Sandra Mirbek

Sandra Mirbek is Professor of Social Work with a focus on Health Science and Psychological Fundamentals at the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Villingen-Schwenningen since 2025. Previously, she served as Professor of Special Education and Inclusive Pedagogy at IU International University from 2022 to 2025, where she also led the Bachelor's program in Social Pedagogy and Inclusion.

Her research interests span multiple interconnected domains focused on inclusion, diversity, and social justice. Dr. Mirbek specializes in movement-oriented approaches including sports social work, motology/psychomotorics, and experiential education. She has developed the Adaptive Inclusive Didactic Model (AiDM) for inclusive teaching and conducts empirical social research with a focus on quantitative methods. Her work addresses diversity-conscious and discrimination-sensitive practices, particularly regarding ableism, body shaming, and adultism. She also investigates Inclusive Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) related to climate change and people with disabilities.

Her extensive publication record shows a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research connecting social work, disability studies, environmental sustainability, and body politics. Recent publications increasingly focus on the intersection of climate change, sustainability, and disability inclusion, as well as the pervasive issue of body shaming across educational and social work contexts. Her research demonstrates a methodological strength in empirical social research and a practical orientation toward developing concrete models for inclusive practice.

Dr. Mirbek is actively involved in academic governance, serving on appointment committees, as a member of the Ethics Committee reviewing research projects, and as the Women's/Equal Opportunities Officer. She has developed courses including the Bachelor's programs in Special Education and Inclusion and Social Pedagogy and Inclusion. As a mentor for female students and graduates pursuing doctoral studies, she supports the next generation of academic researchers.

Her professional development includes significant training in inclusive university teaching, eTeaching, systemic consulting, and therapeutic approaches. She has extensive practical experience as a special education teacher, systemic consultant, and in various roles working with children and youth with disabilities.