The Australian Disability Research Alliance (ADRA)
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Who We Are
The Australian Disability Research Alliance (ADRA) was established in 2025 through a collaboration of dedicated disability researchers across Australia. Our founding members include:
Disability Research Network, University of Technology Sydney
Monash Assistive Technology and Society (MATS) Centre, Monash University
Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University
Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney
Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability, Griffith University
Curtin Critical Disability Studies Network, Curtin University
These research centres are led by individuals, many with personal or family experiences of disability, who have committed their careers to addressing disability discrimination in Australia. Together, they recognised the need for a stronger alliance to leverage the value of research and formed ADRA to unite key disability research centres in Australian universities.
Steering Committee
Our Vision
We envision a connected, collaborative disability research sector with a global reputation for excellence. We aim to promote a national R&D ecosystem that prioritises and values disability research and universal and inclusive design across all fields. Our ultimate vision is a future where all people with disability can fully participate and thrive in society.
Our Values
Human rights at the core: We ground our research in the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Australian Disability Strategy. This ensures our work upholds equity, dignity and a positive future for all people with disability.
Leaving no one behind: We are committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). These goals are essential to creating inclusive and empowering environments for people with disability.
Valuing lived experience and epistemic justice: We champion research that centres the voices and knowledge of people with lived experience of disability. Our approach promotes epistemic justice and supports innovative, transformative work that challenges traditional power dynamics in knowledge creation.
Disability justice in action: We embrace the principles of disability justice, including leadership by those with lived experience, recognition of intersectionality, and a holistic appreciation of people with disability as complete and valuable individuals.
Our Mission
To empower disability researchers to drive meaningful policy and practice change, ensuring a more inclusive, equitable, and accessible future for all. We achieve this by:
1. Securing Sustainable Growth in Disability Research:
Leading collaborative funding bids and advocating for national and global research priorities and areas of concern.
Ensuring long-term sustainability through strategic partnerships with government, industry, and non-government organisations
2. Building Research Excellence:
Supporting researchers’ career development and fostering leadership opportunities for people with disability in academia.
Promoting universal and inclusive design and interdisciplinary methodologies to enhance research quality and impact.
3. Fostering Inclusive and Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
Cultivating a diverse research network that values intersectionality and expertise across sectors.
Connecting researchers with industry, government, and communities to co-design solutions that address real-world challenges.
4. Driving Knowledge Translation:
Advocating for the integration of disability research into national and global research agendas.
Ensuring research findings are accessible, actionable, and centred on the lived experiences of people with disability.
5. Advancing Disability-Inclusive Research:
Developing best practices for culturally competent and accessible research.
Elevating the role of people with disability in shaping and leading research agendas.
Our Commitment
We are committed to actively involving people with disability in the research process, ensuring their perspectives and lived experiences shape our initiatives. By employing participatory research methods, we aim to create an international benchmark for inclusive research practices that amplify the diverse voices within the disability community.
Our University Partners
Who We Are
The Australian Disability Research Alliance (ADRA) was established in 2025 through a collaboration of dedicated disability researchers across Australia. Our founding members include:
Disability Research Network, University of Technology Sydney
Monash Assistive Technology and Society (MATS) Centre, Monash University
Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University
Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney
Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability, Griffith University
Curtin Critical Disability Studies Network, Curtin University
These research centres are led by individuals, many with personal or family experiences of disability, who have committed their careers to addressing disability discrimination in Australia. Together, they recognised the need for a stronger alliance to leverage the value of research and formed ADRA to unite key disability research centres in Australian universities.
Steering Committee
Our Vision
We envision a connected, collaborative disability research sector with a global reputation for excellence. We aim to promote a national R&D ecosystem that prioritises and values disability research and universal and inclusive design across all fields. Our ultimate vision is a future where all people with disability can fully participate and thrive in society.
Our Values
Human rights at the core: We ground our research in the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Australian Disability Strategy. This ensures our work upholds equity, dignity and a positive future for all people with disability.
Leaving no one behind: We are committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). These goals are essential to creating inclusive and empowering environments for people with disability.
Valuing lived experience and epistemic justice: We champion research that centres the voices and knowledge of people with lived experience of disability. Our approach promotes epistemic justice and supports innovative, transformative work that challenges traditional power dynamics in knowledge creation.
Disability justice in action: We embrace the principles of disability justice, including leadership by those with lived experience, recognition of intersectionality, and a holistic appreciation of people with disability as complete and valuable individuals.
Our Mission
To empower disability researchers to drive meaningful policy and practice change, ensuring a more inclusive, equitable, and accessible future for all. We achieve this by:
1. Securing Sustainable Growth in Disability Research:
Leading collaborative funding bids and advocating for national and global research priorities and areas of concern.
Ensuring long-term sustainability through strategic partnerships with government, industry, and non-government organisations
2. Building Research Excellence:
Supporting researchers’ career development and fostering leadership opportunities for people with disability in academia.
Promoting universal and inclusive design and interdisciplinary methodologies to enhance research quality and impact.
3. Fostering Inclusive and Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
Cultivating a diverse research network that values intersectionality and expertise across sectors.
Connecting researchers with industry, government, and communities to co-design solutions that address real-world challenges.
4. Driving Knowledge Translation:
Advocating for the integration of disability research into national and global research agendas.
Ensuring research findings are accessible, actionable, and centred on the lived experiences of people with disability.
5. Advancing Disability-Inclusive Research:
Developing best practices for culturally competent and accessible research.
Elevating the role of people with disability in shaping and leading research agendas.
Our Commitment
We are committed to actively involving people with disability in the research process, ensuring their perspectives and lived experiences shape our initiatives. By employing participatory research methods, we aim to create an international benchmark for inclusive research practices that amplify the diverse voices within the disability community.
