Inclusion at the University of Siegen

People with disabilities should have access to general higher education and lifelong learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with others, as well as equal opportunities in working life. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities commits the signatory states to this. The concept of inclusion is defined in such a way that it is not people with disabilities or chronic illnesses who should adapt, but that the environment should remove barriers in order to enable them to participate in university life on an equal and self-determined basis.

The University of Siegen therefore also considers it an important task to make a special effort to address the concerns of students and employees with disabilities or chronic illnesses and to reduce disadvantages in order to enable them to study and participate equally in university life despite health restrictions through appropriate measures. Important keywords here are: accessibility, equal opportunities and non-discrimination. The University of Siegen's guiding principle of "Shaping a Humane Future" is realized in everyday university life in a basic attitude of open and respectful interaction with each other and by taking into account and respecting the different potentials and concerns of university members, who are characterized by various forms of impairments and disability-related abilities, among other things.

In 2017, an Inclusive University of Siegen service office was set up at the University of Siegen to ensure that structures, procedures and services are inclusive and barrier-free.

As a team of inclusion partners, the Inclusive University of Siegen Service Office provides information, support and advice on all issues relating to inclusion and accessibility in studies, teaching and the workplace. It is the point of contact for all university members with disabilities or chronic illnesses to enable them to participate equally in everyday university life. It supports measures to continuously improve inclusion and accessibility at the University of Siegen and offers lectures, workshops and information events.

The diversity of students and employees with disabilities results in a wide range of tasks which, in accordance with the recommendations of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs and the German Rectors' Conference, are handled by the Inclusive University of Siegen Service Office in the sense of a triad of networking-cooperation-counseling by a coordinator and her staff in close cooperation with the representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses and the person of trust for severely disabled and equivalent employees in close cooperation with other university and non-university facilities and institutions.

The Service Office Inclusive University of Siegen is a suitable interface for interlinking the cooperation between the representatives for disabled or chronically ill students and the liaison officer for severely disabled or chronically ill employees of the university and for promoting cooperation with other university institutions such as psychological counseling, the central student advisory service, the International Office, occupational health and safety, the Asta and other central actors. Another task is to establish and maintain non-university and international networking and cooperation.

As a team in the sense of inclusion partners, all those involved contribute to ensuring equal opportunities for all university members to participate in everyday university life and to bundling and providing all the necessary services and advice in this area under one roof.