CSIE is delighted to have been awarded a grant from the University of Bristol to research current experiences of disabled students, in collaboration with Dr Dave Bainton, researcher at the University of Bristol.

The study is already underway and seeks to explore experiences of students at the University of Bristol who identify as being disabled or who experience mental health issues. It is anticipated that outcomes will shape policy and practice across all disciplines and departments of the University.

This research project adopts the definition of disability as this appears in the Equality Act 2010 and, therefore, seeks to engage with students who identify as disabled according to this definition (i.e. students who have a physical or mental impairment, including mental health issues, which has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do ordinary daily activities).

The study aims to provide the University of Bristol with: a) feedback on current policies and practices which are effective in ensuring that disabled students are included in every aspect of University life; and b) practical recommendations for improving current procedures for welcoming and adequately supporting disabled students. As a result, the University will be further enabled to operate in line with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and Article 24 (Education) of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities