Associate Professor Paul Harpur was appointed as a distinguished international BBI fellow in 2015 and is spending the first part of 2020 in the United States on a Future Fulbright Scholar project: “Universally Designed for Whom? Disability, the Law and Practice of Expanding the “Normal User” On this project he is working with Professor Peter Blanck, chairman of BBI, and Professor Michael Ashley Stein, Executive Director of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability. Associate Professor Harpur said he was proud to be acknowledged for his leadership in translating disability strategy into a vision of ‘ability equality’ and core university business. “I dream of a university sector that is equally accessible to all students; whether they be able bodied or a student with a disability.”

Associate Professor Harpur’s Fulbright visit has started with a bang. He landed in the United States on February 25, 2020 and found his name in lights as he was announced as one of the successful awardees of the Universities Australia 2019 Awards. Universities Australia awards celebrate and reward excellence in university teaching. All 39 of Australia’s universities are members of Universities Australia and participate in these awards. “This citation shows that Universities Australia values not only my work, but more importantly they value the goal of my work,” Associate Professor Harpur said. Associate Professor Harpur’s citation is directly related to his advocacy, leadership and research on disability rights. His citation is for “for outstanding leadership in translating disability strategy into a vision of ability equality and core university business.”

The Acting Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Western Sydney University and Universities Australia Citation Awards Committee Chair, Professor Denise Kirkpatrick, said, that in receiving a Citation, A/Professor Dr Paul Harpur has “been recognised as being among Australia’s most exceptional university teachers.” Professor Kirkpatrick went on to remark that Dr Harpur has “demonstrated an outstanding contribution to student learning through ‘his] dedication to quality teaching. ‘his’ work is valued highly by your students, University and the Australian Government.” Professor Blanck said that he is “so proud of Associate Professor Harpur and his great accomplishments”.
Associate Professor Harpur can be contacted via e-mail at p.harpur@law.uq.edu.au