Emma Wills

What are you studying, and what inspired you to pursue this area of study?

I am studying a Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) in Innovation, Public Policy, and Public Value at IIPP. I am a Civil Servant, and like many on my course, I was inspired to study it after reading our Director Mariana Mazzucato’s books on how the Civil Service can more effectively pursue public purpose. It’s been so lovely meeting so many like-minded people from all over the world on the course!

Can you describe your disability and how it impacts your daily life?

I have long Covid, which for me mostly means I have chronic fatigue, as well as a range of other fluctuating symptoms, and I need to manage my energy levels.

I got long Covid in 2022, which was very difficult for me to accept, having previously been non-disabled, and with most other people experiencing the pandemic as “over” for them! I spent about a year and a half almost entirely in bed and struggling to get a diagnosis and suitable support. Therapy and NHS groups to meet others with long Covid have since been really useful.

Being able to study part-time at UCL has been really helpful for me in learning to manage my energy levels, and I’m slowly building up the amount of things I can manage.

What advice would you give to other students with disabilities?

Definitely have a chat with the Reasonable Academic Adjustments team early on—this has been so helpful for me, particularly with managing absences. You can find out more about Reasonable Academic Adjustments on the webpage.

If you could influence one change in the way universities support disabled students, what would it be?

It would have been great to be able to connect with other students with long Covid! This is why I’m leading a student-led project with UCL to match people who have long Covid or chronic fatigue with others who are going through the same thing—if you’d like to get involved, some more detail is here: Long Covid Solidarity Project.