Latest news with #SpecialOlympicsGlobalCentreforInclusioninEducation
The National
24-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
UAE-backed Special Olympics drive aims to boost inclusivity in the classroom
A UAE-backed Special Olympics task force has delivered a global "call to action" to champion inclusivity in schools for children with disabilities and ensure access to quality education for all. The Special Olympics Global Centre for Inclusion in Education has set out plans to address gaps in disability-inclusive education and participation in school sports as part of a major push to champion equality. The strategy – called 'A Global Research Agenda for Building Inclusive Learning Environments – has been carried out by the centre's research collaborative. The work of the think tank, made up of scholars from leading academics, including Yale University, Harvard University and NYU Abu Dhabi, is supported by a $25 million grant from President Sheikh Mohamed, given in 2020. The key funding aimed to build a lasting legacy following the success of the landmark Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi in 2019. 'From both personal and academic perspectives, inclusion means an environment where children are valued for their contributions, not their perceived deficits," said Dr Jackie Jodl, who is head of Global Youth and Education at Special Olympics International. "It's about building friendships and being embraced for who you are. 'The agenda is a call to action. We're moving beyond isolated best practices to systemic change that's measurable and sustainable.' The initiative was announced at the recent 2025 Global Disability Summit in Berlin, with input from global academics, youth advocates, and Special Olympics athletes. 'In my perfect world, a child with a disability can walk into their local school and feel like they belong. It's about creating environments where everyone is accepted as they are,' Dr Kristie Patten, professor and counsellor to the president at New York University Steinhardt, told The National. The agenda urges the international community to step up efforts in training teachers and sport coaches on inclusivity plans, defining inclusion across cultures, engaging families and communities; measuring results, supporting displaced learners, and using artificial intelligence responsibly. Dr Patten said there was a need for a shift in public perception. 'Disability isn't about the individual. It's about how supportive or limiting the environment is,' she said. 'If my child flaps her hands in the grocery store and I stop taking her because of how people react – that's what disables her. 'We also have to think about displaced populations; refugees and others who are too often left out of these conversations. Inclusion shouldn't be earned. It should be built in from the start.' The Global Centre for Inclusion in Education operates in 59 countries and supports more than 2,600 schools in running programmes promoting inclusivity. Despite significant strides being made, particularly through the Special Olympics movement, there is more work still to be done. Analysis by Unesco of 209 countries has found that while 38 per cent of countries promote inclusive education in their policies, only 17 per cent legally guarantee these measures and 25 per cent still allow for fully segregated schooling. The research collaborative is seeking to change attitudes, policies and laws to offer greater support to children with disabilities. 'The UAE shows what's possible when there's a systemic approach,' said Dr Jodl. 'We're following His Highness's vision to share what works globally.' Previous World Bank estimates indicate that excluding people with disabilities from education, jobs, and society could cost a country between 3 and 7 per cent of its GDP. 'We haven't yet fully realised what inclusive systems can deliver,' said Dr Jodl. 'So the cost of doing nothing may be even higher.' One emerging focus is to ensure artificial intelligence is not unwittingly used to perpetuate stereotypes and marginalise some groups. 'If AI is trained on deficit-based assumptions, it will reinforce harmful stereotypes,' Dr Jodl warned. 'We need to shift the data and the mindset.' The centre plans to present its first set of findings later this year at a global symposium aimed at expanding partnerships and accelerating impact.
Khaleej Times
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
'We know the barriers': UAE-led research shapes inclusive policies with Special Olympics athletes' help
'We are the ones living this — we know what real inclusion feels like, and we can tell when it's not working,' said Benjamin Haack, a board member of Special Olympics Australia and longtime global advocate for inclusion. Haack is a co-researcher with an Abu Dhabi-backed research initiative which aims to boost the inclusion of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at schools worldwide. The initiative, funded through a $25-million grant from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, seeks to close critical evidence gaps in inclusive education and drive systemic change worldwide. Haack's comments were made in a video interview shared by the Special Olympics Global Centre for Inclusion in Education, as the organisation unveiled a first-of-its-kind global research agenda led from Abu Dhabi. The agenda, officials say, is not just about schools and classrooms — it's about who gets to shape the systems that define inclusion. 'Too often, research about inclusion in education and sports is done without including the voices of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities,' said Sammy Kamande, a Special Olympics athlete from Kenya and member of the Research Collaborative. 'But we are the ones living these experiences — we know the barriers, and we know what real inclusion looks like.' Both Kamande and Haack are athlete-leaders who have taken on co-researcher roles within the Special Olympics' global initiative. 'We've got to learn how to deal with power in a far better way,' Haack said. 'What I would say to governments is when they say that they want to be individualised, they need to start living up to what they actually mean. They need to not just look at the pure economics … They need to think more about investment and less about short-term outcomes.' The new agenda, developed over two years and across 25 countries, was built to address the global lack of data, direction, and accountability when it comes to inclusive education, Salyne El Samarany, vice president of the centre, and Ahmad Al Gergawi, director of Communications and Partnerships, said in an interview with Khaleej Times. 'This is a call to action for policymakers, researchers, and universities to help us build the evidence we need,' said El Samarany. 'The research agenda outlines six global themes, from teacher professional development to inclusive use of AI. But at its core, it's about ensuring that people with disabilities are included in the design of every programme, every intervention.' El Samarany added that research shows students benefit when inclusion is done well — academically, socially, and even in long-term wages. 'We now have enough data to say that models like Unified Champion Schools reduce stigma and improve outcomes. But we still lack sufficient evidence for many other programmes. That's why this work is so critical.' Al Gergawi said the work began after the 2019 World Games in Abu Dhabi, and has since grown into a global coalition. 'When we first approached government agencies, many thought inclusion is only in sports,' he said. 'We told them: AI is reshaping education, but no one's talking about how it impacts people with IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilties). Once we showed up with data, and the voices of our athletes, they listened.' Since its founding in 2020, the centre has published over 14 research briefs and launched projects with partners like Education Cannot Wait. 'We're embedding research into every intervention,' said El Samarany. 'We want teacher professional development, AI tools, and policy advocacy to all align with this agenda. That's how we drive systems change.' 'One of the most powerful tools we have is data,' said El Samarany. 'We've worked closely with the World Bank to highlight that students with disabilities are, on average, seven percentage points less likely to complete primary school than their peers. That's a huge gap — and when we present that data to governments, it changes the conversation. It becomes harder to ignore.' Al Gergawi added that the economic case for inclusion is just as urgent: 'Excluding people with disabilities from education and employment can reduce a country's GDP by up to 7 percent. Once policymakers see that exclusion is not just a moral issue but a measurable economic loss, they start to pay attention.' A symposium is also being planned in Abu Dhabi later this year, where officials hope to name 'theme partners' to champion each of the six priority areas. 'Just like the SDGs (sustainable development goals) had goalkeepers, we're looking for institutions that will not only support the research, but help implement it on the ground,' she said. The ultimate goal? A world where people like Sammy and Benjamin don't just inspire policy, they help shape it. 'This agenda is not just about research,' Kamande said. 'It's about making sure our voices help shape the solutions that will lead to real change.' The centre's reach is already showing results worldwide. In Romania, Special Olympics has partnered with the Ministry of Education to embed Unified Champion Schools (UCS) values directly into classrooms, reaching over 153,000 youth across 258 schools. The programme has been recognised nationally, with President Klaus Iohannis awarding the team the Order of Merit for their human rights work. They've also developed inclusive manuals now used by teachers across the country, covering topics from youth leadership to inclusive sports. In Rwanda, more than 361,000 students have been reached through 210 Unified Champion Schools, in a partnership closely coordinated with the Ministry of Education. The country now serves as a Regional Hub of Excellence for Unified programming across Africa, hosting a recent workshop in Kigali that brought together education leaders from 14 countries to share best practices. 'Participating in Unified Sports has changed my life,' said Unified athlete Irafasha Patience. 'I've made friends I never would have met and learned that we all have something valuable to contribute.'
