxis, ideals for 2020: Paddy
Turner, Chair of National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP).
11:30 – 12:15 Facilitated round table discussions: Action
points for individuals, courses, institutes and universities.
12:15 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 13:45 Systematically embedding inclusivity across the university
– Adopting a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach: Dr Abigail Moriarty, Director for Learning and Teaching and Phil Scarffe,
Head of Student Welfare, De Montfort University.
13:45 – 14:00 Feedback and planning forward
To reserve your place please contact [log in to unmask] on or before Friday 26th May.