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We research, design, build and evaluate tools to help people on the autism spectrum to access Higher Education and to succeed in their studies.

Project News

Autism&Uni helps greater numbers of young adults on the autism spectrum to gain access to Higher Education and to navigate the transition successfully. It received EU-funding from its conception in October 2013 until March 2016. Since then, project partners in the 5 participating countries promote the outputs in their respective countries. This website is maintained by Leeds Beckett University.

Autism&Uni has created two FREE resources that Higher Education Institutions across Europe can adopt:

A lot of guides A set of Best Practice Guides for HE managers, academics and support staff
The guides are written in an accessible way and inform you about autism in the HE context, what is considered good practice and what you can do to support autistic students well.
Toolkit homepage An Online Toolkit for autistic students to give them the  information and strategies needed to manage the transition to university
We invite universities to adopt and adapt the toolkit, and make it available to their students.

What did we do?

We conducted a multinational survey, reviewed research literature, and mapped educational provision and legislation in the five partner countries to find out about the needs and aspirations of autistic students, and to define current good practice across Europe.

We then took our insights and turned them into material that universities can use to learn more about autism, the good practice that exists, and what can be done to support students effectively and efficiently. We also translated good practice and first-person accounts into material that students can learn from and reflect on, so that the challenges they may encounter are less daunting and unexpected.

We involved autistic students at every stage of the project, surveying their needs and aspirations, and seeking feedback on content and design solutions. Their expressed needs and preferences have shaped the project’s end products.

What is our strategy?

Our approach is two-fold: adapting the Higher Education environment so that it becomes more inclusive and supportive, and also to give students the tools and strategies they need to navigate Higher Education effectively:

Our Approach

lecture

Our Vision

01 Widening access

Greater numbers of young adults on the autism spectrum will gain access to higher education. Educational opportunities for people with autism spectrum disorders will improve across Europe.

02 Support for HE institutions

Institutes of higher education will be supported in their task of accommodating students on the autism spectrum. By mapping good practice and by providing tools and information we will help staff in the HE community to fulfill their legal and ethical responsibilities towards any student with the potential to succeed.

03 Better experience

Young adults on the autism spectrum will be able to negotiate the challenges of entering higher education and adjusting to its demands. They will find higher education institutions prepared to understand both strengths and challenges stemming from their autistic characteristics.

04 Participation

Autistic people are involved in the project right from the start, giving real agency in designing solutions for the challenges students on the autistic spectrum face.

Autism&Uni has partners in the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. It runs from October 2013 until May 2016.

Lifelong Learning Programme

The project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein. Contact autism-uni@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Copyright © 2013 - 2014 Autism&Uni unless stated otherwise.