Paul Harpur wears many hats. Lawyer, company director, former Fulbright Scholar, Paralympian and University of Queensland Law School Associate Professor. He is also blind and passionate about disability inclusion.
Harpur believes universities can become disability champions where there is institutional support on diversity and inclusion. “I dream of a world where it is no longer about ‘them and us’ but instead we talk about just ‘us’.
In the past five years there has been a steady increase in the number of undergraduate students with a disability studying at UQ. The university’s Disability Action Plan 2020 annual report showed more than a 41 per cent increase in students engaging with disability support services provided by the university.
Harpur was recently awarded an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship to investigate how the higher education sector can better support people with disability transition from economic exclusion to work.
“UQ is moving from being a disability confident organisation to a disability courageous university,” he said.
“K-12 schooling is producing great students with disability, UQ is welcoming them and leading the way in how they can be employed and succeed to fulfil their potential.”
Paul Harpur with his late dog, Chester.