On 15th September 2023, at the AHUA Autumn Conference held at Sheffield Hallam University, I delivered an insightful 60-minute session on neurodiversity in higher education.

The session, entitled "Embracing Neurodiversity in Higher Education - it starts with You!", dove into the essentials of supporting neurodivergent colleagues and students, and understanding why an embodied knowledge of neurodiversity is important.

Understanding Neurodiversity

According to Nick Walker, "Neurodiversity is the diversity of human minds, the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within our species." Neurodiversity is a natural variation, just like fingerprints, or hair colour and texture. 

It includes specific neurotypes such as Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Tourette's Syndrome, and Dyscalculia, to name a few. It also includes acquired neurodivergence such as memory loss, brain injury and mental health conditions.

The session explored the various aspects of neurodivergence, including social understanding, communication, sensory processing, and information processing.

Neurodivergence: Unique Perspectives and Experiences

Neurodivergent individuals bring unique perspectives and experiences to a team.  They often excel in creativity and innovation, have highly specialised skill sets and the ability to hyperfocus. Studies by companies like Hewlett Packard Enterprise and JP Morgan Chase have shown that neurodiverse teams are 30% more productive and make fewer errors, respectively. 

However, it's worth noting that the number of neurodivergent adults who are unemployed is three times the rate for disabled people, a statistic that highlights the need for more inclusive practices in the workplace.

Creating a Safe Culture for Neurodivergent Colleagues and Employees

Creating a safe culture for neurodivergent colleagues and employees starts with having an embodied knowledge of neurodiversity, making it visible to the world around us. 

It involves creating work environments where all brains can thrive, where it's okay to be who you are. It necessitates a shift from disclosure to understanding. After all, not everyone may know or want to disclose their neurodivergence due to concerns about reactions or workplace responses.

Safe and brain-friendly practices can positively affect every area of business, from recruitment and onboarding to management, training, and leadership. Some ways to create safety include designing brain-friendly work environments, introducing a neurodiversity network for peer support, investing in organisation-wide neurodiversity training and events, and encouraging trust and openness.

Brain-friendly Environments for Staff and Students

Brain-friendly and safe environments support both staff and students to excel. Psychological safety helps humans thrive. 

A relaxed brain is switched on to learning, solution finding, critical thinking, and emotional regulation. Clarity of expectations plus autonomy and flexibility leads to good work. 

Brain health and optimal cognitive performance go hand in hand, and promoting universal and individual work/study solutions across the whole organisation is key.

Conclusion

Embracing neurodiversity in higher education starts with growing our understanding of neurodiversity and brain-friendly practice. Embodiment of knowledge is essential! If it stays in our heads, it doesn’t help anybody. 

Statistics show that neurodivergent colleagues and students deliver increased accuracy and productivity. Safe workplace cultures are curious about the brain and all its differences.

They embrace the challenges alongside the strengths and promote optimal performance.

Connect with Bea Marshall

If you are interested in learning more about neurodiversity and how to create a neurodivergent-friendly environment, feel free to connect with Bea Marshall at bea@beamarshall.com or visit her website at www.beamarshall.com.