Neurodiversity Project

the University of 米兰电子 web page banner with sunflower symbol

The purpose of the project is to provide further support for Neurodivergent students at the University of 米兰电子.

  • Project Scope and Aims

    The Neurodiversity Project began as a result of an increase in registrations for neurological conditions such as, Specific Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD) and other forms of neurodivergence.

    One of the main outcomes of this project is to create a peer mentoring program for neurodivergent students that will pilot in January 2025. Mentors in the program will assist students who are neurodivergent with academic needs and transition into the university. Mentors will ideally be in the third year of their degree, an honours student, a HDR student or master's by coursework student. Further information on the responsibilities of mentors can be found below.听

    Mentees will be currently enrolled students who will need to register with Disability Support and provide supporting documentation of their diagnosis from a medical professional in order to be eligible to join the pilot mentoring program. The supporting documentation and medical information provided from mentees as part of the registration through Disability Support will remain confidential.

    In addition to the above, the project aims to achieve the following:听

    • Establish听a Neurodivergent Hub web page that听directs neurodivergent听students听to听university support services in one听convenient place.听
    • Create additional resources for both staff and students related to neurodivergent learning.听
    • Develop and run workshops for neurodivergent students听to assist with study skills and transition.听
    • Raise further awareness of neurodiversity and hidden disabilities听on campus through events and workshops.听
    • Collaborate with both professional and academic听staff on the needs听of neurodivergent students.
    • Connect with students听on their experience as a neurodivergent person听through a student survey,听and incorporate that feedback into the project aims.听

  • When will the project launch?

    The pilot mentoring program for students with neurodivergent conditions will be launched in January 2025.听

  • Neurodivergent Study Skills Workshop

    After a successful pilot, 米兰电子鈥檚 Disability Support Neurodivergent Study Skill Workshops will be听recommencing in Semester 1 2025.听Workshop听registrations for 2025 are now open for currently enrolled students.听The workshops will be held in person on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with an online option now also available on Fridays.听

    Workshop Registration and Materials

    The Neurodivergent Study Skills Workshops are facilitated by the Disability Support Project Officer Tiana Blazevic. Tiana is neurodivergent herself, and these workshops are taught from a neuro-affirming and strength based approach. The workshop activities incorporate critical reflection practices for students and each workshop discusses practical study strategies that neurodivergent students can incorporate into their studies. These workshops have also been designed with Higher Degree by Research students in mind and discuss specific strategies for HDR students. The workshops have either one or several worksheet activities for students to complete as well as templates for students to utilise.听

    All students, no matter their diagnosis status, are welcome to attend these workshops. Unsure if you are neurodivergent? We encourage students to attend even if you are unsure or still figuring it out. Students are not required to participate in group discussions and alternative options are always available so that you can still participate in a way that is comfortable for you.听

    If you are still feeling unsure or anxious, you can watch this for more information on what to expect when you arrive at the face-to-face workshops.听

    If you would like to learn more about the workshops and our facilitator's approach, you can watch her webinar for the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training below.听

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    : Serving as a reminder you are not alone - Building Community and Supporting Neurodivergent Students through Study Skill Workshops at 米兰电子.听

  • Neurodiversity Peer Mentors

    米兰电子's Disability Support Services welcomes students to become volunteer Neurodiversity Peer Mentors in 2025.听

    One of the aims of this project is to create a peer mentoring program for Neurodivergent students at the University of 米兰电子. Neurodivergent conditions include; Specific Learning Disability (Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD). Neurodiversity Peer Mentors听will provide support to mostly first year neurodivergent students who have begun their studies at The听University of 米兰电子 in 2025.听听

    Responsibilities

    • Provide peer support to their mentees that relates to their听transition to university study. 听
    • Provide tips and strategies on how to manage study load and work-life balance. 听
    • Introduce their mentee to the wider campus culture and community, and encourage their mentee to attend campus events.
    • Show their mentee around campus and help to assist where possible with听wayfinding around campus. 听
    • Introduce their mentee to the various support services available on campus.听

    Who can apply?

    • The applicant听must be a current University of 米兰电子 student听who has听completed at least 1 year of university study.
    • Higher Degree by Research Students are encouraged to apply.听
    • The applicant has lived experience of neurodivergence or a passion for equity, access, and听inclusion .
    • The applicant has some basic knowledge of neurodivergent conditions.
    • The applicant听has听clear communication skills, well organised, an active listener, friendly and collaborative.

    Applications to become a volunteer Neurodiversity Peer Mentor have now closed.听

  • Student Perspectives on Inclusive Learning

    During the October 2024 Festival of Learning and Teaching, the student panel on safety, inclusion and belonging was very well-received by participants. Two of the panel members, Alex Mader (PhD Candidate, Elder Conservatorium of Music) and Oggy Trisic (Undergraduate听Student, School of Psychology) have shared their thoughts on the importance of inclusive and safe learning spaces in this video as part of 米兰电子's Empowered Educators Series. Alex and Oggy are also part of the Student Wellbeing Advisory Group and have been working closely with the coordinator of the Neurodiversity Project and Student Health and Wellbeing team to raise awareness of neurodivergent conditions on campus.听

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  • Useful Articles and Resources

    Neurodivergent Experiences in Higher Education

    • Bailey, A., Grotowski, M., & Bailey, S. (2023). Medical education: Accommodating students with ADHD.听Medical Teacher,听0(0), 1鈥6.听

    • Craddock, E. (2024). Raising the voices of AuDHD women and girls: Exploring the co-occurring conditions of autism and ADHD.听Disability & Society,听0(0), 1鈥5.听

    • Rosqvist, H. B., Hultman, L., Wiklund, S. 脰., Nygren, A., Storm, P., & Sandberg, G. (2023). ADHD in higher education and academia.听Canadian Journal of Disability Studies,听12(3), Article 3.听

    • Davis, M. T., Watts, G. W., & L贸pez, E. J. (2021). A systematic review of firsthand experiences and supports for students with autism spectrum disorder in higher education.听Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders,听84, 101769.听

    • Evans, D., Granson, M., Langford, D., & Hirsch, S. (2023). Autism spectrum disorder: Reconceptualising support for neurodiverse students in higher education.听Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management,听45(2), 243鈥257.

    • Weiting Tan, D., Rabuka, M., Haar, T., & Pellicano, E. (2023). 鈥業t鈥檚 a symbolic violence鈥: Autistic people鈥檚 experiences of discrimination at universities in Australia.听Autism, 13623613231219744.听

    • Alexander, D. A. (2024). The dyslexic academic: Uncovering the challenges faced as neurodiverse in academia and establishing a research agenda.听Disability & Society,听0(0), 1鈥6.

    • 听Schabmann, A., Eichert, H.-C., Schmidt, B. M., Hennes, A.-K., & Ramacher-Faasen, N. (2020). Knowledge, awareness of problems, and support: University instructors鈥 perspectives on dyslexia in higher education.听European Journal of Special Needs Education,听35(2), 273鈥282.

    • Wang, E. Q., & Piper, A. M. (2022). The Invisible Labor of Access in Academic Writing Practices: A Case Analysis with Dyslexic Adults.听Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction,听6(CSCW1), 120:1-120:25.

    • Rosqvist, H. B., Chown, N., & Stenning, A. (Eds.). (2020).听Neurodiversity Studies: A New Critical Paradigm听(1st ed.). Routledge.听

    • Hamilton, L. G., & Petty, S. (2023). Compassionate pedagogy for neurodiversity in higher education: A conceptual analysis.听Frontiers in Psychology,听14.

    • Couzens, D., Poed, S., Kataoka, M., Brandon, A., Hartley, J., & Keen, D. (2015). Support for Students with Hidden Disabilities in Universities: A Case Study.听International Journal of Disability, Development and Education,听62(1), 24鈥41.听

    • Major, Rachael, Chloe Jackson, Jade Wareham, and Jessica Pidcock. 鈥淪upporting Neurodivergent Nursing Students in Their Practice Placements.鈥 Nursing Standard 39, no. 7 (July 2024): 57鈥65. .

    • Jafarian, Nanda R., and Anne-Wil Kramer. 鈥淎I-Assisted Audio-Learning Improves Academic Achievement through Motivation and Reading Engagement.鈥 Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence 8 (June 1, 2025): 100357. .

    • Norris, Jade Eloise, and Katie Maras. 鈥淪upporting Autistic Adults鈥 Episodic Memory Recall in Interviews: The Role of Executive Functions, Theory of Mind, and Language Abilities.鈥 Autism 26, no. 2 (February 1, 2022): 513鈥24. .

    • Tancredi, Sofia, and Dor Abrahamson. 鈥淪timming as Thinking: A Critical Reevaluation of Self-Stimulatory Behavior as an Epistemic Resource for Inclusive Education.鈥 Educational Psychology Review 36, no. 3 (July 9, 2024): 75. .

    • Bailey, Chris. 鈥溾楴eurodivergent Literacies鈥: Exploring Autistic Adults鈥 鈥楻uling Passions鈥 and Embracing Neurodiversity through Classroom Literacies.鈥 Literacy 57, no. 2 (2023): 120鈥31. .

    • Miller, Danielle, Jon Rees, and Amy Pearson. 鈥溾楳asking Is Life鈥: Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults.鈥 Autism in Adulthood: Challenges and Management 3, no. 4 (December 1, 2021): 330鈥38. .

    General Reading & Lived Experiences听

    • 鈥嬧赌Beardon, L. (2023).听What Works for Autistic Adults. Sheldon Press.
    • Griggs, K. (2021).听This Is Dyslexia. Ebury Digital.
    • Middleton, E. (2023).听UNMASKED: The Ultimate Guide to ADHD, Autism and Neurodivergence. Penguin Life.
    • Moriah, C. (2022).听I am Autistic: An interactive and informative guide to autism. Allen & Unwin.
    • Moriah, C. (2023).听This is ADHD. Allen & Unwin.
    • Nerenberg, J. (2020).听Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn鈥檛 Designed for You听HarperOne.
    • Price, D. (2022).听Unmasking Autism: The Power of Embracing Our Hidden Neurodiversity. Monoray.
    • Silberman, S., & Sacks, O. (2015).听NeuroTribes: The legacy of autism and how to think smarter about people who think differently. Allen & Unwin.
    • Wharmby, P. (2023).听Untypical: How the world isn鈥檛 built for autistic people and what we should all do about it. Mudlark.

    Please note that the above list of articles will be updated听periodically.听

white woman with long black hair and sunflower lanyard

Disability Support Project Officer

Tiana Blazevic is the Disability Support Project Officer and coordinator of the Neurodiversity Project. There are currently a range of neurodiversity supports being developed at 米兰电子.听If you wish to learn more about these developments and initiatives for staff and students, please inquire with the Project Officer.听