The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar strives to enable equal access for all students and staff, and offers specific assistance and advice for people with disabilities or a chronic illness. The »Inclusive University« work group can gladly answer any questions you may have regarding your impairment and organisation of your studies or workplace at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
Visible / perceptible impairment
Physical disabilities
Physical disabilities can restrict mobility, range of movement or organ function. As a result, day-to-day university life often requires greater effort and takes more time. Some students require study support as well as sufficient space in the lecture theatre, for example for a wheelchair, walking aids or a support person.
Blindness and visual impairment
Visual impairments vary widely and are often not apparent at first glance. Vision depends, amongst other things, on lighting conditions, colours and contrasts. Those affected often need more time and concentration to work through study materials and take in information.
Deafness and hearing impairment
Hearing impairments are not always apparent. Depending on when the impairment began and its severity, there may be differences in speech comprehension and written language skills. Hearing aids do not always fully compensate for the impairment, particularly in the presence of background noise. As a result, lectures often require a high level of concentration and can lead to fatigue setting in more quickly. Even with the support of sign language interpreters, it can be difficult to follow both the interpreter and the presentation slides at the same time.
Invisible disabilities
Dyslexia and dyscalculia
Dyslexia is a reading and spelling disorder, whilst dyscalculia is a maths disorder. Those affected often need more time to complete written tasks and maths problems. These disadvantages can be compensated for by allowing extra time, providing assistive technology, placing greater emphasis on oral performance, or by not marking spelling.
Speech Disabilities
Speech fluency disorders include, for example, stammering, which manifests itself through repetitions, prolongations or blocks in speech. The severity often depends on the situation. Those affected may consequently experience difficulties in oral examinations and presentations. Furthermore, this can lead to insecurity, social anxiety and social withdrawal.
Mental Illnesses
Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders or eating disorders, can affect mood, concentration, resilience and performance. Sleep problems and physical symptoms are also common. As these conditions are often not visible and occur in phases, they can complicate study planning, lead to longer study times and create significant pressure to adapt.
Chronic illness
Chronic illnesses persist over a long period and can be physical or mental in nature, such as rheumatism, asthma, diabetes or multiple sclerosis. They can impair resilience and concentration. Pain, side effects of medication and unpredictable flare-ups make it difficult to plan one’s studies and attend lectures regularly. Additional breaks, fixed mealtimes or regular medication are often necessary.
Integration Agreement of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
List of measures
The action plan for implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is aimed at people who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full, effective and equal participation in society (Article 1, sentence 2 of the UN CRPD). Inclusion is understood as an ongoing process of change aimed at identifying existing barriers in order to remove or compensate for them step by step.
The term ‘accessible’ refers to buildings and other facilities, means of transport, technical equipment, information processing systems, auditory and visual information sources and communication facilities, as well as other designed environments, provided that they can be located, accessed and used by people with disabilities without undue hardship and, in principle, without the need for assistance from others.
The action plan is aimed at students, teaching staff and members of staff with disabilities, as well as the wider university community. It takes into account the following areas of action, as defined by the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, which reflect both key priorities for action in the field of inclusion and the target groups:
- Accessible communication
- Study and teaching
- Physical accessibility
- Staff
Building plans and floor plans
The Bauhaus University’s site plan for accessible studying, research and work can be found here.
Assistance for Students
The Representative for the Needs of Students with Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities as well as General Academic Advising are happy to assist with questions relating to your impairment, such as financing your studies, the provision of aids, compensation for disadvantages during assessments, choice of studies, beginning and completing your studies.
Assistance for Employees
The representative for persons with severe disabilities is responsible for all matters relating to university employees who are at risk of or have a (severe) disability. All employees are able to consult the representative for persons with severe disabilities (e.g. regarding prolonged illness, integration into working life, job reorganisation, rehabilitation options, applications for a disabled person’s ID or applications for partial pensions).
Assistance for Instructors and Staff in Catering to Students with Impairments
We aim to also help teachers and staff to cater to students with impairments and assist them in matters relating to the implementation of compensation for disadvantages, the creation of accessible teaching materials and a further training programme to raise awareness and provide further qualification.
Assistance for Employees in Implementing Digital Accessibility
Digital access is an important way for people with disabilities to obtain comprehensive information. We support you in making your websites, documents, videos, etc. accessible and available.
Legislation exists to ensure equal access to higher education for students with impairments and thus reinforce their rights. The legal regulations must be enforced in order to meet the declaration of the German Rectors’ Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz, HRK) published in 2009 on »One University for All«. In higher education legislation and social law, the authors generally refer to the definition of disability as formulated in the Book IX of the German Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch, SGB IX).
»Hochschulrahmengesetz« (German Higher Education Framework Act), Thuringian Higher Education Act (Thüringer Hochschulgesetz, ThürHG), study and examination regulations of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Regulations specifically relating to access and admission to undergraduate and Master’s degree programmes as well as to equal opportunities for students with disabilities can be found in Articles 3 and 20 of the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz, GG), Articles 2 and 16 of the German Framework Act for Higher Education (Hochschulrahmengesetz, HRG), Articles 53, 55, 68 and 69 of the Thuringian Higher Education Act (Thüringer Hochschulgesetz, ThürHG), and in the regulations for the individual degree programmes at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
German National Association for Student Affairs (Deutsches Studentenwerk, DSW)
A »chronic illness« is a long-lasting illness or one that follows an episodic course. They include chronic intestinal diseases and epilepsy, along with other conditions such as rheumatism, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis or allergies. If these lead to an impairment of social participation, they ultimately meet the legal definition of »disability«.
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD)
In the UN CRPD, which has also been ratified by the Federal Republic of Germany, the concept of disability has been developed further and places greater emphasis on social barriers in accordance with the principle of »We are not disabled, we are being disabled«:
Article 1 and Preamble to the UN CRPD
»Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.«
German Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch, SGB)
Article 2 paragraph 1 SGB IX
A person has a disability if their physical function, mental ability or psychological health is very likely to deviate from the condition typical for their age for longer than six months and their participation in social life is therefore impaired. They are at risk of disability if an impairment is to be expected.
Article 2 paragraph 2 SGB IX
A person has a severe disability if they have a degree of disability of at least 50% and if they are legally resident, ordinarily resident or employed in a job within the meaning of Section 73 within the area covered in this code.