School leavers with intellectual disability have similar dreams and goals to all young people. They want to be included, become more independent, get further education, and find employment that they enjoy. Just like everyone else, they might dream of going to university, but unfortunately, they are often excluded.

Australians with disability have the right to access all levels of education on an equal basis and without discrimination. This right is stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability. However, at the moment young people with intellectual disability do not have many opportunities to attend university. Only two of Australia’s 43 universities run programs that support the inclusion of students with intellectual disability – Flinders University’s Up the Hill Project and the University of Sydney’s Uni2Beyond program. 

This project analyses the two Australian programs which include people with intellectual disabilities in higher education. The results will inform how Australia can implement higher education programs for people with intellectual disabilities.