Inclusion at FAU

In an effort to make studying and working accessible for all, FAU implements the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, for education see in particular Article 24, 2009), the recommendations passed by the German Rectors’ Conference (2009), the resolution of the German Student Services (2010), the Bavarian Inclusion Guidelines (Bayerische Inklusionsrichtlinien, 2019) and the Bavarian e-government regulation (Bayerische E-Government-Verordnung, 2016). The target agreements from 2019 concluded between FAU and the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, based on the Innovationsbündnis Hochschule 4.0 (2018), stipulate as follows:

“FAU is committed to developing projects and measures aimed at promoting an accessible working environment in order to proactively promote the interests of employees and other target groups with disabilities and impairments at the University.”

The aim of the project “Inclusion at FAU” (2019-2022) is not only to develop a concept for inclusion, but also a digital format for accessibility at FAU which will encourage the independent mobility and independence of people with disabilities. Several different stakeholders are currently consulting in detail with each other to determine the status of FAU buildings at present and develop a module aimed at pooling this information and making it available in FAU’s building and room database. In addition, we are working to provide additional information and raise awareness among various target groups, aiming both to encourage an appreciative culture at FAU and highlight different courses of action, for example with workshops on “accessible teaching” or “starting a career with a disability”.

Accessible online teaching has become much more of an issue in recent times, due to a large extent to the Covid pandemic. In order to allow as many people as possible to benefit, we have drawn up handouts and gathered useful information on accessible teaching for both teaching staff and students.

The BGD is also involved in the national Diversity Days in Germany organized by the “Charta der Vielfalt” (Diversity Charter), with us choosing to focus on inclusion for Diversity Day 2020. Details available here.