Disability and Higher Education: Shaping the Future

A pioneering conference looking at disability and higher education was held yesterday (Wednesday 27th June 2007) at NEWI (the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education) in Wrexham.  The conference entitled ‘Disability and Higher Education: Shaping the Future’ attracted delegates from all over the UK.  It was different from many other academic conferences on the subject in that it drew not only academics and practitioners in the field of disability in education but also students with disabilities, those considering university and relatives and carers.

The conference was opened with a preliminary lecture on Tuesday evening which was open to the public as well as those registered for the conference the following day.  Over 300 people came to the lecture to hear Ros Blackburn talk about her experience of living with autism.  Ros Blackburn was diagnosed as severely autistic at the age of 18 months. Now in her late thirties she is a highly respected international speaker on autism.

Ros explained to the audience that she could talk about her autism and that she could offer examples which would help people understand how she feels but that every person with autism is different.  The important thing is to get to know the individual to “be considerate and passionate about the individual.”

Speakers on the day of the conference included Professor Philip Gummett, Chief Executive of HEFCW (Higher Education Funding Council for Wales) who spoke on HEFCW’s provision for, and policy on, disability issues in higher education in Wales; Professor Colin Barnes from the University of Leeds who gave a talk entitled ‘Disability and Higher Education: an agenda for change?’; and artist and author Alison Lapper MBE.

For many of those who attended Alison Lapper MBE was the highlight of the day with her talk entitled ‘Alison Lapper: student, graduate, mother, artist.’  Alison was born in 1965 without arms and with shortened legs, she has become a highly acclaimed artist as well as a well known public figure. Many remember her from the sculpture of her pregnant which until recently stood in Trafalgar Square on the fourth plinth. 

Alison has repeatedly amazed people with her achievements which include pursuing a degree in Fine Art from which she graduated with first class honours and writing her autobiography. She talked about her childhood and her experiences since leaving school, life as a university student, work and becoming a mother.

A display of Alison’s photographic work was exhibited as part of the conference and included pieces from her body of work which deals with the themes of beauty and disability. It asks the question, can disability be beautiful? Can it evoke more than revulsion, pity or sympathy? Her works demonstrates that it can, that there is beauty in everything.

Professor Michael Scott, NEWI’s Principal thought that the conference was both constructive and inspirational. He said, “Current research shows that disabled individuals are only half as likely to be educated to degree level as those without a disability. Raising the proportion of people with a disability attending university is an important challenge in which NEWI endeavours to take a leading role. I hope that those who attended benefited from hearing each other’s experiences and seeing things from a different perspective. People like Alison are an inspiration to all of us and we are thrilled that she was here today and that so many people had the opportunity to hear her speak and view some of her work.”