As part of ongoing work on digital accessibility and inclusive practice in higher education, a further workshop was delivered bringing together students, academic staff, professional services colleagues, and international partners. The session formed part of a wider British Council–supported collaboration focused on strengthening inclusive approaches across institutional contexts.

What stood out most from this workshop was the quality of the conversation.

Students shared perspectives on hidden disabilities and the everyday barriers they experience in learning environments. Staff reflected on the range of support tools already available, while recognising that awareness and confidence in using these tools remain ongoing challenges.

The discussion moved from a focus on what support services provide to a more practice-oriented perspective centred on what can be changed within teaching and learning. This shift was reflected in participants’ engagement with practical approaches, including the use of AI as a form of learning support, prioritising clarity and readability in materials, introducing flexibility into assessment design, and recognising that staff may also experience hidden challenges.

Participant feedback indicated a strong intention to apply these ideas in practice, both within individual teaching contexts and across partner institutions. One colleague reflected that “It really opened my eyes to the student perspective and made me think. I learned a lot.”

The session also highlighted the importance of sharing inclusive practices more widely, ensuring that effective approaches can reach and support a broader range of students.

The workshop benefited from contributions across the partnership, including colleagues from NUST Business School, Dr Asfia Obaid, Dr Lubaba Sadaf, and Dr Fatima Qaisar, whose perspectives enriched the discussion.

The delivery and discussion were coordinated and facilitated by Dr Ying Wu, and supported by a wider group of collaborators, including Dr Seemab Farooqi as Principal Investigator, Tánaiste Custance as President of DUSA, Liam Brown, and Rhona Payne, alongside contributions from students, academics, professional services colleagues, and international partners.

This workshop forms part of a broader series of activities within the project, each contributing to the development of inclusive and accessible approaches in higher education.

As part of ongoing work on inclusive and accessible practice in higher education, a short video statement was recorded with Professor Karen Petrie in the lead-up to DUSA Neurodiversity Celebration Week. The filming formed part of the wider British Council–supported project focused on strengthening inclusive education across contexts.

The session brought together colleagues involved in different aspects of the project, including Dr Seemab Farooqi and Dr Ying Wu, with filming and setup led by James Duncan. The approach to the recording reflected a shared commitment to accessibility, ensuring that inclusive principles were considered throughout the process.

A defining aspect of the session was the way inclusion was enacted in practice. The environment and interactions reflected care, respect, and attention to how work is carried out, not only what is communicated. This emphasis on practice aligns with the broader aims of the project, where inclusive education is understood as something embedded in everyday actions and decisions.

The filming sits within a wider programme of collaboration involving partners such as NUST Business School, bringing together perspectives from different institutional and cultural contexts. These collaborations support ongoing reflection on how inclusive practices can be developed and sustained across higher education environments.

The video has now been shared across project channels as part of the project’s wider dissemination activities.

▶️ Watch the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyeZlL-MV6I

As part of ongoing work on digital accessibility and inclusive practice in higher education, Dr Seemab Farooqi and Dr Ying Wu participated in a stakeholder session hosted by NUST Business School in Pakistan. The session brought together perspectives on inclusive education and digital accessibility from across higher education, disability organisations, industry, and policy contexts.

The project is led by Dr Seemab Farooqi as Principal Investigator, with contributions from the University of Dundee informing the discussion. The session provided a valuable opportunity to engage in a collaborative exchange, connecting diverse experiences and institutional perspectives.

A notable strength of the session was the quality of the dialogue. Participants engaged in thoughtful and constructive discussion, sharing insights related to digital learning, assessment, and student support. These contributions reflected a strong commitment to understanding both areas of progress and the challenges that remain.

The session created a supportive space for dialogue across contexts. By bringing together a range of voices, it enabled a more nuanced understanding of how inclusion and accessibility are interpreted and implemented in different settings.

Such exchanges underline the importance of sustained collaboration in addressing complex issues. Progress in inclusive education is strengthened through ongoing engagement, shared learning, and the ability to connect perspectives across institutional and national contexts.

This session forms part of a broader programme of collaborative activity between partners in the UK and Pakistan, contributing to continued work on inclusive practice and digital accessibility in higher education.

As part of the Inclusive Futures: Voices for Change series, this episode brought together a panel of student representatives to explore digital inclusion from student perspectives.

The panel featured Tánaiste Custance, President of DUSA, Casper Tracey, President of the Visible and Invisible Disabilities Society, and Liam Brown, PhD researcher and contributing member of the project team. Each panellist shared reflections grounded in lived experience, offering perspectives on the challenges and opportunities surrounding accessibility in higher education.

The discussion explored how digital inclusion is experienced by students in practice. Panellists reflected on the realities of digital barriers, the importance of representation, and the role of student voice in shaping more accessible systems. The conversation also highlighted how collaboration across the University can support more inclusive approaches to digital tools, policies, and learning environments.

This episode adopted a panel format, allowing for interaction between participants and the development of shared perspectives. The discussion moved between immediate priorities and longer-term considerations, including practical improvements that can be implemented in the short term and broader changes needed to support sustainable inclusion.

The recording was coordinated and hosted by Dr Ying Wu, with filming and editing led by James Duncan. The use of a multi-camera setup supported a high-quality recording and enabled a more dynamic and engaging presentation of the discussion.

The episode forms part of a growing series that includes both individual and panel conversations, recorded on campus and online with contributors from different contexts. Together, these recordings aim to capture authentic voices and support ongoing dialogue around inclusion and accessibility in higher education.

Episodes from the series will be shared through the project website and related platforms, contributing to wider engagement with inclusive practice.

As part of our ongoing work on inclusion and accessibility in higher education, an online workshop on Inclusive Teaching and Digital Accessibility brought together colleagues from the University of Dundee School of Business and NUST Business School. The session formed part of a wider programme of collaborative activity focused on strengthening inclusive practice across institutional contexts.

The workshop engaged 46 participants, with colleagues from NUST Business School joining alongside contributors from the University of Dundee. The session combined presentations, live discussions, and breakout activities, creating an interactive environment that encouraged reflection and exchange of ideas.

Engagement throughout the workshop was strong, with active participation in live chat discussions and thoughtful contributions during breakout sessions. These conversations focused on practical ways to enhance accessible and inclusive learning environments.

Post-workshop feedback indicated a clear impact on participants’ confidence and practice. A large majority reported increased confidence in applying inclusive teaching and digital accessibility approaches, alongside identifying specific actions they planned to implement in their own contexts.

Participant reflections captured the practical and conceptual value of the session:

• “This is constructive alignment in practice, a complete rethinking of how we design learning.”
• “Using learning outcomes helps us identify where students struggle and redesign assessments to bring them back into the learning loop.”
• “It felt like moving from assuming accessibility to designing for it upfront.”

The workshop included contributions across a range of key areas in inclusive education:

• Dr Seemab Farooqi explored neurodiversity, inclusive communication, and responsible use of AI
• Dr Audrey Gregory focused on supporting diverse learners and strengthening inclusive engagement
• Dr Stella Howden shared practical approaches to inclusive curriculum and assessment design
• Dr Ying Wu led reflections and coordinated breakout room discussions

The combined expertise of the facilitation team supported a collaborative and reflective learning environment, where participants were able to connect ideas with practice and consider how inclusive approaches could be embedded within their own teaching and institutional settings.

This workshop reflects the core values of the project, including strengthening inclusive curriculum design, advancing digital accessibility, and supporting institutional capacity building across different contexts.

The session also formed part of a broader series of collaborative activities delivered in partnership with NUST Business School, including both online and in-person workshops. The coordination and shared effort across teams contributed to a well-structured and impactful programme.

Core Project Team

University of Dundee: Dr Seemab Farooqi, Dr Ying Wu, Liam Brown, James Duncan, David Millar
NUST Business School: Prof Dr Asfia Obaid, Dr Lubaba Sadaf, Dr Fatima Qaisar, Ms Kishwar S Gulzar, Dr Sumbal Babar

At the University of Dundee Scholarship Conference, this project contributed to the poster presentation session with a study titled Digital Equity in Higher Education: A Global South–North Dialogue on Inclusion and Accessibility.

The poster presentation explored a central question: does “digital inclusion” mean the same thing across different contexts?

The findings highlight important contrasts between approaches in the Global South and Global North.

In Pakistan, faculty often demonstrate what can be described as “unconscious inclusivity.” Teaching practices are shaped by socio-economic realities and digital constraints, leading educators to design engaging and adaptable content without relying on formal accessibility frameworks.

In contrast, the UK context reflects more established systems of compliance and structured accessibility guidance. However, tensions remain between regulatory requirements and personalised teaching approaches. There is also evidence that awareness and use of built-in accessibility tools can be limited in practice.

Presented as part of the conference poster session, this work contributed to wider discussions on how inclusion and accessibility are understood and applied across different higher education systems. It also highlights the importance of context-sensitive approaches when developing digital accessibility strategies.

The conference record entry can be accessed here:
https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/publications/digital-equity-in-higher-education-a-global-south-north-dialogue-/

📄 The full poster is available to download below.

Day 1 of our British Council–funded workshop brought together colleagues across the UK and Pakistan for a series of engaging and reflective sessions focused on advancing accessible and inclusive practices in higher education.

What our participants said

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. During the debrief and reflection activity, participants described the sessions as:

• “Eye-opening”
• “A change of perspective”
• “A systems approach”

The sessions were seen as both practical and inclusive, with participants appreciating the range of perspectives and delivery styles.

For example, James Duncan’s accessibility training was particularly well received for demonstrating clearly how inclusive practices can be implemented in teaching. The lived-experience panel was highlighted as highly impactful, and Audrey Gregory’s session on Inclusive Curriculum Design and Hidden Disabilities was noted for its engaging and thoughtful approach.

Many participants left with immediate ideas they are planning to apply in their own practice.

Highlights from Day 1

• Quick wins for accessible teaching and student support
• Insightful discussions on hidden disabilities
• Premiere of a short AI-enhanced digital storytelling podcast episode, developed from real student voices
• Strong collaboration and team spirit across UK–Pakistan partners

Watch the podcast episode

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all speakers, panellists, NUST colleagues, and participants for contributing to such a collaborative and engaging day. We are also grateful to the British Council for supporting this initiative.