Widening Participation in Education

University for All

At the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, we are committed to promoting the University's achievement of a diverse and inclusive scholarly student community, making UCD a University for All. University for All is a whole-institution, evidence-based approach to mainstreaming inclusion in UCD, ensuring that all students feel welcome, belong and are valued. The (opens in a new window)University for All Initiative is sponsored by the Registrar & Deputy President, Professor Colin Scott, governed by University Widening Participation Committee, chaired by Professor John Brannigan, and led by UCD Access & Lifelong Learning.  

Widening Participation in Education

The role of the UCD Widening Participation (UWP) Committee is to provide the formal mechanism to oversee, monitor and promote the University’s achievement of a diverse and inclusive scholarly student community, characterised as a ‘University for All’. The UCD Strategy to 2030: Breaking Boundaries anchors the work of UCD's Widening Participation Committee, and it plays a key role in supporting the University to recognise, promote and value diversity, foster the spirit of inclusion, appreciate the breadth of talent, experience and contribution of all students, and strive to remove the barriers to access, participation and success. To learn more about the work of the Widening Participation Committee in UCD please read our annual report. (opens in a new window)Dr Sarah Browne is our School's representative on UCD’s Widening Participation committee.

Widening Participation in Education Outreach Network

(opens in a new window)Dr James Timmons as the School representative for UCD's Widening Participation Outreach Coordinating Network. The purpose of this network is to facilitate a university-wide coherent approach to delivering outreach activities, with a view to encouraging a greater diversity of students to consider UCD as a place for them.

School Widening Participation Outreach Activities

School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science staff actively participate in UCD Outreach events and initiatives including:

• UCD Open Day
• UCD Festival
• Access and Lifelong Learning initiatives, e.g. presentations regarding our academic programmes across a diverse secondary school network
• UCD Neurodiversity Network
• Future You Summer School: Healthy UCD sessions provide health promotion insights to students from DEIS schools, offering them a glimpse of university life and encouraging their continued education
• (opens in a new window)UCD Volunteers Overseas

The School also leads on and participates in a number of Widening Participation Outreach initiatives including:

• IDecide: This project, led by Practice Tutor Nicola Dervan, targets primary school children from DEIS schools and is designed to inspire these students to pursue health professional programmes in higher education.
• The CuriosiTY Programme (March–April 2025) provided Transition Year students from disadvantaged schools with STEM experiences through taster lectures and Q&A sessions. 
• Health & Performance Science students paired with U12–U16 GAA teams in the Kilmacud Crokes Juvenile Football Partnership (Nov 2024–Mar 2025) to deliver gym-based sessions on movement, injury prevention and conditioning.
• Active Campus Europe - UCD Physio Hub: Led by Dr Mary Davis, Dr Caitriona Cunningham and Professor Catherine Blake, students who wouldn’t ordinarily attend the gym or engage in sports have an opportunity to have a health screening and be prescribed a tailored exercise programme with a CORU-registered Physiotherapist at UCD Physio Hub, assisted by Physiotherapy students. 
• Cut from the Same Cloth: Dr Clare Reynolds is involved with an initiative that engages with women from marginalised communities through storytelling and textiles, exemplifying our commitment to making education accessible to all.
• Para-athletics Engagement: Professor Kate Pumpa leads this initiative, aimed at promoting sports participation among students with disabilities and other underrepresented groups within the university community.
• Healthy UCD Woodland Walk: This health promotion initiative aims to engage students from diverse backgrounds, including mature students and those who might face barriers to accessing typical campus events. It serves as an informal platform for students to connect with the wider university community, learn about available resources and feel a greater sense of belonging.

Our School is making strides to enhance access to and inclusion in our programmes. This includes having multiple entry routes to our Bachelors programmes  (e.g. HEAR, DARE, Mature) with widening participation enrolment targets reviewed on an annual basis.

Access Pathways and Places

A number of places on each of our School's Bachelors (Level 8) programmes are ring-fenced for students entering via access admissions pathways. These pathways currently include:

• Higher Education Access Route (HEAR)
• Disability Access Route (DARE)
• (opens in a new window)QQI-FET Award
• Mature Student Route

Our Certificate in Safety & Health at Work (Level 7) and Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Work (Level 8) courses are suitable for mature and part-time learners.

Toolkit

A Toolkit For Universal Design in Higher Education has been developed by UCD’s ALL Unit to aid in the implementation of University for All.

The Toolkit provides a guide to self-assessment and practical enablers of universal design in education, and seeks to support staff, schools and colleges to:

• RECOGNISE the work already achieved
• ASSIST in creating an action plan
• IDENTIFY areas of priority
• OFFER practical steps to implement and embed inclusive, equitable education practice
• FACILITATE dialogue between faculty, professional staff and technical staff on the importance of inclusive practice