Universal Design Inclusive Practice

Universal Design and Inclusive practice at UL (UDIPUL) Committee

The Universal Design and Inclusive practice at UL (UDIPUL) Committee takes a systemic approach to supporting UL in meeting its goals for inclusion, guiding a whole institution embedding of Universal Design, Universal Design for Learning and inclusive practice.

Aims

Align with national and international inclusion standards
Embed accessibility and inclusion across UL systems and strategies
Foster a culture of belonging for all staff and students

The committee promotes the embedding of inclusion in the development of institutional structures, policies, and practices.

This approach is informed by Altitude - The National Charter for Universal Design in Tertiary Education and the Unlocking Inclusion Toolkit for Universal Design in Higher Education. 

Drawing on these approaches, UDIPUL follows a model of three Enablers and four Pillars that collectively contribute to the creation of an inclusive higher education institution:

Enablers:

1: Institutional Foundations

2. Initiative Scaffolding and Catalysts

3. Access and Inclusion Leadership

Pillars

1: Learning, Teaching and Assessment

2: Supports, Services and Social Engagement

3: The Physical Campus and the Built Environment

4: The Digital Environment

These represent the main areas of university life where inclusive practice can be developed and embedded.

UDIPUL Committee Members

UDIPL Committee members
AVPSE (Chair)	Professor Ronni Greenwood
Director of HREDI or nominee
Director of Student Affairs Division or senior representative	Rhona McCormack
Faculty Dean AHSS or senior representative	LucyAnn Buckley
Faculty Dean S&E or senior representative
Faculty Dean EHS or senior representative	Ann-Marie.Creaven
Faculty Dean KBS or senior representative	Erin King
Manager Educational Assistive Technology Centre	Thomas OShaughnessy
UDIPUL Project Officer	Tracy McAvinue
Director of Library Services or senior representative	Margaret Phelan
Director of ITD or senior representative	Padraig Hyland
Head of CTL or senior representative	Suzanne Stone
Director of HR or senior representative	Aoife Duke
Director of Academic Registry or senior representative	Fintan Breen
Director of Marcomms or senior representative	Ciara Heffernan
Director of Buildings and Estates or senior representative	Gerard Manning
Director, Cooperative Education and Careers Division or senior representative	Mary B OConnell
Corporate Secretary or senior representative	Ciara Hogan
UG Student Representative	Student Communities
PG Student Representative	PostGradPresident

Current project details

The Universal Design and Inclusive Practice (UDIPUL) committee invites staff across all areas in UL to contribute examples of universal design and inclusive practice they have implemented.

Examples are being gathered through the Inclusive Initiatives Exemplar Mapping Form. Your contribution will help to build a collective picture of current good practice across UL, guide the development of the additional project activities, and inform future supports around inclusive practice in UL.

PATH 4 funding

UDIPUL Project Officer

UDIPUL has received PATH 4 funding for a 15-month project focused on embedding inclusive practice across UL. Key activities include mapping current inclusive practice, applying a universal design toolkit assessment, conducting benchmarking and a gap analysis, and developing a roadmap to guide future universal design and inclusive practice actions.

Contact UDIPUL Project Officer at Tracy.McAvinue@ul.ie

Links and resources

UL staff can access information related to Universal Design and Inclusive Practice in Higher Education through the following resources: