Disability inclusion in higher education: towards accessible, equitable learning environments

Introduction

Join the ACU for a timely and practical discussion on advancing disability inclusion in higher education across the Commonwealth and beyond. This 60-minute webinar will spotlight innovative strategies, technologies, and policies that enable more accessible and equitable learning environments for students with disabilities.

Bringing together expert speakers from universities in the UK, South Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, and Australia, the session will explore inclusive pedagogy, institutional capacity-building, and how universities can embed accessibility at a systemic level. The webinar will include short presentations, a panel discussion, and audience Q&A.

This event is part of the ACU’s programme to drive forward access and inclusion initiatives, build capacity and advocate at the highest levels through the ACU’s HE Taskforce. All are welcome.

If you cannot register, please email our events team.

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Professor Halai has extensive experience in higher education in low- & middle-income countries, with a well-established academic profile. Her research interests are in social justice issues in education and teacher education. She has published widely in the area of gender and education.

She led the Taskforce at AKU to develop policies on awareness and prevention of gender-based harassment and is an advisor to their Women’s Leadership Academy. She is currently leading an innovative programme of micro-credentials to provide multiple learning pathways to underrepresented communities and opportunities for re-skilling and upskilling for mid-career professionals. She is a member of the ACU Higher Education Taskforce’s Access and Inclusion Working Group.

Dr Halai obtained her doctoral degree in education from Oxford University in the UK. She was an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta in Canada (2011-2016) and a research fellow at the Centre for International Education and Development at Sussex University in the UK. She was recently elected as a fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Gosia Kwiatkowska is an Associate Professor and a leading advocate for inclusive, person-centred research and practice, particularly in the field of learning disabilities. Gosia’s work focuses on co-production, digital inclusion, and the use of multimedia advocacy tools such as the RIX Wiki to support self-advocacy and accessible learning. She has led and collaborated on numerous international projects promoting disability rights, inclusive education, employment and the ethical involvement of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities in research.

Professor Rueckert leads whole-of-institution strategies to embed equity, inclusion, and career readiness across the student experience. She brings over 10 years of senior leadership experience in higher education, including roles as Director, Student Success at QUT and Program Director for First Year Initiatives at the University of British Columbia.

Caroline has led large-scale, cross-institutional initiatives focused on student retention, engagement, and employability. Her work centres on co-creating educational ecosystems that connect students, staff, and communities through shared purpose, mutual learning, and collective responsibility. A long-time advocate for partnership-driven approaches, Caroline is committed to fostering ethical, place-based, and socially responsive education that supports more just and sustainable futures.

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Disability inclusion in higher education: towards accessible, equitable learning environments

Introduction

Speakers

Professor Anjum Halai

Vice Provost at Aga Khan University (AKU), Pakistan

Gosia Kwiatkowska

Director of the RIX Inclusive Research Institute at the University of East London, UK

Professor Caroline Rueckert

Dean, Student Experience and Employability at Griffith University