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Disability within Environments CDS PGR Conference 2025

Registration now open: Disability within Environments: disability studies perspectives

17th September 2025 

We are delighted to announce that registration for the CDS PGR conference 2025 “Disability within Environments: disability studies perspectives” on the 17th September is now open. This hybrid one-day conference will take place in-person at the University of Leeds (UK) and online via Zoom. The conference will run from 9:30 to 16:00 BST before concluding with a post-conference social. 

This conference will address how disability operates within different environments, how disabled people are affected in these different environments and how environments might be reshaped and reimagined to create more sustainable, just, and inclusive futures. The four hybrid panel sessions of the conference will focus on environments of  

  • Higher Education  
  • Urban Spaces  
  • Creative Spaces  
  • Social Care, Health, and Wellbeing 

We intend to provide a supportive space for PGRs to share their work, receive constructive feedback, and engage in interdisciplinary discussions. Participants will benefit from networking, skill development, and academic exchange.  

This event is open to all PGRs at any stage of their researchers, post-doc, and early career researchers, as well as academics, activists, and students from across the world. 

You can register via the following link: University of Leeds Online Store

For detailed information on how to book tickets, please read the ticket booking guidance (word document). 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please send any inquiries to [email protected] 

Programme of the day (preliminary)

Time

Programme

Room

09.00 am – 09.30 am Arrival and registration Michael Sadler LG.15
09.30 am – 10.00 am Welcome and introduction Michael Sadler LG.15
10.00 am – 11.30 am Parallel Sessions

Panel 1 – Higher Education

Panel 2 – Creative Spaces

  

Michael Sadler LG.15

Michael Sadler LG.16
11.30 am – 12.00 pm Comfort break
12.00 pm – 01.00 pm Keynote Dr Deborah Fenney (Kings Fund) Michael Sadler LG.15
01.00 pm - 02.00 pm Lunch break
02.00 pm – 03.30 pm Parallel Sessions

Panel 3 – Urban Spaces

Panel 4 – Social Care, Health and Wellbeing

  

Michael Sadler LG.15

Michael Sadler LG.16
03.30 pm – 04.00 pm Closing and reflections Michael Sadler LG.15
04.15 pm – late Social Student bar “Terrace”
  • Posters will be displayed in Michael Sadler LG.17 from 09.00 am – 04.00 pm
  • Michael Sadler SR1.01 will be available to be used as a quiet room

Accessibility Information

This conference is hybrid and will take place on Zoom with automatic captions enabled. Please let us know if you need event information provided in a specific accessible format.

We are requesting that in-person attendees are welcome to wear a face mask throughout the event but this is not a mandatory requirement. If you would like to wear a face mask, but do not have one, disposable FFP2 masks will be available on the day. Please be aware that it may not be possible for some members of our community to wear a face mask throughout the event.

Please do not attend in-person if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or any other infectious illness – if you feel well enough to do so, you are welcome to switch to online attendance.

If you wish to switch from in person to online at any point after purchasing your ticket, you do not need to give a reason, but please email [email protected] and they will send you the relevant Zoom links.

Online Accessibility

Zoom links will be sent out prior to the event.

Automatic captions will be enabled.

Microphones will be used whilst presenting to improve the accuracy of captions.

If you have any access needs that we need to be made aware of, or any questions, please email Johanna Knebel (she/her) and Ruby Goodley (she/her) on [email protected] as soon as possible.

In Person Accessibility

The University of Leeds has published room information for Michael Sadler LG.15, LG.16 and LG.17 including accessibility directions. Please also be aware that:

All of the rooms used throughout the day are wheelchair accessible and are accessed via a ramped accessible entrance from outside and an automatic door.

There will be signage on the day to the accessible entrance and the what3words location is admiral.gentle.river

LG.15 has dimmable lights whereas in LG.16 and LG.17, the lights can be turned on and off in sections.

LG.17 will be used for poster presentations

SR1.01 will be available to be used as a quiet room

There is an accessible toilet and gendered standard toilets on the same floor of the building as the room, through two automatic double doors.

There are gender-neutral standard toilets on the floor above, accessed via stairs or a lift and through two double doors.

There is an assistive listening system in the building, which you will need an induction loop to access. If you do not have your own induction loop, it is possible to borrow one, but if this is the case, please email [email protected] to request it beforehand.

The light refreshments provided on the day will be coffee, tea, water and cake. There will be vegan and gluten free options. Some products provided will contain nuts. You are welcome to bring your own food/lunch with you or there are food outlets nearby.

If you have any access needs that we need to be made aware of, or any questions, please email Johanna Knebel (she/her) and Ruby Goodley (she/her) on [email protected] as soon as possible.