Introduction

Barriers of exclusivity in higher education institutions (HEIs) are seen as unsustainable impediments to wider social and economic progression. The increased participation and inclusion in higher education has come about primarily from the interplay between two significant and dynamic factors that have increasingly reshaped the nature of current HEIs. Given the competitive nature of admission to Western HEIs, students who were fortunate enough to enroll were expected to assimilate to wider educational cultures established to serve and perpetuate systems of educational empowerment for the most elite members of society. Internationally, HEIs have embraced the core principles of Universal Design for Learning to increase accessibility and engagement, increase retention and attainment, and improve the outcomes of all students. The changing nature of HEI recruitment and learning environments has been impacted by wider global policy initiatives that are helping to reorient the HE landscape.