We have now received a response to our open letter from the University Principal, Professor Andy Schofield.
During Disability History Month 2025, the SRC published an open letter to the University Principal as part of our World Changers Need Access: One Year On campaign.
If you have not yet read the original open letter, we strongly encourage you to do so first, as it provides important context for what students have been asking for and why.
Read the original open letter here
The University’s Response
We have now received a response from the University Principal, Professor Andy Schofield.
In line with our commitment to transparency and keeping students informed we include the Principal’s full response below:
"Dear Duncan, Frank, Ayush and Eoghan,
Thank you for your letter and for bringing these important issues to my attention. I want to begin by acknowledging the challenges that disabled students continue to face across our campuses and the wider student experience.
I recognise that meaningful inclusion goes far beyond accessible teaching spaces - it must encompass every aspect of university life. I also appreciate the context you have provided and the honesty of the student voices shared through last year’s campaign. Through my early engagement with you and the wider student community, it is evident that further progress is needed and I value the way in which you have highlighted these priorities. It is clear that the experience of many students does not yet reflect the standards we aspire to.
As you note, I was not in post during last year’s campaign but I have been informed of the commitments made and the steps taken since then, including the establishment of an Accessibility Working Group as a sub-group of the Disability Equality Group to accelerate progress. I am assured that the SRC and student representatives are actively involved in these committees to ensure collaboration. In addition, the annual accessibility budget has doubled from £250,000 to £500,000 and appointed an officer to lead on this area. While I am not able to respond to each of your detailed questions in this letter, I want to assure you that this work is being taken seriously and that progress is being made.
Our University is not unique in having an aged and complex estate, and I have worked in other institutions facing similar challenges. Recent developments have focused on improving physical access through ramps, automated doors, and circulation areas, alongside upgrades to signage and wheelchair routes. We are also continuing our lift replacement programme, with three lifts scheduled for replacement each year, and have introduced revised supported evacuation processes to ensure consistency and safety for disabled students. I know how important it is to make steady, visible progress in improving accessibility and I am keen to build on lessons learned from recent projects and initiatives.
Social and digital accessibility remain priorities, with progress underway to improve facilities in key student spaces and updates to processes that support participation.
Creating an inclusive culture is as important as addressing physical and digital barriers. My colleagues and I are committed to challenging ableism and embedding accessibility into our values and everyday practices, so that disabled students are not left advocating for basic access. The student experience is a shared responsibility, and this principle is reflected in our new University strategy. Our aim is to ensure that accessibility is not treated as an add-on, but as a fundamental part of how we design and deliver teaching and services to students. This culture must be embedded across the institution at every level.
At Glasgow, the Disability Equality Group is the key forum for detailed discussion and identifying relevant action on these matters. I have shared your letter with Christine Barr, Disability Equality Champion, who will lead a focused discussion on its content at the next meeting. This will allow us to provide updates, respond to your questions, and agree on next steps. In the meantime, Christine will ensure that colleagues responsible for Estates, Digital Learning, Student Experience, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion are fully engaged and prepared for a comprehensive discussion.
Thank you again for your constructive approach and for your commitment to making the University of Glasgow more accessible and inclusive. I look forward to working with you and other student representatives throughout the academic year.
Kind regards,
Andy
Professor Andy Schofield
Principal and Vice-Chancellor
University of Glasgow"
What Happens Next
In his response, the Principal acknowledges the ongoing challenges disabled students face across campus and recognises that meaningful inclusion must extend beyond teaching spaces into every part of university life. He also indicates that further discussion of the issues raised will take place through the Disability Equality Group (DEG).
While we welcome this engagement, many of the specific questions raised by students last year still require clearer, more detailed answers which we hope to address through DEG; a key forum for this work. SRC representatives will of course continue to raise these issues there and through other relevant channels, and we’ll continue to work closely with key student groups such as the Disabled Students’ Society and others.
SRC officers and student representatives will continue to raise these questions through DEG and other relevant meetings, with a focus on:
We will continue to share updates with students as this work progresses.
Staying Involved
World Changers Need Access isn’t a polite request – it is a student-led movement born from the lived reality of exclusion.
This work does not end with a letter or a response, and we remain committed to advocating for an accessible, inclusive university where all students can participate fully in campus life.
Students who want to learn more about this work, are encouraged to contact the SRC’s Disability Equality Officer: disability-officer@src.gla.ac.uk.
You can also raise accessibility concerns, or access ongoing advocacy by contacting the SRC Advice Centre for support.
Thank you to everyone who has engaged with this campaign so far – especially to the societies who undersigned our open letter – your voices continue to shape this work.
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[ID: A digital campaign graphic for the “World Changers Need Access” campaign. The image features a blue background patterned with accessibility icons and large white text reading: “World Changers Need Access.” A torn-paper style white section below contains the text: “One Year On: Principal's Response” with the SRC logo centred near the bottom. End ID.]