University of Birmingham urged to sign up to national Disabled Students’ Commitment

A guild officer is campaigning for the university to sign the commitment

1 hour ago

Ffion Williams | News

The University of Birmingham has been urged to sign up to the Disabled Students’ Commitment by one of its guild officers.

Abby Kenrick, the current welfare and community officer, has called on the university to commit to the framework.

The commitment is designed to support institutions in improving disabled students’ experiences as well as holding these institutions accountable.

The proposal claims disabled students attending the university has “spent several years extensively campaigning for meaningful improvements to accessibility, transparency, and accountability.”

Students have previously campaigned by organising protests, writing to the Vice-Chancellor, and working with the Guild of Students to publish a Disabled Students’ Commission Report.

The report highlighted a clear pattern of systemic disadvantage as disabled students were consistently among the most dissatisfied groups in the National Student Survey.

It also presented worrying findings that disabled students’ dissatisfaction with available welfare support was a trend specific to UoB.

Disabled students reported feeling pushed to take a leave of absence when they were struggling.

It conclude there remained a number of instances in which the Equality Act is not being implemented. The Disabled Students’ Commitment aims to respond this by extending the university’s existing Advance HE EDI work to ensure disability is embedded within this structured approach to equality.

It is believed the Disabled Students’ Commitment proposal will respond to this clear evidence of need and provide a practical framework to make the changes students have advocated for.

If the proposal passes, the guild will be required to mandate and lobby the university to sign up to the commitment, improve the accessibility of Students’ Union spaces, digital platforms, communications, and activities, and open a two-way dialogue with disabled students.

By signing the commitment, the university will align itself with other Russell Group universities, such as Bristol and Exeter as well as local institutions including Birmingham City University, University College Birmingham, and Aston University.

You can find more details about the proposal here.

A University of Birmingham spokesperson said: “The University of Birmingham is fully committed to supporting disabled students and ensuring they have an inclusive, high-quality academic experience.

“Indicators such as the National Student Survey (NSS) show that the University is performing well in comparison with the wider sector. Birmingham is already a member of programmes including the University Mental Health Charter and the Disability Confident scheme for employers.

Chris Watts makes gruesome admission of his crimes in detailed letters written from prison

Emily in Paris star tragically dies following health battle as family releases statement

Texts between Mackenzie Shirilla and dad reveal what their relationship was really like

“We recognise the reality that students with disabilities have diverse needs and lived experiences. The University has a strong track record of supporting students who declare a disability, delivering meaningful, evidence-based improvements that meet their needs. This includes working with students, specialist staff, and external partners to shape and enhance a positive experience studying at Birmingham. We also provide career support for our disabled students.

“Within the undergraduate cohort who graduated in 2025, 86 per cent of students who declared a disability achieved good honours, compared with 81.8 per cent of those who did not declare a disability.

“We will continue to keep sector frameworks, including the Disabled Student Commitment, under review and remain open to engaging with initiatives that align with our priorities and add clear value to our students’ experience.”

Abby Kenrick, Guild of Students Welfare and Community Officer, said: “Disabled students at the University of Birmingham have spent years campaigning for meaningful improvements to accessibility and accountability. This proposal is about ensuring disabled students are given the same level of institutional focus already afforded to gender and race equality through Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter.

“The university’s recent Silver award in the Race Equality Charter, one of few to do so, demonstrates its clear capacity to deliver meaningful progress on equality when it commits to structured frameworks. However, there is currently no equivalent university-wide framework focused specifically on disabled students. The Disabled Students’ Commitment would help address that gap by embedding disability equality within a clear, evidence-based structure for accountability and improvement.

“The Office for Students has already signalled that disability inclusion is a growing national priority, reflected in sector-wide NSS trends where disabled students report poorer experiences and satisfaction gaps that continue to persist and widen each year. This direction of travel is further reinforced by the OfS’s planned ‘Statement of Expectations’ on disability inclusion.

“Adopting the Disabled Students’ Commitment would show the university is not only responding to this evidence but proactively preparing for the structural change it implies. It is an opportunity for the University of Birmingham to move beyond sector complacency and lead on disability inclusion, as it has sought to do in race equality.

“I look forward to the guild supporting this campaign and disabled students further.”

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The Birmingham Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Featured image via Unsplash

Ffion Williams | News