According to UN data, one in every ten children is a child with a disability.

The UN's International Day of People with Disabilities is celebrated on 3 December each year and the theme of 2023 is: "United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for, with and by persons with disabilities".

Ahead of the day, we look at how we're supporting learners and teachers around the world. We also spoke to members of the Disability and Neurodiversity Staff Network at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. 

Adaptations include offering exam paper in different formats, such as Braille and large print for learners with visual impairments, or support during the exam such as rest breaks and use of voice-activated recorders or word processors to make it easier for learners to give answers. 

“We work closely with schools and colleges to support them meeting students’ individual needs,” says Stuart Ross, Special Requirements Manager for our UK exam board OCR. “There are a range of approved access arrangements that enable students to undertake OCR exams and show what they know. We also engage with schools and colleges on a case by case basis to identify arrangements for students with complex needs.”  

This adaptable approach for people with disabilities also extends to Cambridge's international exam board, which is committed to ensuring all our schools, teachers and learners around the world are supported during each exam series.

At Cambridge, the Disability and Neurodiversity Staff Network is dedicated to creating a truly inclusive culture where everyone feels included and accepted for who they are, wherever they are, across the world. They aim to raise awareness of all types of disability and neurodiversity to remove prejudice and break down barriers, encouraging openness and understanding for all.  

Victoria and Emily, Co-Chairs of the network, share more in the interview below.  

What’s the purpose of the network? 

The network is a safe space for everyone, with or without disabilities. It is there to create a supportive community for people with disabilities, chronic illness and or are neurodiverse, along with allies, friends, and supportive family members. We also champion voices across the organisation, acting as advocates for colleagues who are disabled and/or neurodiverse. We are a global staff network and actively seek to include everyone in our activities. 

What achievements of the Disability and Neurodiversity Network are you most proud of? 

We're really proud of how we support our colleagues in the workplace as well as people who might want to work at Cambridge. Our Disability Ambassador scheme was set up in 2019 and we currently have 20 trained ambassadors  who provide informal support to colleagues and managers around the world.  

We worked alongside the Equality Diversity Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) team to launch  internal Disability Inclusion training this summer. While there is always room for improvement, we hope this will help raise awareness and contribute to a more inclusive culture.   

We helped the organisation become a Disability Confident employer, which is the second tier of a UK government scheme that hopes to create a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop people with disabilities. We’re also a member of the national hidden disabilities scheme, otherwise known as the sunflower scheme. 

How are you marking International Day of People with Disabilities? 

We are running an event called ‘Manager and Me’, where we will openly discuss recruitment and reasonable adjustments with the idea that managers who have not yet hired a person with a disability or neurodiversity will witness concrete examples of good practice and have their questions answered. 

How do you raise awareness around issues affecting people with disabilities? 

As Co-Chairs, we actively encourage members to organise events on issues in which they are interested. This year, members organised events to mark Colour Blind Awareness Day on 6th September and another member spoke about dyslexia for the Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity and Belonging ‘EDIB and Me’ internal event series.  

We regularly take part in intersectional events with other networks. This year, we discussed shared experiences with the Pride staff network in June for a panel event and hosted a network-specific drop-in session with the Healthy Minds staff network in October.  

We host monthly meetings, where we share updates and achievements, and regular informal 'tea breaks’, where we chat, complain, and catch-up with each other. We also speak at team meetings and visit colleagues in other offices who struggle with attending online events.  

November was Epilepsy Awareness Month and one of our colleagues shared their story of the life-changing moment their child was diagnosed with epilepsy but how with the right medication she is now thriving as a young adult. Around 3.4 million people and their families are affected by epilepsy or seizure disorder, yet it remains under-researched, misunderstood and stigmatised, so our colleague wanted to use our internal communication channels to raise awareness and break down some of the stigmatised views surrounding epilepsy.    

What is your focus for the next year? 

We'll be running events throughout the year and continue to work with our colleagues to create a more inclusive workplace. We’re aiming to expand our global reach and awareness raising initiatives by continuing to recruit the network regional representatives in each of our offices around the world.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it’s safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We believe that diversity of thought, background, and approach create better outcomes.  

Fostering an inclusive culture is the right thing to do, and it’s part of how we achieve our purpose: to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence.