UK university teachers on inclusive education : Conceptualisations, practices, opportunities and challenges

Atanasova, Dimitrinka and Papen, Uta (2025) UK university teachers on inclusive education : Conceptualisations, practices, opportunities and challenges. Studies in Higher Education. ISSN 0307-5079 (In Press)

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Abstract

Despite growing attention being paid to inclusive higher education in the UK and beyond, research with university teachers remains scarce. To address this gap, we interviewed 34 UK university teachers about their conceptualisations, practices, and experiences of the opportunities and challenges of inclusive education. In line with the consensus view amongst leading international organisations, interviewees conceptualised inclusive education in broad terms. They also reported having adopted many recognised good practices in inclusive education. In contrast to existing research which often problematizes student diversity, respondents perceived it as an opportunity for developing inclusive teaching and assessment practices. However, they identified four key challenges to the provision of inclusive education which can inform institutional policies in the UK and beyond. The institution’s endorsement of a narrow view of inclusivity focused on disability was a paramount challenge. This suggests that institutions should promote a broader understanding of inclusivity. Workload was highlighted as another significant challenge, suggesting the need to explicitly recognise university teachers’ efforts to develop inclusive practices in workload allocations. The rigidity of approvals processes made the introduction of innovative assessment types slow and difficult. This highlights a need for greater flexibility in institutional approval processes. Finally, interviewees highlighted two issues related to inclusivity training - its relevance and the varying levels of participation among colleagues. These challenges could be addressed by making inclusive teaching part of professional development review processes as well as by offering discipline-specific sharing practice events.