University of London launches report on designing for worldwide inclusive cultures

The report, ‘Designing for worldwide inclusive cultures in higher education’, addresses the challenges of developing a strategic approach to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) for students studying in countries with different legislative, cultural and social contexts to the UK.

The research utilised the unique position of the University of London, which delivers education to over 40,000 students studying through online and distance educational programmes across the globe. As one of the largest distance and online providers for education in the UK, the University's scale and reach enabled researchers to capture students' perceptions and experiences of EDI across the world.

Through a survey and student-led focus groups with a small group of international students, the research found that 75% of participants reported being confident in understanding equality issues in their local context, while 91% indicated inclusion was 'very important' to their education. Additionally, 72% of respondents reported that diversity was 'very important' to their online learning.

Students highlighted specific areas where they wanted to see improvement, including more representation of diverse cultures in educational materials, increased support for those with disabilities and more explicit mechanisms to promote safety throughout their online and educational experience.

A practical guide to implement an inclusive culture for universities within online and distance education provision accompanies the report and emphasises the importance of establishing values including dignity, compassion, respect and community at the outset of developing EDI initiatives. It recommends integrating intersectionality throughout the design process, particularly by centring stories from students with multiple intersecting identities and challenging prejudicial stereotypes through evidence-based narratives.

Dr Arun Verma, Head of Equality and Inclusion at the University of London and the Principal Investigator of the project, said: "This research directly addresses the challenges of developing an inclusive culture for online and distance education students across the world. While we know that online and distance education creates access and opportunity for our global community, we know that inequalities and exclusion are shaped by disparate national contexts. 

“The report showcases the power of student participation and co-creation to cultivate cultures and spaces for our global student community to feel included, safer and engaged wherever they are in the world.” 

The findings will inform the development of an Inclusive Culture Hub - a digital space enabling students to self-direct their learning and reflect on equality, diversity and inclusion themes and issues, through a global and intersectional lens. 

The report is a collaboration between the University of London's Office for Equality and Inclusion, the Centre for Online & Distance Education (CODE), University of London Student Life Team and research partners, King’s College London and University of Arts London. It was supported by Advance HE's Collaborative Development Fund 2023-24.