What is UDL and why is it a powerful way to overhaul teaching, learning, assessment and feedback in HE?

I was introduced to UDL by DMU's former Director of Teaching and Learning, Dr Abi Moriarty , now PVC at the University of Sunderland.  Abi is an absolute visionary in terms of inclusive and equitable teaching and learning. Her idea was that we needed a new pedagogic strategy that would provide the flexibility to allow all of today's diverse learners to excel and to master their subject. UDL was developed by CAST and mainly had its roots in disability-focused teaching, particularly using technology, in schools in the USA. In a nutshell, UDL is a pedagogic framework based on decades of neuroscience and pedagogic research which provides multiple options and choices for all learners to engage with and demonstrate their learning. Now, UDL is one of the three pillars of DMU's teaching and learning strategy. 

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I was one of the staff involved in leading the UDL project at DMU. I came up with an initial set of UDL ideas, which formed the basis of the university-wide staff training offer. I wrote the UDL staff guidance along with a self-evaluation document for staff to use. As a UDL champion for my faculty, I was also responsible for leading its adoption and for staff development and training.