University of Wolverhampton Signs Up to the Advance HE Disabled Student Commitment

The University of Wolverhampton is proud to announce that it has formally signed up to the Advance HE Disabled Student Commitment (DSC), marking a significant milestone in the University’s continuing work to strengthen accessibility, inclusion, belonging and disabled student success.

The Disabled Student Commitment is a sector-wide initiative designed to support universities in creating more inclusive environments and improving outcomes and experiences for disabled students through institution-wide leadership, partnership and continuous enhancement.

Our sign-up reflects not only our future ambitions, but also the substantial progress already made across the University over recent years.

This includes:

• investment in accessibility, disability and inclusion support;
• enhanced mental health and wellbeing provision;
• the development of sensory spaces and accessibility innovation;
• anticipatory and inclusive curriculum approaches;
• strengthened student voice and co-creation activity;
• major developments in safeguarding and student support;
• and increasingly sophisticated intersectional analysis of student experience and outcomes.

The University’s commitment is underpinned by a three-year delivery framework and builds upon several years of sustained institutional enhancement activity across Student Life, faculties and professional services.

Professor Ebrahim Adia, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, said:

“We are proud to formally commit to the Disabled Student Commitment and to continue building an inclusive university environment in which all students can thrive. This reflects both the significant progress already made across the institution and our ongoing determination to ensure accessibility, belonging and student success remain central to our strategic direction.”

Dan Kidd, Dean of Students, said:

“This commitment reflects our ambition to ensure disabled student success is considered across the entirety of the student journey, from pre-entry and transition through to progression, employability and alumni outcomes. What is particularly encouraging is that colleagues across the institution are already working collaboratively to refresh and strengthen our benchmarking and action planning, ensuring this work is evidence-led, ambitious and embedded across both academic and professional services.”

Dr Clare Dickens MBE, Director of Student Life and University Designated Safeguarding Lead, said:

“This is an important moment for the University and one which reflects the dedication, compassion and innovation of colleagues across the institution. We have deliberately approached this commitment at a point where we can confidently demonstrate meaningful progress already achieved, whilst also recognising there is more to do. The DSC gives us an important framework to continue building upon the momentum we have created together.”

The University’s work in this area aligns closely with Strategy 2035, the Student Success Strategy and emerging sector expectations relating to accessibility, disability inclusion and equitable student outcomes.

Already, cross-university work is underway to develop a renewed benchmarking and action planning framework aligned to both the Disabled Student Commitment and wider student mental health and wellbeing priorities. This work will span the full student lifecycle and include focus areas such as:

• transition and induction;
• inclusive curriculum and assessment;
• placement and professional practice experiences;
• employability and graduate outcomes;
• mental health and wellbeing;
• accessibility and reasonable adjustments;
• belonging and student voice;
• and intersectional analysis of student success and outcomes.

Thank you to all colleagues, students and partners who have contributed to the significant progress made so far and who continue to support this important work across our university community.