Online doctorates and postdocs, an opportunity for inclusion

Neurodivergent people have found in education and online work an opportunity to find a safe space, where they can develop without having to face the day-to-day, which can become very overwhelming for people with neurological conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, syndrome of Tourette, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), among others.

It is known that social spaces, full of lights, noises, smells, and all kinds of stimulants, including work meetings, are particularly hostile to atypical people. For this reason, virtualization has allowed a friendly and more relaxed space for people with some neurological conditions.

The virtual connection: An excellent step for inclusion

For decades, thousands of brilliant people, citizens with a lot to contribute, but who do not have an environment that suits their needs, have inadvertently significantly become affected by a system that is only suitable or has been designed for neurotypical people, without taking into account their sensory needs.

Studies estimate that between 50% and 75% of the 5.6 million US adults with ASD are unemployed or underemployed. An overwhelming number can be reversed thanks to the opportunities of information technology, which are offering atypical people the power to unleash their potential, contributing all those strengths that they have to the communities, such as their creativity, attention to detail, as well as specialization in particular topics.



Virtual education allows neurodivergent people to achieve their professional objectives, without having to live face-to-face experiences that can be very challenging, thus allowing them to focus all their energy on the study objective, thanks to the fact that they have full control of their environment.

Along the same lines, teleworking has become an excellent option for people who need adapted environments, since it allows them to be part of the productive force in a comfortable and safe way for them.

During the pandemic, the consultancy EY (Ernst & Young) increased its number of neurodivergent employees worldwide, from 80 in 2020 to almost 300 workers, many of these employees in cybersecurity, intelligent automation, or data analysis.

Online education is a great opportunity, since it allows, according to each circumstance, to achieve the dreams of each person. In this case, we are talking about inclusion and the possibilities that remote education offers to neurodivergent people, but in all cases, studying for a Ph.D. or post-doctorate online allows everyone to achieve their goals, according to their terms and conditions.