UDL Staff Development Conference

Professor Momna Hejmadi, University of Bath

Professor Momna Hejmadi is currently the Associate Pro Vice Chancellor (Education), University of Bath. She reports to the Pro-VC (Education) on the strategic educational priorities, initiatives, regulations, quality assurance and pedagogy at the University. She chairs and is a member of several committees at Bath and nationally. She is a National Teaching Fellow (2015) and was Editor in Chief of Bioscience Horizons (OUP) from 2014 – 2020. 

Professor Vrinda Nayak, University of Exeter

Prof Vrinda Nayak is an Associate Professor in Medical Education and the Associate Dean for Taught Students (Racial Equality and Inclusion) at the University of Exeter. She is part of the University`s Senior Education Leadership Team and supports the Success for All strand of the University’s Education Strategy which aims to widen participation, eliminate degree awarding gaps and support a diverse and inclusive learning environment. She launched the education initiative “Transformative Education Framework” to support embedding the principles of Inclusive Education, Racial and Social Justice and Sustainability in our education and student support activities. She obtained PFHEA in June 2024.

Rachel Griffiths, University of Exeter

Rachel Griffiths is a Senior Academic Developer at University of Exeter and leads the inclusive education project as part of the University’s Transformative Education strategy.  A psychotherapeutic counsellor and former DSA-funded Specialist Mentor with specialisms in autism and mental health, she previously worked in one-to-one support roles with disabled students.  She is also a doctoral researcher looking at creative methodologies and the stigma faced by neurodivergent learners at university. 

She regularly lectures and delivers training for staff and students on a variety of topics, including embedding Universal Design for Learning principles in teaching practice, creating accessible resources, disability and mental health awareness training for the Law School’s Community Law Clinic, diversity in the workplace lectures for the University’s Business School, and workshops for student ambassadors on improving neurodiversity inclusion.

Dr Dave Gatrell, University of Bristol

Dr Dave Gatrell is a Lecturer in Academic Development at University of Bristol. He is involved in designing, implementing and evaluating the University’s curriculum enhancement initiatives, which include helping teachers and students engage with inclusive approaches to assessment. He regularly facilitates workshops on topics such as group work, making sense of feedback, and incorporating students’ use of AI in assessment.

His doctoral and postdoctoral research explores students’ experiences of video-based formative assessment tasks to develop communication skills. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Before returning to the UK in 2022, he worked in language teacher education, educational development and digital learning in the Czech Republic, Spain and Hong Kong.

Dr Ceri Morris, Cardiff University

Dr Ceri Morris is the Lead for the Cardiff University Fellowship Programme and the Inclusive Education project, and a SFHEA. Her research and teaching interests are post-compulsory education and education development, inclusive education, assessment and feedback and disability. 

Previously she was a Rehabilitation Officer for Visually Impaired people, a Lecturer in Education and PGCE PCET in SOCSI in Cardiff University, and a Lecturer in Academic Development in Cardiff Met, where she led the Fellowship Programme, Inclusion and Personal Tutoring workstreams and the NTF and CATE schemes.

Dr Emma Jenks, University of Bristol

Dr Emma Jenks is a Lecturer in Psychology of Education at the University of Bristol. Her research and teaching are focused on the experiences of neurodivergent learners, with a specialism in autism, and inclusive higher education.

She is responsible for leading workshops for university staff in supporting autistic students. This training is built upon participatory research conducted by autistic students across multiple institutions.

Abby Osborne, University of Bath

Abby has a background in curriculum and assessment design, curriculum transformation and inclusive teaching and learning.  She currently works at the Centre for Learning and Teaching at the University of Bath as their Assessment and Feedback Development Lead.

Abby also works as an Inclusive Education Consultant, working with schools and education providers internationally to provide impactful guidance, resources and workshops for busy teachers. She has extensive experience of supporting students who are neurodivergent and has recently published two books on facilitating inclusive practice and student wellbeing within the classroom.  

Mike Clapp, University of Exeter

Mike Clapp is a Senior Learning Experience Designer at the University of Exeter and has collaborated with colleagues on the development of MSc Psychology Conversion (online), PGCert Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine, and Culture (Online) and MBA Master of Business Administration (Online). He has a student-centred approach to learning design and employs UDL principles when developing programmes.

He provides learning design advice and guidance to educators developing or enhancing modules, including delivering training sessions on a variety of topics, including embedding Universal Design for Learning principles in teaching practice alongside Rachel Griffiths.

Mike worked in secondary education for 15 years prior to working in HE, as a Teacher of Science, Head of Science and Head of Faculty (STEM). This included successfully developing strategies, resources and training to narrow progress and attainment gaps in disadvantaged groups of students.

He has a particular interest in making assessment better and has written articles including Blackboard Rubric Tool Part 1: An introduction to using rubrics. | Digital Learning Service in CATE (fetliu.net) and EduExe blog How we designed an authentic assessment for online learners in Educational Psychology.

Dr Nick Gill, University of Exeter

Nick Gill is a political geographer who researchers carceral systems, border control and forced migration. He has been involved with Universities of Sanctuary for a long time and sits on the national steering group of Universities of Sanctuary as well as the UK Higher Education Humanitarian Working Group. With colleagues Sin Yi Cheung, Lisa Lucas, Isabelle Schafer and Katharina Lenner, he recently been funded by GW4 to investigate the experiences of students affected by forced migration in Higher Education, leading to, among other things, the production of two leaflets on the subject, one for students and the other for staff. He is currently writing a book for McGill-Queens University Press, with Professor Jen Bagelman, provisionally entitled Universities After Refugees: Reckoning with Forced Migration in Higher Education.