Reflecting on the Centre for Disability Studies International Hybrid Postgraduate Conference 2025
Postgraduate Representatives at the Centre for Disability Studies (CDS), Johanna Knebel and Ruby Goodley, reflect on the Centre's International Hybrid Postgraduate Conference 2025.
On 17 September 2025, we had the pleasure of hosting the Centre for Disability Studies’ one-day hybrid international postgraduate conference at the University of Leeds. As postgraduate representatives, we welcomed 75 delegates from across the UK, Belgium, Canada, Germany, India, and the US – both in person and online.
Exploring “Disability Within Environments”
This year’s theme, Disability Within Environments: Disability Studies Perspectives, was chosen in response to ongoing global challenges – including backlash against equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), military conflicts, humanitarian crises, and the climate emergency. We aimed to explore how disabled people are affected by these within different environments and how they might be reshaped to foster more sustainable, just, and inclusive futures.
The theme inspired a wide range of insightful submissions, leading to four live panel discussions on:
- Higher Education
- Urban Spaces
- Creative Spaces
- Social Care, Health, and Wellbeing
We also hosted a poster exhibition focused on research methodologies in disability studies, and a virtual presentation forum featuring pre-recorded papers for delegates to view after the event.
Highlights from the day
One of the standout moments was our keynote address by Dr Deborah Fenney, a Leeds alumna and senior researcher at The King’s Fund. Her talk explored conducting healthcare research within the English NHS, outside of academia. Dr Fenney offered a compelling perspective on how disability appears in healthcare environments and how disability studies can inform research beyond traditional academic settings. Her presentation sparked a lively Q&A session, engaging both in-person and online audiences.
The panel discussions were equally rich and collaborative. Presentations in the Creative Spaces panel ranged from audio description in Moroccan cinema to inclusive nightclub spaces and arts engagement for people with learning disabilities. In the Urban Spaces panel, topics included dis/ableism in parking spaces, the role of smell in multi-sensory cities, and disability and climate change in the Global South.
We concluded the day with a relaxed social gathering at The Terrace, the Student Union bar, where conversations and connections continued. For many, especially students on the online MSc Disability Studies, Rights, and Inclusion, this was a rare and meaningful chance to meet peers face-to-face.
Creating an accessible and welcoming space
Accessibility was a core priority. The conference was hosted in an accessible university venue and online via Zoom with live captioning. Volunteers in red t-shirts were on hand to assist with directions and registration, and a quiet space was available for those needing a break.
We implemented multiple comfort breaks which not only allowed the creation of a relaxed atmosphere but also provided time for people to converse with one another both in person and online.
We introduced a traffic light sticker system on name badges to help delegates indicate their social energy levels – green for “happy to chat,” yellow for “limited interaction,” and red for “not up for talking.” This simple tool helped ease social interactions and supported a more inclusive networking experience.
All conference materials – including the programme, book of abstracts, slides, posters, and virtual presentations – were shared via a Padlet, which also served as a space for feedback and interaction between online and in-person attendees.
Thank you
We’re incredibly grateful to all our volunteers, speakers, attendees, and colleagues at the Centre for Disability Studies who helped make this day so special. The conference was a celebration of international disability studies research, community, and collaboration – and we’re proud to have created a space that was kind, accessible, and intellectually vibrant.
Dr Deborah Fenney’s keynote speech
