Nantwich businessman Steven Mifsud has been made an Honorary Doctor for his work raising awareness of disability access issues.
Mr Mifsud has run his award-winning consultancy Direct Access since 2004.
The University of Brighton has awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Arts as a former student at the university where he studied Architecture.
Direct Access was set up to ensure inclusion is integral to the built environment.
The firm has expanded rapidly to deliver transformative projects across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
Direct Access has also introduced solutions, including the use of QR codes for sign language narration in museums, enabling members of the Deaf community to engage with exhibits independently.
In the UK, Direct Access works with leading architectural figures to embed accessibility in the earliest stages of design.
Mr Mifsud, who is profoundly deaf, has been named multiple times on the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list of the UK’s most influential disabled people.
He also received the Nantwich “Salt of the Earth” Award in 2019, and was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2021 for services to international trade and inclusive design.
His consultancy has worked on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Science Museum Group, and the delivery of step-free access for Transport for London ahead of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
At Expo 2020 Dubai, Mr Mifsud served as Project Director for Universal Design and then as Director of Accessibility.
The University of Brighton said: “Mr Mifsud’s achievements align closely with the institution’s core values of creativity, sustainability, partnership, and inclusivity, and his influence continues to shape global accessibility standards. In awarding Steven Mifsud MBE with an Honorary Doctor of Arts, the University acknowledges his outstanding leadership in advancing accessibility, and his ongoing commitment to creating spaces and services that leave no one behind.”
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