The Autistic VOICES study

What we want to find out

The Autistic VOICES (Values, Outcomes, and Inclusive Community Engagement with Students) study aims to identify unmet needs of autistic university students in the UK. We want to understand the barriers they face and how well current supports are working from initial application through to graduation in order to improve university support services.

Why we’re doing this research

Autism diagnoses have increased four-fold in the last 20 years, and this is reflected in higher education. University services offer a critical source of support for autistic students¹, yet the recent High Court ruling in University of Bristol v Abrahart underscores the need to ensure support is consistent, inclusive, and proactive^2,3. To fulfil this responsibility, understanding contemporary student experience by capturing the direct, detailed accounts of autistic students themselves is crucial.

Method

Co-design

Our study will be developed in close collaboration with a Student Advisory Group comprised of autistic students from Cambridge and other partnering universities (Ethics Approval No. PRE.2026.047). Through online focus groups and interviews, our advisors will help design a comprehensive survey about university experiences, challenges, and support needs in autistic students.

Expert review

At every stage, researchers, lived experience experts, university staff, and community partners will be consulted to ensure our interview questions, surveys, documents, and general communication strategies are relevant and appropriate.

Pilot testing

The co-designed needs survey will be tested first with a small group, then rolled out to 500 to 3,000 autistic students across multiple UK universities.

Community engagement

Autistic individuals are more than participants — they are research partners. Our Student Advisory Group, composed entirely of autistic university students recruited specifically for this purpose, will lead in co-designing the survey. Advisory group members are separate from the Steering Committee.

Our Steering Committee includes researchers, university staff, and community partners, some of whom have lived experience of autism. Additional lived experience experts and members of organisations dedicated to promoting the health and wellbeing of autistic persons will also contribute as consultants.

Using flexible feedback channels (e.g., group discussions, one-on-one interviews, written feedback, voice or video recordings) to accommodate diverse communication needs, insights from co-designers will directly determine which questions are asked and what topics are prioritised in the study.

Information for Participants, Advisors, and Consultants

Project Plan Infographic (PDF)
Study Information Sheet for Student Advisory Group
Study Information Sheet for Needs Survey (Coming Soon)
Study Consent Form

Potential impact

Findings will provide an evidence-base for UK universities to understand needs and improve supports for autistic students. We will publish findings and recommendations to help institutions develop more effective, targeted support services and create more inclusive learning environments and policies so autistic students can thrive at university.

Results

We anticipate sharing results in 2027. When available, key findings will be shared on this page.

Staff

Harriet Cannon

Dr Tania Davies, MSc, PGCE, KSPD, PhD, MA, SFHEA

Dr John Harding, BA (Hons), MA, PGCE, EdD

Joanna Hastwell, BA (Hons), PGCert

Holly Hodges, MA, MPhil

Professor Nicola Martin

Dr Lewis Owens, BA (Hons), MA, PhD, FRHistS, MBE