ICSSPE will participate in the 2025 International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA), which is going to be held in Kerry, Ireland, and where we will host a panel on "Global Gaps in Inclusive Physical Education: Time for Real Change." In anticipation of the event, we spoke with Catherine Carty, Co-Chair of the ISAPA 2025 Organising Committee and a leading voice in inclusive sport and physical activity.
Our conversation with Catherine sheds light on why ISAPA 2025 is a pivotal moment for the field, how international collaboration can drive systemic change, and what attendees can expect from this ground-breaking event.
ICSSPE Interview – ISAPA 2025 with Catherine Carty
1. ISAPA 2025 will be focusing on bridging the gap between policy, practice, and research in adapted physical activity, with a particular emphasis on sustainable development and human rights. How do you envision these topics shaping the conversations and outcomes of the event?
Carty: "At ISAPA 2025, our central focus is to bridge the persistent gap between policy, practice, and research in Adapted Physical Activity (APA) and we are intentionally doing so through the lens of sustainable development and human rights. These frameworks are not just referenced in passing; they are foundational to every aspect of the symposium's design, from abstract submissions to speaker guidance and program structuring.
We emphasised these values early on in the abstract guidelines, where contributors are asked to align their work with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Our themes, Creating new opportunities to thrive, Inclusivizing our world, and Nothing about us, without us, directly tie APA-related research and practice to SDG priorities like health, education, gender equality, and inclusivity.
In our speaker guidelines, the message continues, we invite all presenters to reflect on where their work sits on the inclusion continuum, moving from awareness to transformation. This is a deliberate call to action, encouraging participants not only to describe the current state of APA, but to advance systemic change, as asked for in Agenda 2030, through evidence-informed, rights-based, and practice-led contributions.
Additionally, we've made a clear effort to design a program for a mixed audience. This includes not only academics and researchers, but also practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders. We offer a wide range of presentation formats, such as Scientific presentations, Policy and program presentations, Practical workshops, CPD trainings, and Panel discussions.
This inclusive approach ensures that voices from different sectors and experiences are heard and valued, making ISAPA 2025 a space where knowledge is not only shared but co-created.
Ultimately, I see conversations at ISAPA 2025 evolving beyond theoretical frameworks. I see them igniting partnerships, informing policies, and leading to scalable actions that uphold the rights of persons with disabilities and advance the global development agenda. It is not enough to know, we must act, collaborate, and transform. That is how we will truly shift the dial."
2. From your perspective, what are the most pressing challenges and opportunities right now when it comes to promoting inclusive physical education globally?
Carty: “From my perspective, the global promotion of inclusive physical education (IPE) faces both urgent challenges and promising opportunities. These dynamics are pivotal in shaping a future where physical education becomes a right realised for all, not a privilege for some.
Pressing Challenges
One of the foremost concerns is the reported global decline in IPE and adapted physical education (APE) programs. There is admittedly a lack of robust, quantified research documenting the extent and impact of this decline, which hinders effective advocacy and policy intervention. Despite the clear benefits of inclusion, many systems still treat IPE as ancillary rather than integral to quality education, which is amplified in UNESCO's work. Rigorous, comparative data are urgently needed to reverse this trend.
Equally troubling is the commercialisation of higher education, which increasingly deprioritises disciplines like IPE that require small, practical learning groups. This economic model, focused on scalable delivery, marginalises the development of pedagogical competence vital for inclusive practice. Courses that emphasise hands-on training in diverse, inclusive environments are difficult to sustain under current funding models.
IPE is still too often viewed as an optional niche rather than a core competence of every PE professional. Every physical education professional should emerge from pre-vocational training equipped to teach inclusively. Unfortunately, curricula in many training institutions lack consistent, embedded strategies to ensure graduates can confidently and competently deliver inclusive programming.
Emerging Opportunities
Despite these challenges, we are witnessing transformative momentum. For the first time in history, sport is explicitly recognised in international development agendas, including the SDGs, and the SDGs and their human rights underpinnings are referenced in every international Action Plan or Policy in sport, physical education and physical activity since 2015. This recognition legitimises investment in inclusive physical education and sport as a strategy to advance social inclusion, health, education, gender equality, and sustainable development.
UNESCO’s Fit for Life framework is a beacon of possibility. It integrates evidence-based sport and education interventions to reduce inactivity, build socio-emotional resilience, and tackle mental health issues, especially in youth populations. The framework underscores the necessity of data systems, quality assurance, and teacher training to make inclusive sport and physical education policy a tangible reality.
Moreover, the State of Play report highlights the high yield of investment in physical education: reduced depression by 30%, higher academic achievement, and stronger cognitive and social skills. This data supports the case for mainstreaming IPE and removing barriers that marginalise it within education systems.
The Way Forward
We must engage key stakeholders to work collaboratively to:
-
Prioritise research and evidence generation, including through the use of AI, on the impact and needs of inclusive PE.
-
Advocate for policy reforms that treat IPE as essential, not optional.
-
Challenge the economic models of higher education that devalue small-cohort, skills-based training.
-
Amplify the policy leverage now afforded by global frameworks such as Fit for Life and the SDGs.
The time to act is now, by embedding inclusive practice in initial teacher education, and education, sport and recreation professionals supporting inclusive policy development, and creating accountable systems for implementation. Inclusion must not be an afterthought. It is the foundation of a just, healthy, and equitable global society."
3. Our ICSSPE panel is focusing on “Global Gaps in Inclusive Physical Education: Time for Real Change.” Why do you think this topic is particularly important to spotlight at ISAPA 2025?
Carty: "The ICSSPE panel theme “Global Gaps in Inclusive Physical Education: Time for Real Change” could not be more vital or timely. ISAPA 2025 is the exact stage where this conversation must be elevated. This is especially true as new standards are being elaborated through the UNESCO International Consultation, for which we have asked governments for a summary of their efforts to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in sport and physical education.
We are at a global inflection point. Despite policy frameworks like the UN CRPD and Sustainable Development Goals clearly mandating inclusive education and participation in physical activity, there remains a stark disconnect between aspiration and implementation. The reality is that inclusive physical education (IPE) continues to be treated as an afterthought or optional extra in many education systems. It is too often siloed, underfunded, and misunderstood, regarded as a specialised niche rather than a core competence every physical education professional should emerge with from pre-service training.
This panel matters now because we are witnessing a disturbing global decline in adapted physical education programs and inclusive PE, with very limited research to quantify or reverse this trend. Our systems fail to generate the data needed to justify investment and action. In higher education, the commercialisation of curricula has pushed aside subjects that require small, practical learning environments, such as inclusive PE, rendering them less “viable” in financial terms. This is a structural barrier we must challenge.
Yet there are opportunities emerging. For the first time in history, sport has been explicitly recognised in global development frameworks that are underpinned by human rights including those set out in CRPD. By spotlighting global gaps at ISAPA 2025, we are not just describing a problem, we are building a mandate for transformation. This panel will unite stakeholders across disciplines to address what has been siloed, to challenge systems that perpetuate inequality, and to develop actionable pathways that make inclusive physical education a universal standard, not a discretionary goal."
4. ISAPA has a strong history of bringing together researchers, practitioners, and advocates. What role do you see international collaboration playing in driving meaningful change in inclusive PE and sport?
Carty: "International collaboration in inclusive physical education and sport is not just valuable, it is essential. But let me be clear, collaboration for its own sake is no longer enough. We must collaborate to drive change, not to restate the problem or repackage old ideas. ISAPA, with its long-standing ability to convene researchers, practitioners, and advocates, is the ideal platform to lead this pivot, from discourse to decisive action.
We are living in a time when the need for transformative, inclusive systems change is urgent. Yet while the research base has expanded dramatically over the past few decades, the outcomes we seek in inclusive PE, equity, participation, competence, and lifelong engagement have not kept pace. In fact, this proliferation of research has, in some cases, contributed to the problem: siloed academic efforts that generate knowledge, yes, but often fail to reach the classroom, the teacher, or the policy-maker. Have we ended up in echo chambers of theory and "best intention" without sufficient accountability for implementation?
It’s time to stop pontificating about the problem. Yes, there are data gaps that we need to continue to fill. However, we know enough barriers to act on: inconsistent teacher training, structural inequalities, lack of adapted curricula, commercial pressures in higher education, and minimal policy enforcement. The global gaps are real and well-documented, and now demand targeted, efficient, and locally delivered solutions drawn from international best practices.
International collaboration should be grounded in three ideas or principles:
-
Stand on the shoulders of giants- leverage the tremendous global work that already exists. Whether from ICSSPE, IFAPA, IMSVI, AIESEP, QPE, Fit for Life, or multiple national examples of best practice, do not waste precious time reinventing what others have already done well.
-
Adapt and implement with urgency, use international expertise to create local solutions that work. This means applying critical filters, not copy-pasting models. We must be agile and context-specific.
-
Measure what matters. Shift towards research that prioritises impact, not just output, or a culture that demands publication without any particular associated impact. Frameworks like DORA (Declaration on Research Assessment) and COARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment) challenge us to assess research by its societal value. Does it change lives, empower teachers, or foster inclusion? If not, we need to rethink our approach.
Using international collaboration vehicles such as ISAPA, we must ask ourselves: Are we designing knowledge ecosystems that promote action? Or are we comfortable staying busy in academic sub-silos that produce papers but not policy, citations but not competence?
If we are serious about delivering real, lasting change, we must pivot to collaborative, impact-driven action. ISAPA 2025 is the place to catalyse this shift, to be brave enough to work smarter together, act faster, and ensure that no learner is left out because we were too slow or too insular to change. Let’s not be a community known for great meetings and stagnant systems. Let us be the generation that moved beyond the research consensus and delivered results."
5. For those attending ISAPA 2025 in Kerry, what can they expect in terms of inclusive experiences, not just in the sessions, but in the overall event environment?
Carty:
“Attendees of ISAPA 2025 in Kerry can expect an event environment that actively reflects the ongoing journey toward genuine inclusion, an area where much has been achieved, but even more remains to be done. Building on the challenges and successes of inclusive practice across MTU and the wider community, ISAPA 2025 will showcase both our progress and our continued commitment. Beyond inclusive sessions, delegates will experience accessibility woven into all aspects of the event, from venue design and transport logistics to communication supports and social activities. We have built our captioning system in-house, thanks to our AV department, and this will be a legacy piece for all future events. Check out our news section to see more updates on the work across campus, including by our Estates department, to get ready to host www.isapa2025.com.
The Legacy Program, in particular, aims to grow inclusive practice within MTU and our local area, ensuring that ISAPA 2025 is not just a moment, but a catalyst for lasting impact. Attendees can expect meaningful collaboration with local partners, opportunities to engage with adaptive physical activity in real-world contexts, and a strong community presence that reflects the diverse voices shaping this work. ISAPA 2025 will be as much about inclusive participation as it is about shared progress.
Importantly, we are actively working with local hospitality partners, including hotels, visitor attractions, and self-catering providers, to enhance and amplify the inclusion work championed by Fáilte Ireland. This includes applying the practical standards outlined in Fáilte Ireland’s accessible tourism checklists, such as providing accurate pre-visit information, accessible signage, inclusive staff training, and feedback-driven service improvements.
This is part of our Legacy Program, which is designed to embed good practice in MTU and across the wider Kerry region. ISAPA 2025 is not just an event it's a living expression of our collective progress and an invitation to push further. We have seen many areas needing improvement in our region. Hosting ISAPA 2025 has amplified some needs and motivated us to support both on- and off-campus efforts towards full inclusion."
ICSSPE invites all stakeholders in sport, education, and inclusion to join us in Kerry, Ireland, for ISAPA 2025 and be part of the global conversation and action, on inclusive physical education. The ICSSPE panel “Global Gaps in Inclusive Physical Education: Time for Real Change” promises to challenge assumptions, catalyse ideas, and build new pathways for systemic transformation.
Let’s make inclusion a global standard together.
English
Español