UCEM continues research success with two new grants
Posted on: 26 March, 2025
UCEM is pleased to share the news that its research team has been awarded two new grants from the British Council to fund its continuing work in the international research community.
The latest projects follow a string of success in gender equality projects across the world, including the awarding of a grant for research work in Brazil earlier this year and the ‘Safe4All’ workshop in Islamabad, Pakistan last May.
These projects, won by Dr Muhammad Rana and Prof Angela Lee, will further establish UCEM’s growing presence in the international community.
Dr. Muhammad Rana highlighted that these projects expand UCEM’s global presence, extending from Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Brazil, Vietnam, and now to Kenya, further enhancing our leadership in EDI research.
Professor Angela Lee emphasised that these initiatives are instrumental in driving progress in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across the built environment sector, underscoring UCEM’s dedication to impactful and transformative research.
The full details of both projects are available below:
British Council £24,950 for Intersectional Approaches to Disability Inclusion: Examining the Impacts of Ethnicity, Gender, and Disability on Access to Learning and Research Opportunities between UK and Kenya
Individuals shouldn’t be defined by a single characteristic. This is particularly pertinent in Kenya, where the intersection of disability with other identity facets, such as ethnicity and gender, creates unique challenges. For instance, a woman from an ethnic minority with a disability may face compounded discrimination, limiting her access to educational resources more severely than her counterparts.
Understanding these layered experiences is vital for crafting effective inclusion strategies, and while there have been efforts to study disability inclusion in Kenyan education, there’s a notable paucity of research that delves into how intersecting identities influence access and participation.
This project will involve conducting a national survey targeting students in Higher Education institutions across Kenya to gather comprehensive data on the experiences, challenges, and opportunities related to disability inclusion and empowerment within the academic environment.
These findings will then provide valuable insights that will serve as a foundation for a subsequent workshop, which will convene a wide range of participants, including representatives from disability advocacy organisations, government agencies, academic institutions, and community leaders.
The focus of the workshop will be on sharing best practices, developing innovative strategies, and identifying actionable solutions to enhance the participation of individuals with disabilities in various sectors.
British Council £24,990 for ENABLE; Enhancing Networks for Accessibility and Barrier-free Learning for Empowering Disability Inclusion in Pakistani Higher Education
The exclusion of disabled students from higher education in Pakistan isn’t just a matter of physical inaccessibility but is deeply rooted in societal attitudes and the absence of tailored support systems.
Disabled students often face stigma, low self-esteem, and become a target of ridicule, which severely impacts their academic performance and mental health. The lack of special education programs, coupled with negligence from families due to societal or financial pressures, only worsens the situation.
ENABLE focuses on fostering a more inclusive academic culture through capacity-based building initiatives, awareness campaigns, and data-driven insights that will pave the way for longer-term systemic changes. By addressing attitudinal and social barriers, this project aims to create immediate, actionable outcomes that contribute to a more inclusive and supportive environment for disabled students.
By focusing on immediate and achievable goals within the one-year project timeline, ENABLE will provide critical insights into the barriers faced by disabled students, while also laying the groundwork for future, more comprehensive interventions.
