Sheila Riddell (born 2 December 1953), is an academic at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the Centre for Research in Education Inclusion and Diversity (CREID).
She has published a number of books on disability[7][8][9] and on the gender balance of teachers in primary and secondary teaching in Scotland.
Universities undertake widening participation activities and are set external benchmarks to address inequalities in the take-up of higher education opportunities among different social groups.
The purpose behind strategic efforts within the sector and in government is to ensure that student bodies at universities reflect the diversity represented in wider society.
She recommended that universities should carry out more evaluation of projects and initiatives to widen access including tracking of students [10].