Building Momentum in Hard Times: The Positive Impact of Disability Research Collaborations

On Friday 24 April 2026, the Disability Law Hub hosted a timely and thought-provoking event at the University of Leeds exploring how disability research collaborations can not only endure but grow during periods of institutional and societal strain.

Bringing together students, researchers, and staff, the session featured keynote contributions from Paul Harpur (Professor of Law at the University of Queensland) and Charlotte Petit (Manager of the UQ Disability Collaboratory), who shared insights from the development and rapid expansion of the University of Queensland’s Disability Collaboratory.

Professor Harpur reflected on the Collaboratory’s origins during a period of institutional challenge, including an early rejection of seed funding. Rather than stalling progress, this moment became a catalyst: nearly 100 researchers mobilised around a shared vision, eventually securing strong institutional backing. Today, the Collaboratory has grown into a network of over 400 collaborators.

A key theme of the event was the interplay between grassroots energy and institutional leadership. Speakers emphasised the importance of aligning bottom-up advocacy with strategic governance structures to effect meaningful change. Drawing on his experience with national policy bodies Professor Harpur highlighted how sustained advocacy efforts can translate into structural reform.

Overall, the event underscored a clear message: even in challenging times, collaboration, when rooted in shared purpose and supported by strategic engagement, can drive transformative change.