University College Dublin (UCD) developed this toolkit for use in the education sector in response to the need for a whole-institution response to access, participation, and success of underrepresented students in higher education.
The toolkit offers a strategic institution-wide lens to assess progress, identify opportunities for improvement, and create a bespoke action plan to develop a whole-institution approach to inclusion where every student feels welcome, that they belong, and that they are valued. The toolkit focuses on the four institutional pillars of a typical higher education institution, as well as the foundation and scaffolding components.
The toolkit has been designed for use as a self-assessment exercise. A series of statements is set out under each of the four institutional pillars and the foundation and scaffolding components. Each statement asks for a score of 0-5. The self-assessment exercise identifies progress achieved and offers a useful process to identify areas that require attention. It is recommended that areas resulting in a score of 2 or below be considered first.
Download the PDF or digital version of the toolkit here.