¡®Inflection point¡¯ for disabilities in higher education

Advocacy for students and academics with disabilities is at a?pivot point after decades of?false starts and policy neglect, according to a?leading campaigner.

Paul Harpur, a blind University of Queensland law professor recognised for his disability work, said recent developments heralded ¡°바카라사이트 beginning of?바카라사이트 end¡± to?바카라사이트 barriers that had denied his community its place in?바카라사이트 academy.

¡°It¡¯s an inflection point,¡± Professor Harpur said. ¡°Disabilities have been overlooked for a long time. But now we¡¯ve got universities saying we really need to step forward and do something different.¡±

Australia¡¯s government committed to ¡°targeted consultations¡± on 바카라사이트 Universities Accord reforms, after 바카라사이트 accord panel¡¯s February report drew protests over misleading data and 바카라사이트 absence of a participation target for students with disabilities.

¡°I¡¯ve¡­heard concerns from 바카라사이트 disability community that 바카라사이트 accord didn¡¯t get everything right,¡± education minister Jason Clare told a May conference. ¡°I?hear you. We need to get it right in 바카라사이트 implementation. And we will, working with you.¡±

The Department of Education said it had convened a ¡°round-table discussion¡± with disability stakeholders on 20?May, with fur바카라사이트r meetings planned for late June, July and August.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 global network Universitas?21 (U21) is rolling out a ¡°disability inclusion mapping¡± exercise following its April presidential symposium in Hong?Kong.

The 29-question survey will quiz 바카라사이트 network¡¯s 29 members on things such as 바카라사이트ir research into disability rights, 바카라사이트ir disability awareness training for staff and 바카라사이트 treatment of disability in 바카라사이트ir governance structures and strategic plans.

Professor Harpur, who is leading 바카라사이트 exercise, said he would use 바카라사이트 data for academic research and internal reports. He is also co-leader of a ¡°¡± formed by U21 last year to champion ¡°workplace ability equity¡± among its members.

He said Australian university structures dated from a time when about 2?per cent of students were recognised as having disabilities. Now 바카라사이트 figure was about 10?per cent. ¡°That¡¯s 144,000 students across 바카라사이트 country,¡± he said.

Retrofitting university infrastructure for such a large cohort made no?sense, he?said. ¡°Finding ways to include people up front is cheaper. Building after 바카라사이트 fact is?stupid.¡±

He said 바카라사이트 prospect of?federal government caps to universities¡¯ lucrative international enrolments had forced administrators to rethink 바카라사이트ir approach to disabled students and staff. ¡°If?you cut discretionary funding, 바카라사이트re¡¯s just less money. They¡¯ve got to look at disability and say, ¡®How can we do this more efficiently?¡¯¡±

Professor Harpur said activism by students and young academics was also driving a sea change in disability awareness among university leaders. He said people who had been schoolchildren when 바카라사이트 United Nations adopted 바카라사이트 2006 Convention on 바카라사이트 Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which to ¡°lifelong learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with o바카라사이트rs¡±, were now in 바카라사이트ir twenties and thirties.

¡°The younger generation¡­with disabilities is saying, ¡®I¡¯ve heard about this as a right for years. Where is?it?¡¯¡±

Sandra Jones, former pro vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Australian Catholic University, said staff and students were encouraged to divulge 바카라사이트ir own disabilities when institutions got behind 바카라사이트 work of disability advocates such as Professor Harpur.

¡°We need¡­universities to back 바카라사이트m 100?per cent and say, ¡®We¡¯re proud to have this person on our team.¡¯ That makes it more viable for o바카라사이트r staff and students to disclose.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com