How Zili is bringing student voices to UNSW's Disability Inclusion Action Plan

"We truly included students with disability in the action plan because [their] voices and lived experiences really matter."

Published on the 04 June 2026

The UNSW Disability and Inclusion Action Plan

A UNSW student at the 2025 Diversity Festival

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The UNSW Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) and getting involved

Since its establishment in 2017, the Inclusive Communities team has worked closely with the University to create a culture that embraces equity and supports a diverse and inclusive community.

As part of the Inclusive Communities' work to remove barriers that people with disability face, the Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) was created to encourage, recognise and promote an active commitment to eliminating disability discrimination and to promote the recognition of the rights of people with disability.

For Zili Chen, a full-time student studying a Master of Education (Special and Inclusive Education), being invited by the Inclusive Communities team to facilitate a student session in the development of the 2026-2029 DIAP was a fantastic opportunity to help shape the plan with his first-hand experience as a UNSW student living with disability.

"When I got to interview with Inclusive Communities, I found the 2022-2025 DIAP and [it was] quite interesting and highly relevant to me because I am a student who is living with disability," he recalls.

"I realised that [very] few students [with disability] know what it was at the time, so that drove me to participate in the new [2026-2029] plan."

Since joining UNSW in 2023, Zili has witnessed a lot of progress being made by the Inclusive Communities team and the previous DIAP in terms of creating an equitable and inclusive community at UNSW, as well as raising awareness of what the DIAP is for the wider student community.

"I found the 2022-2025 DIAP and [it was] quite interesting and highly relevant to me because I am a student who is living with disability.

"I realised that [very] few students [with disability] know what it was at the time, so that drove me to participate in the new [2026-2029] plan."

Zili Chen
Master of Education (Special and Inclusive Education) student, 2026-2029 DIAP Student Facilitor

"From my experience, [the Inclusive Communities team] has devoted plenty of effort and time to [include] as many student voices as possible," says Zili. "They [do] outreach to different students, societies and student groups, newsletters [are sent] to all the students so they can know [about] the action plan.

"They [are] trying to increase the visibility of the [2026-2029] action plan as they are making it. I can see effort, which I really appreciate, and they really know what they are doing."

Helping to bring a stronger student voice to the DIAP

There's a concerted effort to increase co-design with UNSW staff and students for systemic changes and future programs. Part of that involves elevating the voice of students with disability. Zili's role in all of this is essentially to facilitate discussions about all things DIAP to participating students and getting their feedback.

"My main role is to [converse] with students and introduce the definition of disability on campus, what is happening [with the DIAP] and maintain the flow of the session," he explains.

"We truly included our students with disability in the action plan because [their] voices really matter and lived experiences really matter.

"So, hypothetically, if we overlook all their voices and we make the DIAP [using] assumptions, [that would] divert from the original commitment of the plan."

Zili Chen
Master of Education (Special and Inclusive Education) student, 2026-2029 DIAP Student Facilitor

The student sessions themselves have not only proved to be incredibly helpful in the development of the 2026-2029 DIAP, but also a source of excitement for Zili, whose eyes light up when talk turns to what goes on in the sessions.

"That is my favourite part, when we [talk about] the action plan to the students," he says.

"We will ask people things like, 'Do you think this definition really reflects your experiences?' and 'Do you think there is any improvement or refinement we can make to demonstrate the authenticity of the experience?'"

Zili recalls at least five student sessions taking place over two months, noting that student feedback sessions were among the first to occur in the context of developing the latest DIAP.

"Most students provided their insights and ideas, we take notes and we refine [relevant parts of] the action plan," he explains.

"Long story short, we ask students their ideas and perspectives about each clause [in the plan]. If they aren't happy or satisfied, we will make adjustments to it."

These student sessions were a major positive in many aspects for developing the 2026-2029 DIAP. Having a student representative (like Zili) proved to be very effective in getting more students with disability involved in the plan drafting process than having a staff member do it.

"I am one of the students [on the team] who helps facilitate these sessions, and having students approach students can release any peer pressure," explains Zili. "Not all students are comfortable disclosing their disability. We don't want to be labelled. There is still a lot of stigma."

While the 2026-2029 DIAP exists, it is not set in stone per se. Zili says it is an ongoing plan that will be adjusted accordingly and can't wait until it is unveiled: "I'm super excited about how they will showcase the action plan, how they made the decisions, how they will make all the information transparent [to everyone], and how to better use and include student voices."

What the wider UNSW community can do to contribute

Over the last few years, there has been significant progress made in creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students with disability at UNSW, with over 90 per cent of the 2022-2025 DIAP implemented and providing a strong foundation for the 2026-2029 plan.

In addition to positive impacts like improved access to psychometric testing, having The Nucleus: Student Hub commit to at least 80 per cent of front-facing staff completing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Awareness module and an External Disability Discrimination Act audit of the Kensington campus, Zili also highlights several initiatives that have had a positive impact on him.

"The ActivateUNSW program is a peer-to-peer support program for students with disability, and it's quite meaningful for me," says Zili.

"I was a mentee in 2024 and the program [helped] me build friendships and connect with other students who also live with a disability. After I joined this program, I found a sense of belonging and community on campus. It reduced my loneliness because it is quite intimidating for me to disclose my condition.

"The Diversity Festival is [also] one of my favourite events because it celebrates the diversity of the university community. It's very positive and inclusive to embrace it, and we have the chance to showcase our life experiences."

As with everything in life, there's always room for improvement, and UNSW is no exception. Coming from a constructive perspective, Zili notes there are still some issues that exist, such as occasional inconsistencies in how Equitable Learning Services (ELS) accommodations are interpreted by teaching staff (while emphasising all the valuable work ELS does). As he explains: "Different staff may interpret accommodations differently and have different understandings of students' needs. This can sometimes create uncertainty or additional stress for students who need to repeatedly explain what [they need]."

"I definitely would love educators to ask me what kind of support I need instead of me requesting support.

"If a lecturer makes an announcement in class acknowledging students with disability and how they can participate in the class, that would make us feel comfortable being ourselves. This little move makes a huge difference."

Zili Chen
Master of Education (Special and Inclusive Education) student, 2026-2029 DIAP Student Facilitor

But Zili is also aware that progress is one step at a time and those areas of improvement shouldn't take away the progress that's been made so far: "Inclusion happens in action, so we'd love to see [the 2026-2029 DIAP] make transformative changes in the future and how they implement the plan."

As for how the wider UNSW community can help continue to break down existing barriers and stigmas, there are little things we can all do to contribute towards strengthening the University's inclusive and welcoming culture.

"Just be respectful to the conditions because living with disability is not fun," Zili explains. "We have a lot of challenges [and barriers], and we don't want our lecturers, colleagues and classmates making our lives harder. Just be polite, respectful and be careful with the language used."

If you're not sure about something, it's also okay to ask, respectfully.

"We are always happy to answer questions because it is a way to show your interest and politeness," says Zili. "I feel really respected if someone asks me how to describe myself because there's no universal term to describe students with disabilities. So the best way is to ask."

All interview quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

Last edited on 1 June 2026