Chapter 14: Inclusiveness in the 21st Century: Glasgow Caledonian University’s Approach

Since 2011, Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in Scotland has delivered pre-entry study skills programs, specifically tailored to meet the needs of students with disabilities prior to commencing their studies at university. Following changes in the organizational structure, these programs ceased to exist. Two staff members then decided to collaborate on delivering a new customized program that would contextualize the type of support required by students with disabilities.

The study skills program aimed to increase confidence, engage with support services before the start of the program of study, encourage students to access support as early as possible, and provide useful advice on a range of topics specifically designed to meet their needs.

In this chapter, findings from a small-scale study will be presented that investigated whether a correlation could be drawn between pre-entry support and increased confidence. Although feedback from attendees at the study skills’ workshops has been positive, the impact of this type of support is difficult to quantify. This is partly due to the small numbers of participants and the plethora of student support initiatives at the institution. However, the qualitative outcomes indicate that students have integrated successfully into their degree studies.