Learning 4 All: A Framework for Disability Inclusion in Research and Education
Funder
British Council Going Global: Disability Inclusion Partnerships
Project Team
(PI) Dr Alison Halford, (Co-I) Dr Sara Baber, (Co-I) Dr Muhammad Fayyaz, (Co-I) Dr Nabeel Anwar, (Co-I) Dr Farah Rashid
Collaborators
National University of Science & Technology (NUST), Manchester Metropolitan University, Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP).
Value
£25,000 value to Coventry University
Duration of Project
01/05/2025 - 31/04/2026
Project Overview
Funded by the British Council Going Global Disability Inclusion Partnerships, Learning4All brings together Coventry University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Pakistan’s National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) to advance disability inclusion in higher education. Guided by an Advisory Board of senior academics, policy leaders, and disability advocates from both countries, the project is grounded in co-creation with staff and students with disabilities, ensuring that lived experience shapes every output, from the national needs assessment to the development of inclusive principles and gender-responsive curriculum resources.
Drawing on the reach of Pakistan’s four National STEM Research Centres, the National Centre for Robotics and Automation, the National Center in Big Data and Cloud Computing, the National Center of Artificial Intelligence, and the National Center of Cyber Security, the project engages senior decision-makers so that findings feed directly into institutional strategies and national policy dialogues.
By connecting universities, national disability organisations, and policymakers, Learning4All seeks to make inclusion a foundation for excellence in higher education. Through robust evidence, practical tools, and targeted training, we will equip institutions to create environments where staff and students with disabilities can thrive, lead, and shape the future of academia.
Project Objectives
- National Needs Assessment: The first national mapping of accessibility and hidden disabilities in Pakistan’s universities, evaluating infrastructure, services, and cultural attitudes. The findings will inform targeted recommendations and directly align with the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (2002), the HEC Policy for Students with Disabilities (2021), and the NUST Disability Redressal Policy (2020), ensuring evidence-based improvements.
- Co-Created Inclusive Principles: Workshops with disabled staff and students in Pakistan and the UK will produce practical inclusion principles. These will guide universities in implementing the HEC policy’s commitments to accessibility and in broadening its scope to address hidden disabilities and gendered barriers.
- Gender-Responsive Curriculum Resources: In partnership with STEP, teaching materials will be developed and embedded into university training programmes, community service modules, and professional development pathways. This supports Pakistan’s Higher Education Vision 2025 objective of fostering inclusive, student-centred learning environments.
Impact Statement
- Individual: By building a critical mass of diverse scholars, including women with disabilities, the project will expand opportunities for leadership, research participation, and academic careers (SDG 5: Gender Equality).
- Institutional: Through co-created inclusion principles and gender-responsive curriculum resources, universities will have practical tools to embed inclusive teaching, research, and workplace practices, strengthening equity across higher education (SDG 4: Quality Education).
- National: Evidence from the national needs assessment will inform and strengthen Pakistan’s disability and higher education policies, ensuring they address both visible and hidden disabilities, and align with inclusive development goals (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities).
