Institutional Articulation for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities at the Catholic University of the North

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This article describes the institutional articulation strategy developed by the Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN) in Chile, aimed at addressing the socio-educational needs of students with disabilities and learning barriers. In a national context where laws such as No. 21.091 and No. 20.422 require higher education institutions to ensure inclusion through reasonable adjustments, UCN integrated various previously fragmented actions under a common objective. Given the lack of specific funding for the inclusion of students with disabilities and neurodivergence, the university designed a model that articulates programs and academic and administrative units through collaborative and interdisciplinary work. This article follows a descriptive and qualitative approach, based on the documentary review of institutional records. The strategy includes actions such as psychoeducational diagnosis, pedagogical and psychological support, academic alert systems, monitoring of reasonable adjustments, faculty training, inclusive tutoring, and student support spaces. The proposal is considered sustainable, replicable, and aligned with the current challenges of higher education in terms of equity and inclusion.