Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Disabled Students' Forum: The Disabled Students' Forum is one of the five autonomous liberation campaigns affiliated under the Students' Union. They represent, support and campaign for increased awareness of the issues facing disabled students at the University. They aim to provide an open and fun community with opportunities to connect and meet with like-minded individuals.

Specific support for disabled students is highlighted below. For more information on all the support services available to students please visit our Services, Support and Wellbeing pages. 

Support for Disabled Students
Student Advice & Support provides advice, information and practical study-related support to prospective and current students who have sensory and physical impairments, mental health conditions, long-terms health conditions, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Dyslexia and other specific learning differences (SpLD), students who have a stammer, and students who have an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). Services are available to assist undergraduate, postgraduate, full time, part time and online distance learners. 

Find out more or contact Student Advice & Support:

• student.support@abdn.ac.uk
• 01224 273935
• British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact them directly by using Contact Scotland (contactscotland-bsl.org)

Assistive Technology Service
The Technology Service supports disabled students and staff including people with SpLDs such as dyslexia, mental health and other health conditions through the use of technology. They help people find the right tools to develop complimentary strategies to become confident in their studies, research or role and to develop lifelong skills that enable them to achieve their potential in their time here at the University, and in their future endeavours. 

External Resources

Aberdeen and wider UK based disability services and organisations are listed below:

• Aberdeen Action on Disability: a user-led organisation to give a helping hand to people with physical and sensory disabilities in the city of Aberdeen
• Able Deen: The Able Deen service takes their wheelchairs, scooters and volunteers to the four corners of Aberdeen to enable people to access their local services, facilities, shops etc. 
• DPHS: The Disabled Persons Housing Service (DPHS) Aberdeen is a local charity offering housing advice, information and advocacy to disabled people, their families and carers. Based in Aberdeen, DHPS is constantly developing its services.
• Grampian Disability Sport: a charitable organisation made up of athletes, parents, sports development professionals, coaches and people with an interest in disability sport. Their aim is to ensure that high quality sporting opportunities are on offer throughout Grampian, and that people with disabilities across the region are given the opportunity to reach their potential in sport.
• Disabled Students' Allowance: Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability.
• Equality Advisory and Support Services: The Helpline advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights across England, Scotland and Wales.

External Resources for British Sign Language (BSL) users:

• Deaf Action
• Grampian Regional Equality Council
• North East Sensory Services

For more information on how the Careers and Employability Service support disabled students and graduates navigate their employability from making applications, going through the interview process and to beginning a new job, visit our website.

Go Abroad

“The Go Abroad Team looks to support all students to have an international experience, recognising that particular groups of students may require additional assistance or specific advice relevant to their circumstances or background. Collectively, the Go Abroad team has more than 25 years’ experience within the field of international education, and have supported thousands of students across a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances to find an international experience that is right for them.”

- Louisa Stratton, Go Abroad Manager

To find out more visit our Go Abroad webpage.

The University of Aberdeen is committed to providing safe and accessible spaces for all. The inclusive facilities available for disabled students can be found below and at the Student Advice & Support webpage.

Disabled Parking

• Blue badge holders can use disabled or regular parking bays free of charge around campus.
• Student Advice & Support can arrange University parking permits for disabled students who are non-Blue badge holders.

9U Shuttle Bus

• The University runs a shuttle bus between the Hillhead, Old Aberdeen and Foresterhill campuses. All buses have low floor access and assistance dogs are welcome on the service. The drivers are happy to help if passengers require assistance.

Accessible Toilets

• Information about the accessible toilets available on campus can be found on AccessAble.

Emergency Evacuation Plan

• Student Advice & Support work with the Health, Safety & Resilience Team to develop Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for students who require assistance with evacuation in the event of an emergency

Resources

• AccessAble provides detailed information on the accessibility for University buildings on the Kings College Campus, the Foresterhill Campus, and the Halls of Residence.

The University strives to secure the highest standards of equality, diversity and inclusion, achieving accreditation across multiple strands and characteristics. You can read more about the policies and plans related to disabled students below. 

Neurodivergent Equality Policy - Staff & Students

British Sign Language (BSL)

The University of Aberdeen has its own British Sign Language Plan which seeks to improve access to information and services for BSL users.

The University of Aberdeen British Sign Language (BSL) Plan

Below are listed three of the Students' Union's Liberation Forums:

LGBTQ+ Students' Forum: The LGBTQ+ Forum was created as a safe space for everyone within the LGBTQ+ community. They organise weekly events, fundraising activities and celebrate Grampian Pride together every year.

Trans Students' Forum: The Trans Students' Forum is a space for trans students at the University to campaign for liberation on and off campus. It runs a variety of events throughout the year.

Woman and Non-Binary Students' Forum: The Woman and Non-Binary Forum exists to provide appropriate support for issues facing self-defining women and non-binary students and fight for liberation. It facilitates campaigns and events alongside regular meetings.

There is a wide range of support available to LGBTQ+ students at the University. Information about the Student Advice & Support Office as well as the Counselling Service and much more can be found by visiting our our Services, Support and Wellbeing pages.  Information about the University policies regarding LGBTQ+ students can be found below in the Policies section.

External Resources

LGBTQ+ support services and organisations available to those based in Aberdeen are listed below:

• Four Pillars: An Aberdeen based LGBTQ+ charity that supports the local community and offers a physical safe space in the city centre. 

• LGBT Switchboard: Switchboard is an LGBT+ helpline – a place for calm words when you need them most. They’re here to help you with whatever you want to talk about. Nothing is off limits and conversations are 100% confidential. 

• MindOut: a mental health service run by and for LGBTQ+ people. 

• Mermaids UK: family and individual support for gender diverse and transgender children and young people. Mermaids is passionate about supporting children, young people, and their families to achieve a happier life in the face of great adversity. 

• Equality Advisory and Support Service
   
• Galop
   
• Victim Support Scotland

We have a range of resources to support LGBTQ+ students with their employability.

Go Abroad

“The Go Abroad Team looks to support all students to have an international experience, recognising that particular groups of students may require additional assistance or specific advice relevant to their circumstances or background. Collectively, the Go Abroad team has more than 25 years’ experience within the field of international education, and have supported thousands of students across a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances to find an international experience that is right for them.”

- Louisa Stratton, Go Abroad Manager

To find out more visit our Go Abroad webpage.

The University of Aberdeen is committed to providing safe and accessible spaces for all. You can find out about some of the inclusive facilities available for LGBTQ+ students below.

• Changing your Gender Marker or Name: You can change your gender marker or first name by simply emailing studentrecords@abdn.ac.uk. You don’t need to provide any proof to do this.   If you require assistance or would like to discuss please email student.support@abdn.ac.uk and a Student Support Adviser can make a formal request with Registry and IT Services on your behalf.

• Gender Neutral Toilets: We have a growing number of gender-neutral toilets available across Old Aberdeen campus including at the Sir Duncan Rice Library and William Guild Building. We now have around 100 gender neutral toilets on campus, and we are constantly working to add more.

• ASV: Aberdeen Sports Village strives to create an inclusive and accessible for the whole community. You can find out more here. 

The University strives to secure the highest standards of equality, diversity and inclusion, achieving accreditation across multiple strands and characteristics.

University of Aberdeen Transgender Equality Policy

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Students' Forum: The Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Students' Forum aims to represent all students that identify under the BAME umbrella and counter prejudice and discrimination against minority ethnic students on campus, whilst promoting and engaging in radical critical thinking about race. They are an intersectional safe space for minority ethnic students and do not tolerate discrimination on the basis of religion, sexuality, gender expression and/or able-bodiedness.

There is a wide range of support available to racialised students at the University. Information about the Student Advice & Support Office as well as the Counselling Service and much more can be found by visiting our our Services, Support and Wellbeing pages. Information about the University policies regarding racialised students can be found below in the Policies section.

The Equality Act 2010 defines race as including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. The University established a Race Definitions Task and Finish Group to establish a set of definitions related to our antiracism work and to progress discussions related to agreeing a definition of antisemitism. The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) has been adopted by the University. The JDA helps to identify, address and raise awareness of antisemitism and how it can manifest and to create a safe environment for Jewish students and staff. The University’s Antiracism Strategy details the commitments made to create an antiracist culture and ethos at the University of Aberdeen.

Race Equality Champions are a point of contact for staff and students for advice, guidance, to share ideas or for just a listening ear.

External Resources

Aberdeen and wider Scotland based services and organisations are listed below:

• We are here Scotland: A space aimed at supporting and raising the voices of Black People and People of Colour creatives across Scotland. 

• Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights: works to eliminate racial discrimination and harassment and to promote racial justice across Scotland. 

• Grampian Regional Equality Council: a registered charity based in Aberdeen, taking a leading role in advancing equality across Northeast Scotland – including Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray. They work to tackle prejudice and discrimination, celebrate diversity, build positive community relations, and provide evidence to change policy and practice. 

More information coming soon...

Go Abroad

“The Go Abroad Team looks to support all students to have an international experience, recognising that particular groups of students may require additional assistance or specific advice relevant to their circumstances or background. Collectively, the Go Abroad team has more than 25 years’ experience within the field of international education, and have supported thousands of students across a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances to find an international experience that is right for them.”

- Louisa Stratton, Go Abroad Manager

To find out more visit our Go Abroad webpage.

The University of Aberdeen's Antiracism Strategy, applies to staff and students as well as visitors to the University and others who associate with it, and sets out how the University will implement transformational change in the period 2022-2025.

Collective institutional action and individual responsibility across our University community will realise the changes we want to see.

We understand that we must build strength, awareness and learning from within the University to create an antiracist environment. 

• Anti-Racism Strategy

We wish to encourage students from the widest possible range of backgrounds to participate in the University experience, and we appreciate that not all students have the same opportunities. This area of information is for anyone who has come through Widening Access or has specific experiences such as:

• Estranged From Parents
• Have Caring Responsibilities
• In receipt of Educational Maintenance Allowance
• Experienced a physical and/or mental health issue that has impacted on secondary education
• Ordinarily resident in a POLAR 4 Quintile 1 (Rest of UK) postcode area
• Gypsy, Roma or Travelling Community
• Refugee/Asylum Seeker Status
• Home address is in an area considered to remote and rural (5-8 on the Scottish Government 8-fold Urban Rural Classification)
• Parent Or Carer In Armed Forces
• Served In Armed Forces
• Have been through the Children’s Panel process
• Parents(s) have had a custodial sentence

 (please note this list is not exhaustive) 

If you need additional assistance or clarification, please email student.support@abdn.ac.uk

Below are listed three of the Students' Union's Liberation Forums:

Part-Time Students' Forum: The Part-time Students' Forum is a space for all Part-time students to have their voices heard by the Students' Union and the University of Aberdeen. It is an opportunity to get to know other Part-time students, find out about societies and social events or start campaigns.

Mature and Postgraduate Students' Forum: The PG and Mature Students' Forum is a place for all PG and Mature Students to get together primarily to socialise and chat.  

Student Workers' Forum: The Student Workers Forum is a space for all student Workers to have their voices heard by the Aberdeen University Students' Union. It is an opportunity to get to know other Student Workers in Aberdeen, find out about societies, events and start campaigns.

There is a wide range of support available to students at the University. Information about the Student Advice & Support Office as well as the Counselling Service and much more can be found by visiting our our Services, Support and Wellbeing pages. Information about the University policies regarding Widening Access students can be found below in the Policies section.

Care experienced students: 

“Care experienced” can be defined as anyone who has been in care at any stage of their life and for any length of time. This may have been provided in many different settings such as:

• Kinship care – living with a relative who is not your parent.
• Looked after at home with the help of social work.
• Residential care – living in a residential unit or school.
• Living with foster carers.
• Living in a secure unit.

External Support

Who Cares? Scotland

Estranged students:

Students who are “estranged” have no communicative relationship with either of their living biological parents.

External Support

Estranged Students Stand Alone

Refugees and Asylum Seekers:

The definition of a refugee according to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is: “A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”

External Support

Cara (the Council for at Risk Academics)

Grampian Regional Equality Council

Universities of Sanctuary

Parents & Carers: 

The Parents and Carers Network is open to all parents, parents-to-be and carers among the University’s staff and student body. Meetings and the Parents and Carers Facebook page and Teams site provide a space to share stories, doubts and tips, and self-care.

More information coming soon...

Go Abroad

“The Go Abroad Team looks to support all students to have an international experience, recognising that particular groups of students may require additional assistance or specific advice relevant to their circumstances or background. Collectively, the Go Abroad team has more than 25 years’ experience within the field of international education, and have supported thousands of students across a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances to find an international experience that is right for them.”

- Louisa Stratton, Go Abroad Manager

To find out more visit our Go Abroad webpage.

More information coming soon...

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Effective Allyship is,“an active, consistent, and arduous practice of unlearning and re-evaluating, in which a person in a position of privilege and power seeks to operate in solidarity with a marginalised group” - The Anti-Oppression Network.

Find tips on how to be an effective ally from this 'Guide to Allyship' below:

• Listen to others' experience
• Be honest and accountable
• Educate yourself on the lived experience of marginalised groups
• Make your values known 
• Speak up

We have a wide range of resources available to students related to the field of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), which we have collated into a handy list.