Creating a culture of accessibility and inclusion: An AUSLAN interpreter at this year’s Hearing Strategy launch event. 

Today, 3 December, is International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), a United Nations-sanctioned day that aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

It’s a fitting day on which to launch the University’s draft Access and Inclusion Plan 2020 – 2023. Just as IDPwD focuses on how society can strive for inclusion through the removal of physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with disability, we’re seeking to do the same at Macquarie with input from our staff and students.

“Our aim is to provide an inclusive learning environment that enables every individual to thrive,” says Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton. “We acknowledge that experiences of some staff and students with a disability do not reflect this aim, and that Macquarie needs to focus on removing any structural and cultural barriers faced by members of our community.

“This is a crucial step to ensure we provide a truly inclusive and accessible environment, and to ensure all staff and students are empowered to fully participate and contribute.”

Developed through engagement with the Macquarie community, and in consultation with external disability advisors, the Access and Inclusion Plan builds on our progress to date and identifies actions in four key focus areas to strengthen our culture of diversity and inclusion:

• Culture: accessibility and inclusion should be meaningfully integrated within our culture, strategies, policies, processes and communications
• Access: our physical and digital environments must be accessible, safe and dignified
• Learning and Teaching: provide a stronger, more consistent and connected approach to supporting students with disability
• Employment: provide an environment that is flexible and adaptive to support individual requirements, so that all staff can progress and achieve

To address these, an Access and Inclusion Steering Committee will be formed with Executive, students and staff representatives, and two Advisory Groups (Accessible Environments and Learning and Teaching) with wider staff and student representation will report to the Steering Committee on progress.

Staff are encouraged to read the draft Access and Inclusion Plan, engage in and support the actions outlined, and send any feedback to workplacediversityinclusion@mq.edu.au.