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ADCET Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Symposium 2025

Navigating Authentic Assessment and Learning in a Digital World

The University of Sydney and Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) are pleased to announce that registrations are now open for the upcoming one and a half day Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Symposium 2025, featuring keynote speaker Dr Seán Bracken, a Principal Lecturer at the University of Worcester, UK and leading expert in UDL.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday 25 June (registration desk opens 12:30 pm); and Thursday 26 June 2025 (full day)
Location: University of Sydney, Susan Wakil Health Building, Camperdown Campus, Sydney, Australia (In-person and online attendance options available)
Cost: $285 in-person (including Welcome drinks on Day 1); $150 online

REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Symposium Aims

The UDL Symposium 2025 aims to:

Share and showcase knowledge and expertise in Universal Design for Learning
Continue developing an Australia-wide network of UDL practitioners and researchers
Explore innovative approaches to authentic assessment and learning in digital environments
Examine the intersection of AI and UDL principles to enhance inclusive learning experiences and educational accessibility

Who Should Attend

This Symposium is designed for academic and professional staff within the tertiary education sector (HE & VET) who have an interest in Universal Design for Learning. Potential presenters and participants may include:

Educators in Higher Education or Vocational Education and Training
Learning Designers
Learning Support Staff
Disability Advisors
Accessibility Advisors
Assistive Technology Officers
Inclusive Education students
Staff and students with disability in education and training

Facilitator

Dr Samantha Poulos is an educational designer at the University of Sydney working on the designing for diversity project. Samantha is a feminist literary theorist with a background in first year teaching and working to develop inclusive teaching practices and student engagement. Building on their PhD "'Who cares about pretty?': Examining the construction and performance of femininity in Young Adult literature" Samantha draws on this expertise in queer and gender theory to inform their teaching pedagogy which works to develop creative, inclusive and safe spaces.

Keynote Speaker

Dr Seán Bracken

Dr Seán Bracken is a Principal Lecturer at the University of Worcester (UW), UK, where he is the Doctoral Programme Lead for the College of Education, Culture and Society. Seán holds an Ed.D., a M.Phil. in Applied Linguistics, and a M.Ed. in School Leadership. He is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and, as part of the ACSES fellowship program, he is currently an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University.

A cornerstone of Seán’s work is his dedication to inclusion and UDL. He has been instrumental in promoting inclusivity through various leadership roles and research initiatives. As the founder of the Inclusion by Design Research Group at UW, he has fostered an interdisciplinary community focused on improving learning outcomes and social experiences for diverse learners.

Along with Dr Richard Jackson, he was the co-founder, and subsequent chair, of the International Collaboratory for Leadership in Universally Designed Education (INCLUDE) . This transnational network connects learners, student service professionals and researchers dedicated to inclusive instructional design. INCLUDE recently launched the International Journal for Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning (IJUDUDL) , for which Seán acts as one of the Deputy Editors. IJUDUDL is hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education in Morocco and aims to provide a robust research basis for charting future directions for UD and UDL.

Seán’s research projects, often funded by prestigious organisations such as the British Council and the British Academy, focus on strengthening inclusion in higher education. Notable projects include co-constructing UDL modules with learners and colleagues in Indonesia and the UK, as well as exploring the use of Lesson Study in Brazil as an enabling action research strategy for enhancing inclusion. Seán’s research, and advocacy have significantly advanced educational practices, making him a highly respected thought leader in the field.

Key dates

Abstract submissions closed: 9:00 am Monday 3 March 2025 AEDT
Abstract acceptance notifications: Thursday 13th of March 2025 AEDT

Registrations are now closed

Silver Sponsors

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Captify.live by Bradley Reporting delivers comprehensive real-time and recorded accessibility solutions designed specifically for tertiary education students requiring disability accommodations. Our specialised services include live captioning for lectures, tutorials, and events through both human steno-captioning (delivering court-reporter accuracy via onsite and remote services) and AI-powered captioning (providing scalable, cost-effective pay-as-you-go online solutions). We also produce captioned video content, ensuring equitable access for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, neurodiverse learners, and others who benefit from visual text reinforcement.

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