Meet Our Speakers

Jyoti Buxani, University of Wolverhampton

Neurodiversity in Healthcare: An unlikely alliance

 

This topic will cover how to support neurodivergent students within higher education from a healthcare background to create an inclusive learning environment and resources. Jyoti share common challenges experienced by neurodivergent students (in comparison to their neurotypical counter parts), reflecting on PSRB standards including reflecting on a recent case study example.

Kelly Jeffery & Adam Jeffery, Keele University

Autistic Voices in Higher Education: Listening to Neurodiverse Learners
 

The Autistic Voices in Higher Education projects aim to share the lived experiences of autistic learners in Higher Education, to raise awareness and increase support across the sector. Learning about the barriers faced by autistic learners within higher education and what support they feel they need, will be key to allowing HE professionals to support autistic learners through the development of relevant training, processes and policies. The goal of this study is to ensure neurodivergent learners are well supported throughout their degrees, and work placements, whilst also addressing the awarding gap and retention of autistic learners within higher education.

Victoria Bagnall, Connections in Mind CIC

Cognitive Diversity in Higher Education: Understanding and Supporting Executive Function

Every lecturer knows the paradox — some of the brightest students can struggle with what seem like the “basics”: meeting deadlines, staying organised, managing focus, or regulating emotions. These challenges aren’t about effort or ability — they’re often about executive function, the set of mental processes that help us plan, prioritise, and follow through.

In this inclusive and insightful session, neurodivergent educator and executive function specialist Victoria Bagnall unpacks why executive functions can be hard to access, especially under stress and loneliness, and how differences in executive function skills affect the way students learn and work. You’ll explore practical, low-effort strategies that support students across the cognitive diversity spectrum — without lowering academic expectations. Because when we understand how the brain works, we can help every student bring their best to university life.

Jade Wigley, University of Staffordshire

An Introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Higher Education

This 60 minute workshops introduces Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and invites you to explore how its ideas can shape more inclusive and engaging experiences in Higher Education. We will explore the three core UDL principles, examine examples, and work through scenarios to apply them in higher education. By the end of the session, you’ll have the strategies to make your teaching more accessible and effective for all learners.