The Scientific and Technological Center in Social Sciences and Humanities of the Universidad de La Frontera, was the meeting place for prominent representatives from the sports and academic fields, where the forum “Focus on Sport and Physical Activity as a Space for Inclusion and Development for Persons with Disabilities” was held, within the framework of the First International Congress on Persons with Disabilities.

This congress is an initiative of Tecnológico de Monterrey and the University of La Pampa (Argentina) with the support of the Universidad de La Frontera, through its different collaborative actors: Inclusion Program for Students with Disabilities, PIAED, Sports Coordination, and the Careers of Pedagogy in Differential Education and Pedagogy in Physical Education, Sports and Recreation, as well as various academics expert in the field.

The theme presented by UFRO arises “mainly because we have great representatives in Chile and at our University who practice Paralympic sports; and we consider their recognition important, and the message they have to deliver,” states María Ignacia Rivera, student of Public Accounting at our university and member of the organization.

Under the premise of promoting inclusion of students with disabilities in the various spaces of participation within the University, including sports, participation in these instances becomes increasingly relevant, both to make known the work carried out from UFRO and also to know and learn from the experiences of other educational institutions in the region.

ALLIANCES AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

Making alliances with other universities and promoting leadership among students, as well as continuous improvement of the inclusion and support model at UFRO, generates the need to be part of these instances, to “make visible the topic addressed—disability and inclusion in all its forms—and generate a space for dialogue with the community, promoting the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and good practices,” as María Ignacia Rivera mentions.

UFRO’s participation reaffirms its commitment to building more accessible, collaborative, and diverse university environments. Instances that strengthen joint learning, visibility of adapted sports, and exchange of experiences between Latin American institutions that advance toward more inclusive education.