Inclusive practice and the mystique of uniformity
We live in a time of myth, where decisions have a face value and an inferred purpose, which tends to be understood through the lens of external perceptions of University learning. In this context, inclusive practice can be accused of being part of a dumbing down of the curriculum or of assessment practices. It is vital to displace this argument, which can come from both inside and outside the academy, so that the greatest possible number of students can both thrive and contribute to University learning.
Professor Sue Rigby is the Vice-Chancellor of Bath Spa University.
Sue commenced her role as Vice-Chancellor of Bath Spa University in January 2018. Previously she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Development at the University of Lincoln where she was responsible for the student journey from application to alumni activities, and had oversight of the Colleges of Science and Arts.
Sue is a palaeontologist by background. After being an academic at Cambridge, Leicester and Edinburgh she moved into senior management, first as Assistant Principal and then Vice Principal at the University of Edinburgh. She is an HEA Principal Fellow.
Sue is currently the Chair of the Natural Sciences TEF Pilot Panel , Chair of the Learning Gain Steering Group for Office for Students (previously HEFCE) and a Executive Member of the MillionPlus group (The Association for Modern Universities).
Sue led the Inclusive Development strand of the BIS Disabled Students Sector Leadership Group. In addition she led the work undertaken by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to define information needs for taught postgraduate students. This work has now been formalised into national policy across the whole of the UK, affecting all Universities and many HE colleges.
Internationally, she has contributed to the development of reward and recognition processes for staff in learning and teaching through the U21 network, and developed the first MOOC to be shared by students in the U21 Universities.
Inclusion in higher education 