Going to university is challenging and overwhelming for anyone, but for neurodivegent students (particularly autistic students) the university experience is exponentially harder. There is growing research proving that autistic students drop out of university and don't complete their studies at a much higher rate than their neurotypical peers (36% as of 2019, compared to 29% of NTs, research conducted by North East Autism Society). The rate of Autistic students not completing their studies is worse than any other disabled group, including deaf, blind or physically disabled students and those with chronic illness, learning disabilities or mental health issues (North East Autism Society, 2019). Coincidingly, it is becoming more widely understood that Autism is far more common than previously thought, with evidence from the Office for National Statistics stating that the number of students with social and communication impairments has increased from 2,815 in 2010-11 to 10,595 in 2017-18. 

It should be a specific mission for the university of huddersfield to acknowledge these facts and strive to improve the university experience for autistic students. It won't be a quick fix, but a good place to start would be to have (multiple!) Sensory friendly areas on campus for Autistic and neurodivegent students. A space with NO fluorescent/strip lighting - dimmable lights for the student/s to alter the lighting to their needs; a space that could be as sound proofed from the outside/surrounding environment as possible; a space with things like mood lighting or space lights for visual sensory seekers; white noise machine for auditory sensory seekers; stim accessories and stim toys; blankets and soft furnishings. These rooms would provide a safe environment for neurodivegent students to unmask between classes, ground themselves, de-stress, and enjoy some sensory time. All of this would greatly help to reduce things like burnout, shutdowns, meltdowns, and mental health episodes which are directly largely responsible for autistic students withdrawing from university as well as decline in the wellbeing of autistic students.