One University for Everyone
You can watch the video with German and English subtitles on the YouTube channel of the University of Potsdam.
Towards an Inclusive University
With the adoption of the inclusion concept for students and employees with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses, Potsdam University aims to be a leader when it comes to reducing barriers in the university context and to creating one university for everyone. In the inclusion concept, central goals and measures are defined that are meant to make the university barrier-free. These measures shall be realized until 2030.
The inclusion concept distinguishes three fields of action: study and teaching, employees, and accessibility.
Study and Teaching
In the field study and teaching, the situation of students is outlined. In addition, goals and measures are defined that intend to help provide better support for students in their everyday studies. The main goal is to enable all students to complete their studies. In order to achieve this goal, appropriate, scientifically based support services for students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses shall be provided.
University Employees
The field of study for employees of the university documents and combines the interests of employees and employers in a comprehensive guideline for the structured elimination of barriers in the working context of the university. The goals for this field are, on the one hand, to provide employees with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses with appropriate working conditions and on the other hand, to increase the quota of employees with a severe disability. The inclusion officer also attempts to support employees with a lower degree of disability. Cooperation with the health management of the university is particularly important in this regard.
Accessability
The section on accessibility states the goal to make the university accessible for everyone both digitally and on campus. For this purpose, barriers are first documented and then removed wherever possible. In addition, Potsdam University focuses on making new buildings accessible for people with disabilities even beyond the legal requirements.
