HONG KONG’S UNIVERSITIES Recruiting, Admitting, Supporting Students with Disabilities

1. HONG KONG’S UNIVERSITIESRecruiting, Admitting, Supporting Students with Disabilities Next steps… May 2012

2. The Research Effort • Provide understanding of current situation • Literature review, interviews, focus groups, data analysis • Collaborative effort • Report and suggestions for change • Building block towards action…

3. The Findings • Low but growing numbers • Increasingly diverse categorisations • Many do not declare • Multiple obstacles and combination of priorities: • Course, reputation, teacher/tutor • Location/accessibility • Attitudes • Positive experiences but felt lack of support • Concerned about transition to employment • Higher expectations (from overseas) STUDENTS

4. The Findings UNIVERSITIES • ‘Social shift’ • Positive attitudes • Wide range of policies and processes • Limited resources and expertise • Inflexible selection, curriculum, teaching • Restricted accessibility, transport • No specialised career support • Funding squeezed from existing budgets • Some awareness raising and public education

5. Organising the findings Policy and administration Physical environment Teaching and learning Transition to employment Funding Culture • Wide range of policies, processes and structures • Limited resources and expertise • Rigid selection criteria and admissions processes • Restricted accessibility, inflexible transport • Lacking flexible curriculum and adaptable teaching methods • No specialised career advice or support • Funding squeezed from existing budgets • Awareness raising and public education starting but more needed

6. Focus areas for change • Policy and administration • Organisational structures, resources, admissions processes • Physical environment • Accessibility, learning facilities, technology • Teaching and learning • Methods, attitudes, role models, assessments • Transition to employment • Links between companies and universities • Funding • Government, philanthropists, companies • Culture • Senior level support, awareness, data, diversity

7. Action • Determine priorities and how to move forward • Individual university initiatives? • Manpower/expertise/organisation • Programmes • Campus refits • Awareness raising • Training • Working methods and milestones • External support/networks/working groups/meetings • Next steps, planning within academic years (and 3+3+4) • University-wide collaboration? • Sharing best practice • Action plan • Top-level and external support • Government funding requests • Career advice and company internships

8. Summary of suggestions for change

9. Policy and administration • Policies and organisational structures • University-wide: action plan including needs, principles, manifesto for action (overarching policy); requires collaboration, targets, monitoring • Individual universities: own policies, administrative infrastructure, support projects/programmes • Resources • University-wide collaborative group • Individual university working groups or equivalents providing centralised support • Strategic and operational employees working together • Manpower – dedicated employment positions • Development of expertise on campus, leverage existing expertise, adapt overseas models • Admissions processes • Remove barriers from recruitment, introduce welcoming messages • Flexible selection criteria without compromising academic standards • Adaptable process for interviews and registration • Tight timing between registration and start of term means flexibility is key e.g. Australian Vice- Chancellors’ Committee Disability Guidelines e.g. University of Bradford’s Disability Equality Scheme Action Plan e.g. UC Berkeley’s Disabled Students Programme e.g. Cambridge University’s Disability Resource Centre

10. Physical environment • Accessibility • Upgrade campus accessibility along universal design guidelines – long term plan for long term change • Remove barriers and publish access maps • Improve on-campus support including independent living support • Increase flexible transport facilities (enhance Rehabus, increase low platform buses) • Learning facilities • Refit classrooms/theatres - accessibility and assistive technology • Libraries – facilities and technology • Technology • Assistive technology with dedicated support e.g. UC Berkeley’s Disabled Student’s Residence Programme e.g. Cambridge University ‘Maps for Disabled Site Access’ e.g. UK’s Open University – Open Learn with Accessibility buttons and Access Centre dedicated to supporting students with disabilities

11. Teaching and learning e.g. UK’s Teachability Project • Teaching practices • Adaptable and flexible curriculum for inclusive learning – challenges and opportunities of 3+3+4 • Training and/or guidance to develop expertise. ‘reasonable adjustments’ • Student learning support • Attitudes • Awareness • Diversity as a positive – awareness raising, culture change • Role models • Staff with disabilities • Star students • Student volunteer programmes • Evaluation and assessment • Flexible assessment processes • Field work • Advance planning e.g. Cambridge University’s Disability Resource Centre Guidelines on Teaching Practices e.g. HKU Guidelines on preparing teaching materials for persons with visual impairment e.g. London School of Economics’ Individual Support Agreements e.g. University of Bradford’s Disability Equality Scheme

12. Transition to employment • Links between universities and companies • Assist in navigation to employment • Top down message of aspiration and expectation • Added value • Target appropriate industries, e.g. ICT • Awareness on value of expertise, loyalty, effort – Community Business research • Physical access • Expertise required on what is possible e.g. Australia’s Stepping Into… Programme e.g. Australia’s National Disability Co-ordination Officer Programme – key transition points

13. Funding • Government • Capital injection for one time retro-fit – ‘hardware’ • Recurring investment in human capital – teacher training, design of flexible curriculum – ‘software’ • Student support • Match philanthropic funds • Philanthropists • For individual students or universities • Companies • Scholarships linked to internships e.g. Higher Education Disability Support Programme. Australia including Additional Support for Students with Disabilities e.g. UK’s Disabled Student Allowance e.g. HKU’s Henry Chan Inclusive Education Fund e.g. Australia’s Stepping Into… Programme

14. Culture • Data gathering • Publish statistics, milestones, achievements • Education/public awareness • Leaflets, events, seminars, campaigns • Visible role models –including staff, star students • Buddy systems/volunteer networks • Social gatherings – university personnel, staff and students • Embrace diversity as a positive • Break down barriers to self declaration – e.g. web-based self assessment tool • Send message of aspiration to schools • Lead companies on diversity • All requires senior level (Council) support e.g. UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) e.g. HKU’s EO Festival, Stigma Free Campaign, Wheelchair Challenge, leaflets e.g. University of Bradford’s Disability Equality Scheme Action Plan starts with opening statement by VC