Welcome to Inclusive UCD 2021

Welcome to Inclusive UCD 2021 

“As someone who considers themselves part of several minority groups, I very much appreciate UCD's focus on equality, diversity and inclusion. As such, on a personal level, I feel welcome at UCD before even starting the course... I hope that I will continue to learn from and with people with diverse life experiences during my time at UCD. I plan to fulfil my role as a member of a University for All by avoiding making assumptions about others, by ensuring the language I use and the actions I take are always inclusive, and by committing to stepping in if I notice that anyone is feeling uncomfortable as a result of the actions or words of others." - UCD Graduate Student, September 2021

In 2020 with orientation moving online we were invited to be part of an introductory Brightspace module for all incoming students. Our ‘Welcome to Inclusive UCD’ module used interactive scenario-based learning materials to enable students to learn more about our inclusive university, and what their role is in a University for All. 

This year with further time for reflection and development, we had the opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues in UCD Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to create a module which reflects both University for All and the wider UCD EDI values, practices and policies. 

We were also able to produce two versions of our module as this year Graduate students were enrolled in a bespoke Introduction to UCD module. We collaborated with colleagues in UCD Graduate Studies to ensure that all elements included were relevant to our Graduate students and we included an additional video from one of our fantastic Access Leaders who is a current graduate student in UCD. 

We are delighted to report that the module has been completed by almost 2,000 incoming undergraduate students and almost 1,700 incoming graduate students in 2021. We have again received very positive feedback from students.

We posed this question to those who undertook the module:

“Now that you've learned about student inclusion in UCD, we want to hear from you. What impact do you think it will have on you to study at a university which has a central focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? In what way do you think you can fulfil your role in a University for All?”

A thematic analysis of the answers shows an overwhelmingly positive response from both undergraduate and graduate participants. Students reported feeling reassured, excited and proud to be studying in our University for All.

“I'll be delighted to be part of a truly inclusive environment where all are treated with fairness and respect, regardless of where we come from, our ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, age or physical attributes. I will feel empowered by a supportive system where I will feel I am safe to speak out for myself and others in the face of ignorance and injustice and where difference and otherness are embraced and valued as part of our learning experience as students”

“Having learned about student inclusion, I can say I feel much happier with the supports that are there within UCD. Even though I will be a mature student on a part time basis, it is clear that UCD has a learning environment that suits all who study there.”

“I look forward to studying at UCD where there will be a focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. I look forward to meeting fellow students from a wide range of backgrounds and learning with and from them. I will fulfil my role in a University for All by supporting and working together with students of all backgrounds”

We look forward to continuing to develop this module with colleagues in UCD EDI. To continue the messaging of this module we have developed a poster campaign which emphasises the role of students in a University for All and watch this space for our 2022 University for All roadshow!