Explore How Trinity College Dublin and the INCLUDE-ID Network Are Expanding Third-Level Programmes for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Ireland’s higher education landscape reached a significant milestone this September when the INCLUDE-ID Network hosted its first national symposium at TU Dublin’s Grangegorman Campus. Titled “Being INCLUDE-ID: A Right to Learn, A Right to Belong,” the event brought together students, graduates, educators, researchers, advocates, families, and policymakers to celebrate the development of inclusive higher education across the country. The network itself began as an initiative of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin, and it now connects higher education institutions nationwide that deliver third-level programmes for people with intellectual disabilities.

If you are a prospective student, a parent, an educator, or someone who cares about equal access to education, these developments matter. This article explains what happened at the symposium, how the INCLUDE-ID Network operates, what the extension of PATH 4 Phase 2 funding means for the future, and the practical steps you can take if you or someone in your family wants to pursue higher education.

Have questions about inclusive third-level programmes in Ireland? Share them in the comments below, and we will help point you toward the right resources.

A Right to Learn, A Right to Belong: Highlights from the INCLUDE-ID National Symposium

Held on Friday, 4 September at TU Dublin’s Grangegorman Campus, the symposium was deliberately structured around the people it serves. Rather than following the format of a conventional academic conference, the day placed students and graduates at the centre of the conversation. Speakers shared first-hand experiences of university life: what it feels like to belong to a campus community, how learning has shaped their personal development, and how their studies connect to research interests and employment ambitions.

The event also served a formal purpose. It celebrated the achievements and learnings from the first two years of PATH 4 Phase 2, a pilot initiative launched in 2023 by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Authority. Attendees heard how the initiative has supported the development of third-level programmes for people with intellectual disabilities across Ireland — and, importantly, that funding will continue for a further two years, from 2026 to 2028, following an extension.

What the INCLUDE-ID Network Does and Why It Exists

The Inclusive Network for Collaborative Learning, Understanding and Development in Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities — INCLUDE-ID for short — functions as a collaborative research and knowledge-sharing network. Its members are higher education institutions that deliver programmes for people with intellectual disabilities, and its work centres on four connected activities:

• Research: building the evidence base on what makes inclusive higher education effective, so that programme design rests on data as well as goodwill.
• Workshops: strengthening practitioner knowledge by training lecturers, support staff, and coordinators who deliver these courses day to day.
• Resource development: creating shared materials that institutions can adapt, rather than each university starting from scratch.
• Cross-institutional collaboration: giving Programme teams across the country a structured way to learn from one another instead of working in isolation.

The network’s stated aims are practical: enhance course provision, strengthen practitioner knowledge, and improve educational and employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities nationally. Its origins in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin reflect the university’s long-standing role in advancing educational opportunities for this community, a role recognised formally at the symposium itself.

PATH 4 Phase 2: The Policy and Funding Driving Change

Behind the celebration at Grangegorman sits a concrete policy commitment. PATH 4 Phase 2 is a pilot initiative launched in 2023 by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, working in partnership with the Higher Education Authority. Its purpose is specific and focused: to support the development of third-level programmes for people with intellectual disabilities across Ireland.

The confirmation that funding will continue from 2026 to 2028 carries real weight for everyone involved. Institutions can plan multi-year programme development instead of reacting to short funding cycles. Staff can be trained, retained, and given time to refine their courses. Advocacy organisations can align their services with a system they know will still exist next year. Most importantly, prospective students and their families can approach applications with confidence, knowing that these programmes are being supported on a stable footing through at least 2028.

For families who have watched children move through a school system with limited post-school options, that stability is not a technical detail. It is the difference between hoping for an opportunity and planning for one.

Which Irish Universities and Institutes Deliver These Programmes?

One of the clearest signals from the symposium was the breadth of participation. The institutions involved include:

• Trinity College Dublin
• Technological University Dublin
• Atlantic Technological University
• Dundalk Institute of Technology
• Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology
• Munster Technological University
• South East Technological University
• Technological University of the Shannon
• University College Cork
• University of Galway

Organisations such as Down Syndrome Ireland also took part, alongside researchers, advocates, and family members. For prospective students, this geographic spread matters: inclusive higher education in Ireland is no longer confined to a single campus or city. Learners from the northwest, the midlands, the south, and the southeast can find provision closer to home, which reduces the practical barriers of travel, accommodation, and family support that often determine whether further study is realistic.

Students and Graduates at the Centre of the Conversation

The most striking feature of the symposium was who held the microphone. Students, graduates, researchers, and advocates shared their experiences of university life, learning, belonging, personal development, research, and employment. This approach reflects a principle that disability advocates have long championed: programmes should be shaped by the people who live them, not designed for them from the outside.

For the educators and policymakers in the room, these first-hand accounts do more than inspire. They provide evidence. When graduates describe how a third-level programme changed their employment prospects, or when students explain what genuine belonging on a campus looks like, that testimony informs how other institutions design and refine their own courses. It also signals to younger students and their families that university is a place where they are expected — not merely tolerated.

Honouring Professor Michael Shevlin’s Contribution to Inclusive Education

The symposium also included a moment of recognition. Professor Michael Shevlin, who recently retired, was honoured for his contributions to education over the past 30 years and for his role in advancing third-level educational opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland.

For the educators and researchers present, the tribute acknowledged an important truth: systemic change in higher education rarely happens quickly, and it depends on individuals who sustain the work over decades. Progress in this field has come through persistent collaboration between universities, government departments, advocacy organisations, and — crucially — students and families themselves. The INCLUDE-ID Network, and the national programmes it now connects, stand on that foundation.

Why Inclusive Third-Level Education Matters

The growth of these programmes reflects a broader understanding of what higher education offers people with intellectual disabilities:

• Employment outcomes. Educational attainment remains one of the strongest predictors of meaningful employment. Programmes that combine academic learning with work placement experience help graduates move into roles that match their abilities and interests.
• Personal development. University builds confidence, independence, communication skills, and self-advocacy — qualities that benefit graduates in every part of life, not only at work.
• Social belonging. Campus life offers friendships, societies, and a community. The symposium’s emphasis on the “right to belong” recognised that inclusion means full participation in student life, not just attendance at classes.
• Changing expectations. When people with intellectual disabilities study, research, and graduate alongside their peers, it challenges long-held assumptions about what they can achieve — and raises expectations among employers, educators, and families alike.

The symposium’s title captured both essential dimensions: access to education and membership in a community. Neither alone is sufficient.

Practical Steps for Prospective Students and Families

If the developments described here are relevant to you or someone in your family, take the following steps:

1. Identify participating institutions near you. Start with the list of universities and technological universities above, then visit their websites to find the specific programmes they offer for students with intellectual disabilities.
2. Contact programme coordinators directly. At Trinity College Dublin, the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities provides information on its courses and application process. Every participating institution has its own entry requirements, course structures, and supports, so early contact helps you compare options accurately.
3. Attend open days and taster events. Visiting a campus before applying lets prospective students picture themselves there — and lets families ask detailed questions about daily timetables, class sizes, and social life.
4. Start conversations early. Transition planning works best when it begins well before the end of second-level education. Raise higher education as an option with teachers, special needs assistants, and guidance counsellors so the right subjects and experiences can be built up in advance.
5. Ask about outcomes and supports. Useful questions include: How are courses assessed? What academic and personal supports are provided? What do graduates go on to do? How does the programme connect to employment opportunities?

Have questions about applying or about any of the programmes mentioned above? Write to us — we are happy to help you find the information you need.

The Road Ahead: Building on 2026 to 2028

The funding extension through 2028 gives the INCLUDE-ID Network and its member institutions a clear runway. Expect continued expansion of course provision, deeper research into what makes inclusive higher education effective, and stronger links between study and employment. Because the network’s model is built on institutions sharing knowledge rather than duplicating effort, the next phase will likely focus on consolidating quality as well as quantity.

For Ireland, the direction is set. Third-level education for people with intellectual disabilities has moved from isolated pilot projects to a coordinated national effort, backed by government funding and delivered by universities and technological universities across the country. The symposium at Grangegorman demonstrated both how far this work has come and the strength of the community committed to carrying it forward.

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

The INCLUDE-ID Network’s first national symposium confirmed that inclusive higher education in Ireland has moved past the stage of proving itself. The programmes exist. The funding is in place. The students are graduating, finding work, and speaking for themselves about what university means to them. What remains is for more families, schools, and educators to know that these pathways are open — and to use them.

If you have experience of these programmes — as a student, graduate, family member, or educator — share your perspective in the comments below. And explore our related articles for further reading on inclusive education and pathways to employment.