Impact Case Study: Enhancing access and inclusion through AI-driven pedagogies

This case study from the Guildhall School of Business & Law, London Metropolitan University, presents how structured AI-enhanced pedagogies can create transformative outcomes for underrepresented students and support inclusive institutional cultures.  

Impact Case Study: Enhancing access and inclusion through AI-driven pedagogies

Artificial Intelligence (AI) use in education is rising, yet its role in widening access and promoting inclusivity is often underexplored. Based on a Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) -funded project at the Guildhall School of Business and Law at London Metropolitan University, this case study presents how structured AI-enhanced pedagogies can create transformative outcomes for underrepresented students and support inclusive institutional cultures.

Inspired by widening participation initiatives, we recruited research assistants from undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts to investigate and co-design two AI frameworks (one for students and another one for educators) that empower multilingual, international, and neurodiverse learners and support educators in embedding ethical, inclusive, and accessible AI practices into teaching, learning, and assessment. These frameworks aim to bridge gaps in digital literacy, promote academic confidence, foster critical engagement with AI tools, and ensure that technology serves as a means of widening participation rather than reinforcing existing inequalities.

Project description

During 2024 and 2025, students and staff collaboratively designed interventions using AI tools such as Grammarly, Copilot, ChatGPT, ReadSpeaker, and other amazing AI technologies to support independent learning, enhance academic confidence, and build students’ digital and communication skills.

Research Assistants Mohamed and Kabul worked closely with the team, contributing to literature reviews, designing the frameworks, and developing impact case studies. Their involvement ensured that student voices guided every stage of the project.

Research assistants were employed fairly and meaningfully, with clear expectations, regular supervision, and guaranteed authorship opportunities on subsequent publications.

Reflections from the Research Assistants

Mohamed (Research Assistant):
"Working on this project completely changed how I view AI. It’s no longer a threat, but a tool that makes education more inclusive. I gained so much confidence using AI to improve my assignments and help others. Dr Meletiadou treated us like real partners, not just assistants."

Kabul (Research Assistant):
"This project helped me understand research processes better and develop critical thinking skills. I also realised how AI can genuinely support students who often struggle with traditional assessments. Being part of something that will improve access for future students was a proud moment."

Challenge

Despite increasing efforts towards widening participation, students from underrepresented groups, particularly multilingual, international, neurodiverse, and economically disadvantaged learners, continued to experience barriers to academic success and engagement. Traditional teaching and assessment practices often failed to fully support their diverse needs, exacerbating attainment gaps.

Additionally, while AI technologies were rapidly entering higher education, their application was often unstructured and inequitable, leaving behind students unfamiliar with or lacking access to emerging tools.

Intervention

As Principal Investigator of a QAA-funded project, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meletiadou designed and implemented a structured AI for Inclusion Framework, empowering both students and educators through:

• Faculty training: Led the delivery of tiered AI literacy workshops to 150+ staff members around the world, focusing on inclusive, ethical AI use (e.g., Grammarly, ChatGPT, Otter.ai, ReadSpeaker).

• Inclusive curriculum redesign: Led the integration of AI-powered assessment tools (e.g., Padlet e-portfolios, AI writing feedback apps) across various programmes.

• Student empowerment: led the training of students to critically use AI for language support, real-time feedback, and idea development, particularly benefiting those with English as an additional language and neurodiverse learners.

• Ethical governance: led the co-creation of an Institutional AI Code of Conduct with staff and students, ensuring transparency, fairness, and data protection.

Outcomes

The project generated a range of sustainable outputs that continue to influence inclusive practice in international higher education, as this was an international collaborative enhancement project:

• Framework for students: A practical guide empowering students to use AI ethically for academic success, language support, critical thinking, and skill development.

• Framework for educators: A comprehensive toolkit for embedding AI-enhanced inclusive pedagogies in teaching, assessment, and student support services.

• Case studies: A series of impact case studies documenting students' and educators’ experiences of using AI to overcome barriers to learning.

• Video presentations: Student-led video tutorials demonstrating effective AI applications in academic writing, research, and independent learning.

• Conference presentations: Dissemination of findings at major national and international conferences, including the British Academy of Management prestigious international conference.

• Publications: Peer-reviewed articles and practitioner pieces to further influence policy and practice around AI ethics and widening participation.

• Online symposium: An open-access virtual event, showcasing student voices, institutional strategies, and cross-sector AI innovation in education.

• Interinstitutional mentorship scheme: Establishment of a cross-university peer-mentorship network, where students trained in responsible AI use now mentor peers at partner institutions.

Impact

• Student success: Module completion rates rose by 20–30%, particularly among BAME, multilingual, and neurodiverse students.

• Equity and engagement: Attendance increased by 25% in AI-enhanced modules, with 94% of students reporting that AI support tools boosted their confidence and understanding.

• Faculty capability: 85% of participating educators felt more confident designing AI-enhanced inclusive learning experiences.

• Sector influence: The project outputs (framework, case studies, toolkit) were shared at national and international conferences (e.g., British Academy of Management, AEA-Europe) and adopted by multiple partner institutions.

• Policy impact: Contributed to several HEI’s institutional policies on ethical AI adoption and Education for Social Justice around the world.

Lessons learned and taking forward

• Early engagement: Training undergraduates in research and AI skills early builds their confidence and future employability.

• Student-led co-design: Including students as co-creators—not just participants—led to more authentic, impactful outputs.

• Ethical awareness: Embedding discussions about ethical AI use into all activities helped students critically reflect on both possibilities and risks.

• Scaffolded approach: Regular guidance and feedback sessions helped maintain momentum and allowed interns to express their creativity and ideas.

Student and research assistant testimonials

Mohamed (Student Research Assistant):
"Working on this project transformed my perspective on AI. Before, I saw AI as something complicated and far removed from my education. Now, I use it daily to improve my writing, organize my research, and feel much more confident engaging with my studies. Dr. Meletiadou showed us how AI could level the playing field."

Kabul (Student Research Assistant):
"This experience was empowering. Being involved as a Research Assistant meant I could not only build my academic skills but also help shape the tools that made education more accessible to my peers. I saw firsthand how students who struggled with English or learning difficulties became more active participants when they had supportive AI tools."

Looking ahead

We firmly believe that AI can be a powerful tool for widening access, but it must be implemented ethically, inclusively, and with student input at its heart. Following the success of this project, several Higher Education Institutions around the world (i.e., the project partners) are scaling these approaches across their programmes and strengthening cross-institutional collaborations to ensure AI integration uplifts all learners equitably.

Long-term impact

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meletiadou’s intervention is now a sector-leading model for AI-enabled inclusive education. It has inspired other UK HEIs to replicate the framework, especially in supporting multilingual, mature, and minoritized students.

The success of the project will directly contribute to strengthening London Met’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold Award submission, showcasing tangible advancements in access, engagement, and attainment.