Advancing Disability Inclusion at Erasmus University
Partners
Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam School of Management, ErasmusX, Studying with a Functional Impairment.
Engagement
Stakeholder engagement, and training on change management.
Size
135 Innovation Master students and general EUR students, 15 students and 15 staff with a functional impairment, 60 university staff members.
The Challenge
Disability inclusion in higher education often remains under-addressed. At Erasmus University, students with functional impairments, both visible and invisible, face systemic barriers to participation. Awareness of accessibility needs among students and staff was low, and inclusive design was not yet integrated into course development.
Key barriers
Limited awareness of disability inclusion across campus
High interaction and accessibility barriers in learning environments
A lack of systemic frameworks to drive sustainable change
Our Solution
Together with ErasmusX and Rotterdam School of Management, we embedded inclusive design and engagement into the university’s learning and innovation ecosystem. Our work was focused on two main initiatives:
1. Design for Inclusion Course Activation
To support the newly launched Design for Inclusion course in the Master's in Management of Innovation, we:
Delivered systems thinking training to the project team to strengthen stakeholder engagement and data collection.
Facilitated a guest lecture on change management and innovation to help students apply inclusion principles to real-world challenges.
Co-developed and moderated a student panel highlighting diverse lived experiences across ability and identity intersections.
Collaborated with the Studying with a Functional Impairment unit to co-design a “Radical Dreaming” session format, gathering needs and aspirations directly from students with disabilities.
2. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Engagement
To scale inclusive learning practices, we supported the rollout of Erasmus University’s new Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guide, which provided educators with tools to:
Remove learning barriers
Account for student diversity
Foster accessible, equitable learning experiences
We facilitated 4 hands-on workshops for teaching staff at the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences and beyond, equipping them with practical ways to implement inclusive design.
The Impact
150 students and 75 staff members trained in inclusive engagement principles
30 students and staff with disabilities actively involved in co-developing the course and resources
Project team equipped with systems thinking and facilitation skills to drive long-term engagement
A campus-wide shift toward universal, inclusive educational practices
Client Reflections
“Karim El Oteify is an amazing speaker who can bring complex issues to life in an accessible and stimulating way. His positive and energetic attitude are truly infectious and facilitate deep discussions and audience engagement”.
Dirk Deichmann, Endowed Chair of Horticulture Innovation Department: Technology and Operations Management, Rotterdam School of Management
