From 18 to 20 February 2026, a delegation from the Kompetenzzentrum Inklusive Bildung Sachsen-Anhalt took part in the 39th Annual Conference on Inclusion Research (IFO) in Bremen. Sabine Schulze, educational specialist, Prof. Matthias Morfeld, academic director, and Wiebke Göbel, educational director, represented KIB on site.
The annual conference offered a wide-ranging programme with current research contributions on inclusion and participation. Researchers, practitioners and stakeholders from different fields discussed structural developments, existing challenges and innovative approaches to the further development of inclusive structures.
KIB also actively contributed to the conference programme. Under the title “Inclusive higher education between aspiration and reality: structural challenges and educational programmes delivered by educational specialists”, the team presented its work and experiences in inclusive higher education. The focus was on the role of educational specialists as experts by experience, as well as on the structural conditions that enable or hinder inclusive educational processes.
In addition to the specialist contributions, personal exchange was particularly important. Conversations with colleagues from Germany, Austria and Switzerland showed how diverse the paths towards greater inclusion can be and how much the different experiences can benefit from one another. The conference once again demonstrated that inclusion and participation are gaining relevance across national borders.
Another highlight was the contribution of two guests from the USA, who opened up international perspectives on inclusive education. Their input made clear that safeguarding inclusion is a global task that requires continuous commitment and structural development.
Sabine Schulze summed up her impressions as follows:
“This business trip was exciting, instructive and educational for me. My first visit to Bremen was impressive and adventurous – especially seeing the old buildings.”
With new impulses, valuable contacts and renewed motivation, the team returned on Friday evening. KIB’s participation in IFO 2026 once again underlines the importance of national and international networking for the further development of inclusive higher education.