Inclusive Universities Network
Funder(s): British Council Funding
The Inclusive Universities Network (IUN) is an Eastern Africa Centre (EAC)-supported Eastern African Universities and UK partnership advancing disability-inclusive higher education. Launched in Kenya at Strathmore University on 17 February 2026, the Network brings together universities, disability-inclusion professionals, researchers, policymakers and development partners to strengthen the conditions that enable disabled and neurodivergent students to access, participate in and successfully complete higher education.
The network is built on equitable partnership, mutual learning, and evidence-informed action. It recognises that universities in Kenya and the UK each bring established strengths and face ongoing challenges in disability inclusion, and supports co-developing practical approaches tailored to each context, rather than transferring a single model from one setting to another.
Our purpose
The IUN supports universities and wider higher-education stakeholders in translating disability rights and policy commitments into sustained institutional practice.
Its objectives are to:
- Establish a community of practice through which members share evidence, experience and promising approaches to disability-inclusive higher education.
- Strengthen institutional governance, policy, disability support provision, data systems, and accountability.
- Advance inclusive teaching, assessment, reasonable accommodation, digital accessibility and support throughout the student lifecycle.
- Build the knowledge and capacity of staff working in disability support, student services, teaching, learning and institutional leadership.
- Generate collaborative evidence and policy dialogue to inform the development of disability-inclusive higher education in Kenya.
- Strengthen the meaningful involvement of disabled and neurodivergent students in the validation, implementation and monitoring of future reforms.
Partnership background
The Network builds on the established relationship between Nottingham Trent University and Strathmore University. It brings together institutions serving diverse student populations across public and private, campus-based and online-learning contexts. Its founding institutions are Garissa University, Open University of Kenya, Pwani University, Strathmore University, United States International University-Africa and Nottingham Trent University.
The partnership responds to a shared concern that legal and policy commitments to disability inclusion are not always implemented consistently at institutional level. By facilitating comparative learning and collaborative problem-solving, the Network seeks to identify feasible improvements that respond to local priorities, institutional capacity and resource constraints.
What we do
A core activity is a comparative policy-practice mapping study involving five Kenyan universities and Nottingham Trent University. The study examines institutional systems for inclusion; disability disclosure, assessment and reasonable accommodation; data and monitoring; support across the student lifecycle; neurodiversity and wellbeing; and opportunities for Kenya-UK learning. (Note: Findings are illustrative of participating institutions and should not be interpreted as representative of all universities in either country.)
The Network’s current and planned activities include:
- Convening stakeholder dialogue among universities, government, organisations of persons with disabilities and development partners.
- Facilitating knowledge exchange and professional learning for disability-support, student-services, teaching and leadership staff.
- Undertaking collaborative research and policy engagement, including the development of a policy brief on disability-inclusive higher education.
- Developing plans for a shared repository of tools, frameworks and institutional resources.
- Supporting communication, advocacy and practical institutional action on disability inclusion.
Activities completed
The main focus of these meetings was to introduce partner institutions, provide an overview of their approaches and challenges in delivering inclusive support for disabled students, and identify shared priorities. Discussions also explored the purpose and objectives of the collaboration, agreed future engagement activities, and considered opportunities to establish a sustainable network or community of practice. These meetings helped build relationships, foster mutual understanding, encourage knowledge exchange, and create a foundation for ongoing collaborative working and the sharing of effective inclusive practices across institutions.
On 16 February 2026, a meeting was held in Nairobi with partners who came together and engaged in a discussion on establishing network foundations, agreeing on shared objectives and roles, reviewing the disability inclusion questionnaire, discussing ethics and implementation, and defining governance, responsibilities, timelines, and next steps for collaborative action, including the official launch of the network on 17th Feb 2026.
On 17 February 2026, the IUN was officially launched in Nairobi. The event brought together not only the founding member institutions but also the Director of Higher Education from Kenya’s Ministry of Education, representatives from higher education institutions interested in joining the network, disability advocacy organisations such as the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, and international development partners including the British Council and the Mastercard Foundation.
Read more about the launch on the EAC Latest News Webpage
On 11 June 2026, Dr Abdishakur Tarah, Dr Gary McGladery and Richard Fletcher attended the conference following an invitation from NADP to present the work of the Inclusive Universities Network (IUN). The conference is an annual gathering of disability practitioners from across the UK, bringing together professionals to explore practical, innovative and evidence-based strategies that ensure disabled students remain at the centre of policy, planning and service delivery, while developing systems that are both sustainable and scalable.
NTU colleagues involved in the network showcased the work of the IUN and highlighted their contributions to advancing inclusive practice within higher education. Their presentation was well received by conference delegates, including representatives from universities and other higher education providers across the sector.
On 24 June 2026, all network partners attended the meeting, which focused on sharing findings and interpreting data from the mapping survey, a key component of the network’s core activities. Colleagues from each partner institution that participated in the survey were invited to review, validate, and comment on the data related to their respective institutions. This process has now been completed, and the findings from the mapping exercise will be used to inform the development of a policy brief and a funding proposal for the IUN.
On 27 July 2026, the Inclusive University Network (IUN) convened higher education leaders, government representatives, and development partners at Strathmore University to advance disability-inclusive higher education in Kenya. Opening the event, Dr. Magdalene Dimba emphasised the need to translate policy commitments into meaningful institutional action. Dr. Abdishakur Tarah and Dr. Alfred Kitawi presented findings from a six-university study, highlighting uneven implementation of disability inclusion despite strong legal frameworks. Dr. Darius Ogutu, Director of Higher Education, welcomed the findings and reaffirmed government support. Stakeholders endorsed national standards, improved disability data, staff capacity building, and stronger partnerships to enhance inclusion and student success.
Read the news about the policy brief on the EAC News Webpage.
IUN members attended a collaborative initiation meeting on 10th June 2026 with Sightsavers International -Kenya and Kenyatta University (KU), which are currently undertaking a disability-in-HE-related project funded by the British Council. The purpose of the meeting was to explore collaboration between IUN and the current work being carried out by KU and Sightsavers International. Colleagues who attended the meeting have shared some ideas for potential collaboration between IUN and the KU and Sightsavers International-run project.
Colleagues agreed that both initiatives share significant common ground and complementary objectives. They committed to maintaining ongoing dialogue and scheduling further meetings to identify practical opportunities for collaboration, share expertise and resources, and develop joint activities that strengthen impact, avoid duplication, and support their shared goals.
Priorities
- The IUN team is finalising the policy brief on disability-inclusive higher education, with input from a wider range of stakeholders. It is also seeking to broaden participation, strengthen policy dialogue and communications, develop a shared resource repository, and support participating institutions in implementing and documenting practical inclusion initiatives.
- The IUN aims to contribute evidence and dialogue to discussions on minimum institutional standards, disability data and monitoring, staff capacity, neurodiversity and wellbeing, and accessible learning environments.
- Its longer-term ambition is to support disability inclusion as an integral dimension of quality higher education, enabling all students to participate, progress and succeed in across Africa.
Founding member institutions
- Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom
- Strathmore University, Kenya
- Open University of Kenya
- United States International University–Africa, Kenya
- Garissa University, Kenya
- Pwani University, Kenya
Network leadership and members
The Network draws on the expertise of disability-inclusion professionals, researchers, and institutional representatives across its member universities.
- Dr Abdishakur Tarah, IUN UK Lead, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Education, Nottingham Institute of Education, NTU
- Professor Mazeda Hossain, IUN Comparative Research Lead, Professor of Global Health and Director of the Eastern Africa Centre, NTU
- Dr Gary McGladdery, Head of Disability and Inclusion Support Services, NTU.
- Richard Fletcher, Dyslexia Specialist, Disability Support Services, NTU
- Dr Alfred Kitawi, IUN Kenya Lead, Director, Centre for Research in Education & Faculty, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Strathmore University
- Professor Violet Opata, Chairperson, Curriculum Development Unit (CDU), The Open University of Kenya
- Dr Robert Machyo, Senior Lecturer of Educational Foundations, Garissa University, Kenya
- Dr Stephen Macharia, Lecturer and Head of the Writing Centre, Strathmore University, Kenya
- Professor Jacinta Kwena, Ag. Director, Centre for Teaching Excellence and Competency-Based Education and Training (CTE-CBET), Pwani University, Kenya
- Dr Caroline Kimathi, Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics, Languages & Literature, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, United States International University- Africa
- Dr Hassan Luvanga, Lecturer, School of Education, Department of Educational Psychology and Special Needs, Pwani University, Kenya
Research Associates
- Sam Williams, Research Assistant, School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, UK
- Ruwan Samaraweera, Research Assistant, School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, UK