How we’ve been working to create more inclusive environments across UCL

To support and enable our students to do their best work, UCL recognises that it’s essential that we build a campus and culture that is inclusive, welcoming and accessible to everyone.  

We also recognise that too often there are barriers to access within our buildings, to getting information, and to accessing services on campus.  

In October 2023, following a three-year consultation process talking to and listening to our community’s experiences of studying and working on campus, we published our first Inclusive Environments Policy and Action Plan.   

Our progress so far 

With an estate of over more than 250 buildings – two thirds of which are listed and/or in a conservation area – and following years of underinvestment in maintenance, it will take time to achieve our aims.  

However, we have been making steady progress in areas including:  

• reviewing our estates related policies, processes and ways of working;  
• improving our buildings, facilities and equipment;  
• reviewing building design standards, and carrying out audits;  
• and influencing the Higher Education Estates Sector. 

Some key achievements 

Improving access to Reasonable Adjustments 

UCL is responsible for anticipating and implementing ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ for students with a disability, but our processes for doing so can be inconsistent across the university.  

We have improved the process for managing building works related to reasonable adjustment requests to ensure they are prioritised and responded to quickly, and are continue to work towards ensuring the needs of all staff and students are met in a timely and joined-up manner. 

• Read more about how we’re improving access to reasonable adjustments. 

Supporting our students with Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)

UCL is committed to providing and maintain a safe and healthy environment for our students. This includes ensuring everyone can safely evacuate our buildings in the event of an emergency. 

We have made improvements to the way we manage PEEPs, including simplifying the form and using more inclusive language, updating and clarifying guidance, and developing new training for managers. We’re currently looking into how we can better manage PEEPs in more complex cases, such as such when students are in multiple rooms and buildings for their modules. 

• Read more about how we’re supporting staff and students with PEEPs. 

Improving accessibility by automating heavy doors 

Heavy doors are one of the biggest barriers affecting movement into and out of our buildings.   

By installing power-assisted and automatic doors where possible, we're aiming to prevent doors disabling people due to the strain of opening them and working to ensure that reasonable adjustment requests relating to doors becomes a thing of the past. We’ve committed to automating doors where possible during building projects, identifying those we need do work on as a priority. 

• Read more about how we’re tackling heavy doors. 

Improving hearing accessibility in teaching spaces and large meeting rooms 

Following a successful user trial last year, we are working on the technical side of installing new assistive hearing technology in more spaces to make it easier for the hearing-impaired community, or anyone that would benefit from the removal of background noise in lecture theatres, to listen to lectures and take part in seminars and meetings.    

MobileConnect is an app-based accessibility system that enables users to use their own smartphone as an assistive hearing device. Once installed in a room, users can scan a QR code to discreetly connect to the system and listen to a live audio stream with their headphones, hearing aid or cochlear implant via WiFi. 

• Read more about how we’re improving hearing accessibility. 

Refurbishing teaching spaces in line with inclusive design standards 

Over the summer, we refurbished 24 rooms using inclusive design standards. This included incorporating biophilic design elements to make spaces more inclusive for our neurodiverse students and staff. We have also been working on providing more ergonomic chairs, desks and writing tablets. We’re now gathering feedback and identifying rooms to refurbish this summer. 

• Read more about how we’re creating more inclusive teaching spaces. 

What more to expect this year 

The action plan breaks down the activities we need to work on to achieve our aims into eight strands, all with their own aims and prioritised actions, and each with a strand lead.  

We asked the leads of each to share their priorities for the year ahead, and these range from embedding inclusive design requirements in UCL’s stage gate process for capital projects, to supporting the development of policies for Quiet Contemplation Rooms, and to implementing inclusive environment principles into procurement processes across our estate. 

• Find out more about the aims of each strand and their priorities for the year. 

Further information 

• How to get practical support and access to Reasonable Adjustments 
• Navigating the Quad: access changes in May, June and July 
• Using inclusive building guides to help our community and visitors navigate UCL