British Sign Language (BSL) Action Plan

The University of Glasgow is committed to promoting equality in all its activities and aims to provide a work, learning, research and teaching environment free from discrimination and unfair treatment. As a public authority, the University is committed to ensuring we give due regard to the three duties of the Equality Act 2010; the opportunity to develop and implement our British Sign Language (BSL) Plan allows us to address the specific requirements of BSL/Deaf community.

The Scottish Government’s BSL National Plan 2023-2029, sets out 10 long term goals, and all local authorities were encouraged to mirror this format, identifying the relevant goals, and setting local actions relevant to their function.

The University’s BSL Action Plan is valid until the end of academic session 2023/24 and reflects the overall goals in the National BSL Action Plan 2023-29.

The University recognises BSL is a language in its own right, with all the creative nuances of dialect, grammar, syntax and vocabulary. The University’s recognises people who have BSL as their native language, contribute to the communities and culture they live within.

Throughout the plan, we refer to ‘BSL users’. This covers all people whose first or preferred language is BSL, including those who receive the language in a tactile form due to sight loss.

Want to learn BSL?

Check out the courses provided by the University's Short Courses - shown in the Languages section or by searching British Sign Language.