The doctoral research was part of the APPEAR project Responding to Poverty and Disability through Higher Education and Research. Tizita’s thesis is titled “Inside the higher education institutions: Exploring the experiences of women students with disabilities in Southern Ethiopia”.
One of the integral components of the process of practicing inclusive higher education is equity. Equity should consider aspects such as equity of access - equal opportunities; equity of results - opportunities to advance through the system; and equity of outcomes. Several studies have reported that students with disabilities and women are disadvantaged groups in higher education institutions, where various obstructions affect their full participation and engagement in education. However, the situation becomes unique for female students with disabilities because they are at the intersection point of disability and gender and intersectionality is “greater than the sum of its parts”, which cannot adequately be addressed in an analysis of one particular social factor. The simultaneity and interactional complexity of multiple social factors and categories didn’t capture much attention from researchers in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study focuses on the experiences of women students with disabilities while attending higher education institutions and how multiple factors constitute each other and shape their experiences. The findings of the study indicate that the interactions of disability, gender, poverty, family involvement, and other institutional barriers influence the experiences of female students with disabilities. Moreover, the study showed the intersectional effects of multiple factors on their interactions, academic participation, support seeking, and vulnerability to harassment. It also provides recommendations and implications for practice, policy, and future research.
Personal reflection
Tizita is grateful that the APPEAR programme enabled her to pursue her PhD at the University of Vienna in Austria. She was able to expand her professional network, learn new skills and explore a range of international professional and non-professional opportunities during her PhD journey. She was able to present her research findings at an international conference. In addition, the achievement of a PhD at a young age by a woman and mother from a developing country could inspire other women in similar positions. Her PhD journey hasn't been easy; it's been challenging and exciting. She is grateful for the support of those around her. She emphasizes that she had a very good relationship with her supervisor, Prof. Gottfried Biewer, who was positive, supportive and always there when she needed help. Finally, this opportunity also allowed her to network and plan future collaborations with researchers at the University of Vienna.
Tizita Kassahun Gebremariam holds an MEd in Special Needs Education from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, on the Female Outstanding Scholarship Programme. She holds a Bachelor of Education in Special Needs Education from Dilla University, Ethiopia. Before starting her PhD, which she completed in April 2024, Tizita worked as a lecturer at Dilla University, Ethiopia, where she taught in the Department of Special Needs and Inclusive Education. Her research interests are inclusive education, gender and disability, and disability in sustainable development agendas.