Here at Leeds Beckett University, we are committed to providing our students with an inclusive teaching and learning environment that is in line with our core university values of being purposeful and embracing teamwork, integrity, inclusive practice, pragmatism and ambition.
We want to create an inclusive university that enables all students to fully engage with their learning. We want them to feel supported through their time with us and be successful in their life journey while they're part of our community.
Our university is made up of a living kaleidoscope of individuals that create our vibrant student community. Every individual brings their own insights, perspectives, and ideas to enhance the institution and to enrich debate and discussion. It is our aim to support these different groups to succeed through their diversity.
Our university community is a truly diverse environment within which to work, study and learn. Our student community is made up of around 25,000 students, including those with around 20% declaring a disability, around 40% commuting to university from around the West Yorkshire region, and 26% from a wide range of international backgrounds.
To ensure we can support all students, we have created the Inclusive Education Programme. This programme ensures that the university adheres to its legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, and meets the needs of our disabled students. It will be an ongoing project that will adapt to the external environment and to the needs of the university and its student populations. This has seen the creation and acceptance of the Standards of Inclusive Practice. By embedding the Standards of Inclusive Practice within the curriculum and our culture, we try to ensure that all students have access at all stages of their learning to accessible teaching, learning and assessment environments. This is our commitment to ensure we are actively pursuing an inclusive approach for all our students.
This work is supported through our inclusive practice tutors within the academic schools. They work with our academic staff to develop and enhance our inclusive perspective and teaching practice. They gather examples of good practice from across the university and share that learning from this practice widely. Their work will help to create an evolving set of case studies to support our ambition and commitment for inclusivity for all. We have included some links to the information accompanying this presentation, which will lead you some of this material.
The university is committed to developing and embedding this work at all levels and to enhancing its impact in the future. It is through this purposeful and pragmatic teamwork that we can create a culture of inclusivity here at Leeds Beckett University, and we look forward to you joining us on this journey. Thank you.
